Short Off-Season For Onyewu

• Yanks Abroad, Tuesday, May 20, 2008 2:45 PM

Just because you've won the championship in one of Europe's stronger leagues doesn't mean you get to relax for the summer. U.S. and Standard Liege central defender Oguchi Onyewu has only allowed himself a week's rest after lifting the Belgian title before focusing on his next two priorities -- the three national team friendlies, and the possibility of joining a better team in a bigger league.
 
"Playing in the Champions League next season is a good incentive to stay," Onyewu told Michael Adubato, "but as I always said, my aspirations are to play in a bigger league, so if that comes this summer then great. I'm under contact here until 2009. If a team doesn't come in with a sufficient enough offer on my terms and on the club's terms, then I will be playing Champions League soccer next season."

Onyewu expects to be with the US team for a month, and then to take "a little time off" before his club pre-season training resumes, which he says is "pretty much my summer schedule every year." Neither is he expecting much chance to relax against England, Spain and Argentina. "Bob Bradley goes into every game to win and no games are quote unquote a practice game. We have to be ready for them."

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