BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. – For Sean Johnson, 2015 could be a seminal year.
Entering his sixth season with the Chicago Fire, the 25-year-old goalkeeper knows a commanding season between the posts for Frank Yallop’s men could elevate him in the pecking order in Jurgen Klinsmann’s US national team roster and confirm his status among the elite of MLS – while also helping his club return to the MLS Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2012.
The Georgia native has been a steadying figure behind a much-maligned Fire backline since being selected 51st overall in the fourth round of the 2010 SuperDraft, an impressive career trajectory that has included an increased role with the USMNT since his first call-up in 2011. And eclipsing Nick Rimando and Bill Hamid on Klinsmann’s goalkeeping depth chart is potentially Johnson's next step.
“My real goal for the year, as it is every year, is to be better than I was the year before,” the typically determined and confident Johnson told MLSsoccer.com. “Last year was a good year for me, so I think the only way up for me personally is for the team to actually win games. It’s going to be all about winning games, raising the bar. Setting the standard high from the start is a really big goal that we have (as a team) this year.”
The towering 6-foot-4 netminder is also aware that a another solid season for the revamped Fire could propel him into the consciousness of teams in Europe.
“I’m always going to be self-motivated to accomplish my goals as a soccer player,” Johnson said. “Playing at the highest level in Europe and taking a shot at that level is a goal that I have, and I think I’ll always be driven to attain that goal.
“I think it’s just a matter of things falling into the right place, whether it be the situation or the timing. But in due time, when the time is right, hopefully I can end up at one of those clubs from overseas and play at the level that I know I can.”
Not one to rest on his laurels, Johnson embarked on a hectic offseason schedule that involved training time with English Premier League side Hull City, a now familiar path for him after having linked up with Everton, Stoke City and Norwich City in previous offseasons.
He also joined Klinsmann’s USMNT squad for their November games in England and Ireland and for the month-long training camp at the start of the year that saw him earn his fifth cap as a halftime substitute in the 2-0 victory over Panama on Feb. 8. He then met up with the Fire at their English training camp and had a few days off before linking up with his teammates in Portland ahead of the Simple Invitational tournament
“It was a pretty busy offseason, but that being said I got a decent amount of rest back home,” Johnson said. “Starting out the year with the national team was great. It really set the tone being with a great group and a great level, and getting that kind of training day-in, day-out for a month going into the year is fantastic.”
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Johnson started in all but one of the Fire's 34 regular season games last year and performed well despite the club's struggles. But persistent defensive issues forced Chicago to make significant changes this offseason, and Johnson will now be playing behind a revamped back line.
The new-look Fire won't exactly get to ease into the season, either, with a tough opening day assignment as they visit defending MLS Cup champion LA Galaxy on Friday (10 pm ET; UniMas) and then follow that up with their home opener against the Vancouver Whitecaps on March 14.
“I think it’s exciting,” Johnson said of the new defensive additions. “We added some good people, some great players like Eric Gehrig, Adailton, [Joevin] Jones and [Matt] Polster, players that can step up at any point in time. I think it’s just a matter of getting on the right page, developing those relationships between the center backs and outside backs pairings and that should take us right up to the regular season and we’ll be good.”
