Farrell Conflicted On Peru Interest
- Updated: January 25, 2016
Photo credit: Kari Heistad/capturedimages.biz
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Revolution defender Andrew Farrell is flattered that he’s been connected to a possible push from Peru National Team coach Ricardo Gareca to join his squad at some point in the future. The rub: Farrell has U.S. National Team aspirations, as well.
Although Farrell, who was born in Louisville, Ky., but lived in Peru with his family for 11 years as a child, said he would have to complete the requisite paperwork to attain Peruvian citizenship, he said he doesn’t quite know which country he’d pledge allegiance to if all things were equal.
“That’s a good question,” Farrell said. “I haven’t even thought about that. It’s a huge goal of mine to play at the international level, and so just hearing these rumblings (about Gareca’s interest) is pretty exciting so that, in general, is just huge for me. I’ll use it as motivation to keep pushing myself to be a better player for the Revs.”
Since entering the league as the first overall pick in 2013, Farrell has become one of the Revolution’s most reliable defenders, and his performance at right back during his first two seasons in MLS has sparked conversations about a possible call-up from the U.S. national team.
Farrell’s transition to center back in 2015 did little to quell the discussions, and there appeared to be an outside chance that he’d get called in for the current January camp. But after Farrell’s name wasn’t among the contingent called in by U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann earlier this month, Gareca told a local outlet that he’d like to speak to Farrell about the possibility of wearing the Peru National Team kit.
Although Farrell said he hasn’t spoken to Gareca about the possibility, the Revolution defender believes that the attention is validation that he is becoming the kind of player deserving of national team status.
“It’s really exciting to hear about that, obviously,” Farrell said. “But I’m just focused on being here with the team and improving as a player because I know I can get to that level. But I have a lot work to (get) there.”
“There,” of course, is the goal that every professional footballer strives for: suiting up for national team duty. And while Farrell has said that he’s spoken to fellow Revolution teammates Charlie Davies and Teal Bunbury – both of whom have been capped with the U.S. – about the situation before him, his sole focus at the present moment is to improve as player, and help his club contend for a championship.
“At this point in my career,” Farrell said, “I feel happy with how far I’ve come, and just about getting that national team attention from whatever country is pretty exciting.”
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