United States Star ‘Devastated’ To Miss World Cup Admits Club Boss
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Derby County boss John Eustace has admitted that Patrick Agyemang is devastated to have had his World Cup dream ended through injury.
Agyemang joined the Championship side last summer from MLS side Charlotte FC and has been an important player for the club, currently standing as their second top scorer with ten goals across all competitions.
He has been ruled out for around nine months with an Achilles tendon injury, which occurred during Derby’s clash against Stoke City on Easter Monday, when he was forced off in the 41st minute in a game the Rams went on to win 2-0.
The injury is not only a major setback for Derby at a crucial stage of the season as they push for a playoff spot, but also for the 25-year-old, who had been in contention to represent the United States at the World Cup on home soil.
He was called up for international friendlies last month by Mauricio Pochettino for the United States team, scoring off the bench against Belgium and also featuring against Portugal.
Prior to those friendlies, Agyemang had spoken about his development as both a player and a person, suggesting that his move to Derby has helped him improve several aspects of his game.
Overall, he has registered six goals in 14 appearances for the United States and was part of the squad that finished runners-up in last year’s CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Eustace acknowledged the emotional toll on the player, stating that he is devastated and had worked tirelessly to put himself in contention for the World Cup, coming close to achieving that goal.
He reflected that Agyemang has been a key focal point for the side and conceding that his absence will be a huge blow for the remainder of the season.
Eustace told BBC Radio Derby: “He’s obviously devastated to be missing the World Cup.
“Patrick has been a real focal point for us.
“His development this year has been outstanding and it’s going to be a huge blow to us first and foremost for him not to finish the season.
“To miss the World Cup, he’s worked his socks off to get into that squad and I think he was very close.”
Pochettino’s United States are in Group D at the World Cup alongside Australia, Paraguay and Turkey, and the manager will now have to reassess his attacking options following the Rams forward’s absence.
Meanwhile, Agyemang will focus on recovery and look to return stronger after missing out on what would have been a major milestone in his career.
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