It all started in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Then it moved onto a muddy field in February against Sudbury Town in England â and eventually to facing Lionel Messi and playing every minute of a World Cup.
My mentality was always the same: the tunnel mentality.
When you get in the tunnel, you have a couple of minutes of calm before the storm. You have to go down deep inside and create an unshakable confidence. Someone chose you to be there, so while its easy to think “Im going to get crushed,” sometimes, you have to convince yourself that you belong.
At the 2010 World Cup, Bob Bradley was masterful at picking the right guys for the right situations. He knew that a good team does have all the same characters; its full of different ones. He knew which characters were needed at the right time.
Anyone who knows me knows that Im a character. I had no fear because I had gone through the hardest parts of my journey to get in the position where he could pick me.
When you enter a career from the back of the line like I did, from Wisconsin, I had to fight to belong on the field from the time I was 17 or 18 years old. And at that age, youre also trying to prove to yourself that you are good enough.
What I learned through standing in those tunnels throughout my career is that while you line up opposite your adversaries and wait for the referee to come out, theres a lull â a calm before the storm. Thats where the tunnel mentality comes into play.
This also applies to all walks of life. If youre walking into an interview for a job youve dreamed of, youve worked your ass off to get to that moment.
For me, it was the tunnel. Ive lined up opposite Lionel Messi, Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo â the best of the best.
When its time to go to battle, you have to go deep inside and create the savagery and confidence necessary to make sure you are unshakable. It requires a lot of hyping yourself up.
The First Moment
When I got to Watford in 2004, I played two seasons in the Championship. There were some very good players in that league, and I got to play at Anfield in the FA Cup, as well.
We got promoted to the Premier League in 2006, though, and the first time I looked over at the tunnel and thought, “Here we go,” was against Manchester United in our third league game of the season. It was at home at Vicorage Road, a 20,000-seat stadium. I was vice captain that year and later became the club captain. Not only is it a new league and better competition, but its also more responsibility.
We were waiting in the tunnel for the United team, which was full of international stars. Edwin van der Sar was in goal. Paul Scholes and Michael Carrick were in midfield. On the wings for United were Ryan Giggs and Ronaldo.
I saw the Manchester United badge on the jerseys, and thought, OK, youre in the Prem now, big boy. You ready to go?” Its very easy to look at Ronaldo and think, “Oh my gosh, he is that good-looking.” But my tunnel mentality kept me focused.
Here are the two key steps to that mentality:
1. Gain Confidence
The question I asked myself: How are you going to be the best version of you? And no one knew that better than I did. For me, it was to gain an immense level of confidence. I took confidence in the fact that someone believed that I could go out there in front of these people and play well â so I should too.
2. Work Ethic
I always say, work on what youre really good at in the light, and work on what youre not so good at in the dark.
For me, the light was very simple. My job was to win the ball and give it to somebody better than me. I had two rules to do that.
I could be wiry and get in front of attackers, handchecking them and putting off that players first touch. In those moments, I imagine myself coming in as my best and winning those challenges.
I always had the mentality of, “I get to do this.
