Joe Gyau’s German debut could come as soon as Wednesday, when Hoffenheim squares off against Furth in the German Cup. The chance to rest some regulars as Hoffenheim fights its way into the top half of the Bundesliga table may mean a chance for the young American.
Whether he sees the field or not on Wednesday, though, Gyau’s rapid rise to the first team has been nothing short of spectacular. Just 19, Gyau is proving to be a rare American prospect who looks capable of living up to the expectations around him.
Gyau left U-17 residency in 2009 to head for Germany, by way of Vancouver. He played with the Whitecaps’ academy, alongside fellow youth prodigy Charles Renken, until he reached 18 and became eligible for the move overseas.
“When I was in residency I was getting a couple offers, but it was the Spain trip where there was a scout there from Hoffenheim,” Gyau revealed. “He contacted my agent and they worked something out where I would train in Vancouver for a year, because I wasn’t able to transfer at such a young age, and then I went over to Hoffenheim.”
While the move seemed elaborate at the time, and Gyau and Renken dropped off the U.S. soccer radar screen, the player says that Hoffenheim had everything set up to lead to his quick success when he arrived in Europe.
“Everything was set up,” he said. “In Vancouver they had a coach there from Germany, so he was able to get me used to the German style of play and it wasn’t a culture shock, I was able to get used to it.”
His education in Germany has been quick as well, both on and off the field: “I can speak German now. They put me in school. The guys they’re always telling me, only German. Everytime I speak English, they’re like “you’re in Germany, only German now.”
Gyau says the players at Hoffenheim have been instrumental in his adaptation process. He is surrounded by top level internationals and confers daily with the likes of Ryan Babel and Vedad Ibisevic.
“The players all really took me under their wing– Wilson Kamavuaka, he plays for the Congolese national team. Defensively, the defenders help, my right back Andreas Beck, when to come in, when to attack the defender when he has the ball.”
But by far the greatest influence in the young attacker’s game and life has been his dad Philip, a former USMNT player who emphasized the ball skills Gyau now displays in abundance as the young midfielder grew up.
“My dad, he did everything for me. I was born in Tampa when he was playing for the Rowdies. Ever since then we were always doing ball work together, on every field we could find we were juggling. My dad had played beach soccer in Brazil and he had seen the kids juggling and he told me that he wanted me to be able to do things like that – passing, juggling, controlling the ball, dribbling.”
As for his former teammate Renken, who moved on to Portland this MLS off-season, Gyau said he’s still struggling to return to form after two ACL injuries: “We used to live together, but since I’m 18 I had to get my own apartment. He’s doing good, obviously two ACLs is hard to come back from, but he’s doing it.”