Americans Leading the Charge

Every few months, he takes the Porsche to Donington Park in the Midlands, where he spins around the Grand Prix circuit at up to 135 mph.

Asked if he wanted to pursue a racing career when he's done with soccer, Hahnemann said: "I want to race cars now . It's just too expensive."

As for the danger involved, he added: "It's way more dangerous on the road than it ever is on the racetrack. On the track, everything is going in the same direction. You can be doing 135 and you don't have any problems to worry about."

He then paused, thought about what he had just said, and added, "Well, except for the walls."

Said Arena: "He's a very entertaining guy. He's a good goalkeeper, he's got a personality and he understands where he fits in with our group."

Until last fall, Convey wondered if he would ever make it in England.

In 2003, his transfer from MLS to the Premier League's Tottenham Hotspur was voided because he couldn't get a British work permit, and he returned to United.

But his national team appearances continued to grow, rekindling interest overseas and making it easier for him to acquire a work permit. (Non-European players need to be regular members of their national team in order to earn a living in England.)

Just before the start of the 2004-05 season, Reading bought him from MLS for about $1.5 million. "I didn't really know anyone's name for the first five games," Convey said. He appeared in only 22 of 46 matches, started just seven and didn't register a goal or an assist.

Last summer, desperate to make an impression on Coach Steve Coppell, he and Arena agreed that it would be in his best interests to return to England instead of playing for the U.S. team in the Gold Cup, an inconsequential regional tournament.

"If I wasn't going to get a chance to play, I didn't want to be there anymore," Convey said. "The coach made it really clear that he wanted me to play and be a big part of the team, and it's worked out."

Hahnemann said he told Convey that, in order to survive, "you've just got to work your butt off and do the stuff you don't want to do, the stupid stuff like sliding for a ball that's going out of play even if you have no chance for it. You have to look like you're trying because, especially in England, that's what they're looking for."

Convey made his mark in the preseason and has played in every league match, mostly on the left wing but some in central midfield. He is tied for second on the team in assists with 11 and sixth in goals with seven -- one fewer than he scored in 89 MLS appearances.

"Bobby's been a slow burn," Coppell told the Associated Press recently. "He sort of struggled with our mentality a bit and, in the summer, he sat himself down and put to himself the target of being a regular player, and he's done that. He's got a brightness and a pace."

Arena has monitored Convey's progress closely, saying: "One of the biggest obstacles Bobby has is just growing up and realizing that, in terms of soccer, there are other people in the universe besides Bobby.

"He has always thought about himself and now he's learning how to be a team player. Going through a whole season at that level, it's been a fantastic exercise for Bobby."