12414_isi_lichajeric_bpi_mw_nottingham_forest_fulham_51.2908368 Matt West/isiphotos.com
On the Record

How Eric Lichaj Came to Be Known as 'The Rash'

The 26-year-old fullback struggled to overcome injuries last season, but is back in fine form for Stuart Pearce's Nottingham Forest side. Here's the latest buzz on the man they call "The Rash."
BY Laura Greene Posted
December 04, 2014
12:41 PM
THE LAST TIME we gave Eric Lichaj the On the Record treatment, he was seven months into a two-year contract with Nottingham Forest. Now the 26-year-old has less than seven months to go before his current deal at the City Ground runs out.

Here we take a look at the ups and downs of the interim period and investigate how Lichaj came to be nicknamed “The Rash.”

First, let’s rewind to November 2013: Lichaj was fresh from winning a call-up for the U.S. men’s national team—his first since playing under former coach Bob Bradley in the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup Final.

After getting the nod from Jurgen Klinsmann, Lichaj appeared in two friendlies, getting 18 minutes against Scotland and nine minutes against Austria, on November 15 and 19, respectively.

Injured in January, a minor knock kept the versatile defender on the sidelines for seven Championship games.

“I picked up a pelvic injury which initially the medical team thought could be a hernia which would have kept me out for longer," Lichaj told the club's official website on February 28. "I’ve had a few injuries in my career and it is always tough but I had some time off and the injury has healed now so I’m fit and ready to play.”

Twenty-four hours later, following a 45-minute appearance against Wigan Athletic, Lichaj was back on the treatment table.

“It's another terrible blow for us," said former Forest boss Billy Davies on MLSSoccer.com. "We had a good week's training from him prior to the Wigan match and he and the medical people gave us the green light to include him. Unfortunately he felt it getting worse and worse as the game progressed, and we had to make the change.”

Hope that Lichaj could make it into Klinsmann’s 2014 World Cup squad started to fade when it was announced that he required surgery for a double hernia.

Unable to attend a U.S. training camp in Frankfurt ahead of a friendly against the Ukraine in Cyprus on March 5, early indications suggested that Lichaj would be out of action for just one month. However the injury setback ruled him out of action until the end of the season.

After 24 Championship games and two outings in the League Cup, Lichaj’s 2013-14 campaign was over.

On May 14, in response to an article in the Nottingham Post, Forest fan Bomdia commented: “Must confess to being less than convinced that Lichaj, even fully fit, is quite the outstanding RB so many Forest fans are talking him up to be.”

Knawrybred disagreed, typing: “Your opinion differs to mine, when fit he rampaged down the wings, was quick, good in the tackle and will be an asset once fit, and yes gained a couple too many yellow cards but I enjoyed watching him in full flow.”

Management made a change in the coaching position while Lichaj was recuperating. Following a run of eight games without a win, Davies was relieved of his managerial duties at the City Ground and replaced by Forest legend Stuart Pearce. The former England international spent 12 years at the City Ground as a player and was slated to take the reins of the club in July.

Under caretaker coach Gary Brazil, Forest ended up finishing the Championship season in 11th place.

Still on the injury list in mid-July, Forest assistant coach Steve Wigley spoke to local press about his side’s injury woes:

“It is a worry. We sat down on June 1 and it was indicated that they would all be back (for the start of the season). But we have subsequently discovered that it could be September.

“Lichaj has had an operation and, when you speak to him, you do feel a little more optimistic. Getting him out running, instead of being in the treatment room, could be a big step. Once you get a player out on to the actual grass, you start to see a big improvement. But the situation has caught us out a little bit.”

A summer of record spending saw Forest bring in several new faces, including the £5.5 million former Peterborough striker Britt Assombalonga, £1.6 million Michail Antonio from Sheffield Wednesday, and former Chelsea and Hamburg center back Michael Mancienne.

Under Pearce, Forest started the 2014-15 season in fine form, registering just one defeat in its first 12 games. Lichaj played in all but one of those fixtures as he continued his return to full fitness.

Deployed at left back and right back in almost equal measure, the Illinois native has now been involved in all but two Championship games this season and has been a member of the starting XI for 12 of Forest’s 19 league matches.

Forest followed up its 5-3 win against Fulham with three straight scoreless draws, capped with a 2-2 draw against Ipswich on October 5.

In its next outing the club stuttered, suffering its first league defeat of the season with a 2-1 loss at the Cardiff City Stadium.

A brief backlash followed.

Forest’s next four league games were all defeats, culminating in a 3-1 home loss against Championship new-boys Brentford. In this game, Lichaj was at fault for a back-pass—described as “woeful” by BBC Sport—that led to the Bees’ second goal.

However, after nine league games without victory, Forest got back to its winning ways in its next fixture—a home tie against Norwich City which played in the Premier League the prior season. Lichaj came on as a substitute in the 66th minute.

There was more to come as Forest took a huge scalp in a 3-0 win against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux—inflicting Wolves’ second defeat of the season on home turf.

Against the Midlands club, Lichaj received unequivocal raves. It was his first full 90-minute showing over the course of five league games and his seventh under Pearce. Given the tough task of coming up against Bakary Sako, one of the best wingers in the Championship, Lichaj turned in an outstanding performance. Bakary Sako After his excellent display against the Wolves No. 10, Lichaj discussed the nickname his teammates had given him.

“The boys in the changing room call me 'The Rash' and I think I lived up to that," Lichaj the Nottingham Post on November 23. "I guess that is a compliment. I have played against better people in the Premier League, but I knew he was an important player for them and that I needed to be on my 'A' game.”

The praise for Lichaj continued, with Pearce telling Nottinghamforest.co.uk: “The players have had their tails up over the last two weeks and there’s a real confidence around the training ground. Bakary Sako is a big handful and I thought Eric Lichaj dealt with him as well as any player will do in this league. It was an absolutely incredible performance.”

Back in the starting lineup for a tough test against Birmingham City, Lichaj got another 90 minutes under his belt on November 29—a 2-1 defeat against the Blues.

Next up is Charlton Athletic, which is tied with Forest on 28 points. Both sides are just three points off the playoff spots and with things as competitive as ever in the Championship, it’s going to be a long and testing season.

Lichaj, speaking to the club’s official website, is determined to fight and keep his place in Pearce’s plans.

“You just have to do well when you get into the team and hopefully stay in there. If the manager feels he needs to chop and change, that’s going to happen. You’ve just got to play your heart out, and that’s what I do.”

What are your thoughts on Eric Lichaj? Is he U.S. national team material? Let us know below.

Laura Greene is a frequent ASN contributor. Please follow her on Twitter.

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