Eric Lichaj has been here before. Not metaphorically, in a he-has-been-on-the-cusp-of-securing-a-more-permanent-spot-on-the-United-States-men's-national-team-before sort of way. It's meant quite literally. He already has been in the very spot where he's standing, doing an interview as a member of Bruce Arena's 2017 Gold Cup squad.
Six years ago, Lichaj stayed with the American team at the same Nashville hotel before the 2011 Gold Cup. He was younger then, just 22, and a different type of player. "I did a lot more running without thinking," he says over the phone.
At the time, Lichaj was just beginning in what looked to be a long stint with the red, white and blue.