MetroFanatic: Eric, you had a little stint with the national team over the winter.
Eric Alexander: It went pretty well, I thought. It was a really good experience for me. I was able to gauge myself against the other good MLS players.

MF: Has Jurgen given you any indication about after the World Cup?
EA: No, not really. There wasn't a great deal of talk between the players, because the camp ended so quickly. Everyone was leaving to get to preseason, so it was tough to meet with him. He reiterated, the whole time we were there, that we're all on the radar, and he is gonna be watching.

MF: Enough about the national team. Last year, you had a couple of huge goals, including the one in the Supporters Shield game.
EA: I came on, we're in pretty good control of the game. Chicago was pressing, we were kinda going back and forth a little bit, and Peguy played be a good ball, I was in a space. I actually looked to slide it across, but nobody was in the box, so I had to hit it last minute. Fortunately, it went in.

MF: And then it's 4:1, at that point, it looks like it's over.
EA: Yeah, that's how we felt, and we just carried the game from there.

MF: There was another goal when some compared your play to Maradona. You made your way through midfield, and took a nice shot from far out.
EA: Yeah, yeah.

MF: So there is some magic in those legs. How do we get to see that more often?
EA: Hopefully, you do. I am a player who, at times, can do some of that stuff, and I hope to do it more. It's just one of those things I need to bring out in myself more often.

MF: Do you think playing centrally suits you better than on the wing?
EA: I'm definitely capable of doing both, but it depends on the lineup that we have. We have a lot of good players, and a lot of players who can fill in at both spots. There's tough competition this year for either spot. Wherever I fit in, I'm fine with.