Benny Feilhaber admits he was worried about his future at Sporting Kansas City earlier this season.
The 28-year old former Hamburg, Derby County and Aarhus midfielder joined SKC from New England Revolution ahead of the 2013 MLS campaign but found himself sitting on the bench for the majority of two months between May and July.
Now, however, Feilhaber has worked his way back into the plans of head coach Peter Vermes and is one of the main contributors for the club that is preparing for the MLS Cup final against Real Salt Lake this weekend.
"I was down," Feilhaber told the Kansas City Star.
"I felt like I was fighting for my job. And in some ways, I was losing."
The 40-times capped USA international has provided the game-winning assist in the second legs of each of Sporting's playoff wins in the Eastern Conference semi-finals (against the Revs) and Conference final (against Houston Dynamo) and he says the magnitude of these types of matches is where he feels most comfortable.
"I really get focused on these big games. I want to perform," Feilhaber added.
"Because I haven't been playing much toward the end of the season, it's also an opportunity for me to prove to Peter what I can do. (He) put the faith in me and now I'm paying (him) back.
"I think it's helping me out in the playoffs when everything is on the line."
