San Jose Earthquakes goalkeeper Jon Busch is confident that his former Chicago Fire understudy Sean Johnson will become a top-class gloveman.
Busch was released by the Fire early in 2010 and upon his departure, the veteran told head coach Frank Klopas (then technical director) that youngster Johnson would be their number one despite him being just 21 at the time.
"I told him, 'Sean Johnson will be your No. 1 in the future, and he'll be in the national team mix within a few years,'" Busch told MLSsoccer.com. "He kind of just looked at me. And I said, 'Mark my words.'"
Busch's words have since been vindicated with 23-year old Johnson playing 25 of a possible 28 MLS matches so far this season to add to his 28 starts in 2011.
Busch feels that Johnson, who spent time training with Everton last winter, still has plenty of scope for improvement and is supremely positive about him becoming the USA national teams next first-choice shot-stopper.
"He was willing to learn, he was willing to listen, and he wants to get better, wants to learn the position. You could see that the basics were there.
"There was something there that could lead him along the way, not just to be the starter of the Chicago Fire, but into the national team mix."