League 1’s surprise top goalscorer Charlie Kelman believes he can force his way into Mauricio Pochettino’s USA squad once given the chance to shine in next season’s Championship
Charlie Kelman’s golden boot arrived by post on Wednesday but League One’s top marksman would exchange it for play-off glory without a second thought after following through on a pre-season promise to himself.
Last summer Kelman felt at a crossroads at QPR so flew to Dallas, where he spent much of his childhood, to cut himself off from all distractions.
He trained “obsessively” at The Star facility used by the NFL ’s Cowboys and admits “my missus was fuming because we barely spoke” while he was in the zone.
When the chance to rejoin Leyton Orient on loan for a second time presented itself upon his return, he told manager Richie Wellens that he would score 20 goals.
Brave talk from a player whose previous best return was seven, when the Os won League Two the season before last. But Kelman, who was 250/1 to be the division’s top scorer, surpassed his target to guide them to a sixth-place finish and a semi-final with Stockport County.
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“Last season was tough,” he says. “I was playing out of position at QPR and then went to Wigan on loan and I’d never lived that far away from home before.
“But when it came to the summer I cancelled my holiday, went to the States – my older brother lives in Dallas – and I trained every day. It was do or die for me in a sense so I was working my arse off and I knew it would happen.
“When I met with the gaffer he said he wanted me back because of my defensive side of the game but I said, ‘Look, gaffer, I’m going to get 20 goals this year and I’ll have my holiday when I get my golden boot.’ I’ve held up my end of the bargain, now hopefully we can get our second promotion together.”
That holiday has been delayed further by the play-offs and Kelman has gone to bed all this week visualising chances that could fall to him today.
Orient may have finished nine points behind Stockport but after winning six in a row to take the final spot confidence is sky high.
“We both have very talented players,” Kelman says. “And with this gaffer, you can get the gist of what we’re going to go and do – we’ll be on the frontfoot, energetic and hopefully get a result.”
Kelman has not given any thought to what happens immediately after. He loves being at Orient, describing Wellens’ tightknit squad as like “best friends, like being back at school,” and is determined to make an impact in the second tier next season.
But long-term he has set himself one big ambition – a place in Mauricio Pochettino ’s USA squad for next summer’s World Cup. “I’ve been very vocal that I want to play for America,” says Kelman, who is eligible through his father and has played underage for the Stars and Stripes.
“Obviously the Gold Cup is in the summer, maybe that will come too soon. But I want to prove I can play at that level. I want to play in a World Cup for America. I’ll take it a step at a time and next up is to prove it in the Championship.”
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