Aged just 23, Juan Agudelo has already played with Thierry Henry, scored some incredible goals and seen a move to the Premier League collapse. The Colombian-American striker burst onto the scene with the US national team aged just 17, and after a brief stint in Europe two years ago, Agudelo is now looking for MLS Cup glory with New England Revolution.A product of New York Red Bulls academy, Agudelo moved on to the now-defunct Chivas USA before a switch to Stoke stalled due to work permit problems. After a short spell in the Netherlands, Agudelo is back in the States and aiming for MLS glory. We caught up with him to find out more about his whirlwind journey, ahead of his sides clash with New York City this weekend - live on Sky Sports.What was it like playing and training with Thierry Henry at the New York Red Bulls aged 18? Agudelo (R) played and trained with Thierry Henry at New York Red Bulls at the age of 18 I learnt so much from him. The first day he got there I couldnt believe he was right next to my locker. Im an 18-year-old kid just coming into practice and then Ive got Henry next to me!He talked to me and gave me a couple of tips on how to improve my game and complementing it.It was huge for boosting my confidence, telling me that I could be a good player and that I could play in England one day.Your move to Stoke City in 2014 didnt work out after signing a pre-contract agreement, why was that? Stoke boss Mark Hughes tried to sign Agudelo for Stoke in 2014 It was down to work permit reasons. It got denied.I just fell short of my national team appearances to automatically qualify and be automatically eligible to play in England. I had to go through a court process and it didnt work out.How did the transfer originate?Mark Hughes saw I had a couple of caps with the national team since I was 17, at a young age, and I scored a goal.When Hughes was at Manchester City at the time I heard that he had interest in me and then he went over to Stoke.I guess he talked to their scouts and told them to keep an eye on me and then eventually when my contract was running out in MLS they wanted to pull the trigger [and sign me].Growing up watching these teams like Chelsea and Arsenal, its crazy to think that I almost played in that league because thats the league I look up to. Thats the league I would have loved to play in.You played for Utrecht in the Eredivisie for four months in 2014, what were the differences between MLS and the Dutch league?I would say it was a little bit less athletic but very, very technical and the technical ability is class.If you were to set an example, the crossing was a lot better because the players were more consistent but the athleticism was a little bit less than MLS.You have 20 caps for USA but youre not in the international setup at the moment - have you had any dialogue with Jurgen Klinsmann over your international future? Agudelo last appeared for the US national team in 2015 against Germany He has been telling me that he understands that Im young and I need to prove myself outstandingly in my club and try to make the team of the month in MLS.He wants me to stand out at my club.You scored a superb bicycle kick against DC United in the play-offs last year, was it the best goal youve ever scored? Juan Agudelo scored an amazing overhead kick for New England Revolution against DC United in the play-offs last year I felt like it was one of those moments where I saw it but I couldnt really believe it.It was definitely the best goal that Ive scored because I didnt believe I was going to be able to achieve it when it was in mid-air.I managed to get contact on it and it went in so definitely the best goal Ive ever scored!New England are without a win in their first three matches this season - why is that? Philadelphia made it back to back wins after a 3-0 win over New England Revolution last weekend I think we maybe just need to be a little bit sharper in the final third, including myself. Collectively, we need to be sharper and finish the chances that weve created or make that extra pass in order to put us in a better position to score a goal.What is the aim this season?Every single weekend were going to try to get three points and hopefully make the play-offs - then everything is fair game in the play-offs.You see a lot of teams that arent even in the right form going to play-offs and go on to win the MLS Cup, so I think everybody has a chance of winning.Of course, with our home record, it would be big for us to have home-field advantage because of the play-offs as were pretty good at home.How do you aim to approach New York City FC with all their star names? Agudelo will be up against the likes of Andrea Pirlo and David Villa on Saturday Weve all watched NYCFC, theyve got a new top-class manager now.They play a little bit differently now with some young, class guys out wide with Andrea Pirlo pulling the strings and David Villa trying to get on the end of things.At the weekend, just like the manager tells us, weve got to play our own game and not focus too much on the opponent. If we do our job then well get our first three points of the season.Are you excited to play against the likes of David Villa and Andrea Pirlo on Saturday? Any time I see a fixture on my phone, I see the logo of the team and pick out two or three players that Im going to say wow, Im going to play against those guys!It doesnt even have to be a player. With Patrick Vieira as head coach its crazy that Im going to be going up against a coach like him, so Im very thankful for that. Its always fun! 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Wholesale Nike SB UK Outlet . -- Most satisfying to Russ Smith about No. Kevin Harvick, who hails from Bakersfield, Calif., is a tough man to beat on the mile oval in Phoenix -- the place he considers his home track.Hes also been difficult to keep out of Victory Lane when he needs a win to advance in the Chase, which is once again the case in the penultimate round of this years pursuit of the Sprint Cup.Last year, Harvick and his Stewart-Haas Racing Chevy team advanced to the finale at the Homestead-Miami Speedway with a runner-up finish behind Dale Earnhardt, Jr. in a rain-shortened race.It was his only loss at Phoenix since 2013. Its a remarkable record and Harvick could be forgiven if he doesnt add another trophy on Sunday. But even second place wont do this time around, because Harvick is too far back in the points after a poor performance in the Round of 8s first race at the Martinsville Speedway.Known for biding his time before charging to the front in NASCARs version of the rope-a-dope, Harvick at least doesnt have to worry much about rain relegating him to another second place. Last years cancellation of the last 93 scheduled laps is not likely to happen. It was the first occasion where rain had shortened a race in the desert since NASCARs premier series first raced at Phoenix in 1988.There was some moaning about the unfairness of calling such a crucial race early last year that sent NASCARs most popular driver into championship contention.Likewise, NASCAR was questioned by social media about the call to end the Texas race last weekend won by Carl Edwards, who along with Jimmie Johnson is locked in for Homestead after their wins. But why do things any differently than the usual way of producing a winner? The same practical reasons for not staying at a track for an unpredictably extended period of time always rule.Two drivers wouldnt be unhappy with a runner-up finish at Phoenix. Joey Logano and Kyle Busch can guarantee themselves a place among the final four Sprint Cup candidates with second place if they lead laps. Matt Kenseth, Denny Hamlin and Kurt Busch must have a victory to guarantee a shot at the title in Florida.Ford and Team Penske seem to have finally found some speed, which bodes well for Logano. JGR driver Busch, meanwhile, appears to be imitating last years strategy of points racing in order to get a shot at winning in Homestead. Team owner Joe Gibbs, meanwhile, has three bullets left including Kenseth and Hamlin, and he hopes to get two of his Toyotas into the final running for the first time.Harvick is uncomfortably familiar with the come-from-behind role he finds himself in yet again. Four times in the last three years he has been on the verge of Chase elimination before posting a victory. Two of this seasons four victories have come during the Chase when he needed them the most. Its a fix in more ways than one.When you get in these situations, its fun to be able to succeed, Harvick said following his victory in New Hampshire in September. Its kind of like an addiction. You just love the russh of being able to be behind and be able to perform and make that happen.dddddddddddd Its something that is very gratifying.If Harvick has a secret at Phoenix, its being able to adjust to different track positions and to competitors who have raised their game. Any advantage his SHR team might bring to Phoenix can disappear overnight, he said.Thats the hardest thing about having success. You have to have an open mind to try new things to keep moving forward, Harvick said. If you dont have an open mind or are not willing to try a fresh approach, then it will get stagnant. Youre going to become stale and get left behind.Before his current stretch of six wins in his last eight Sprint Cup starts at Phoenix, Harvick won five times in the Camping World Truck Series. He also has a Xfinity Series victory on the desert mile. His over-all Sprint Cup statistics are off the chart. He has led 1,484 laps at Phoenix -- 18 percent of the total he has run -- and has posted 757 fastest laps.He swept both races in 2006, but Harvick really came on strong once the track was repaved and the backstretch was somewhat straightened in 2011.Although he has only one pole, Harvick prefers being close to the front. Theres always a dilemma about when to pit for tires and give up track position.Phoenix is a really flat racetrack where you want to have the freshest tires possible, but track position is really important, he said. A lot of what happens at Phoenix depends on the weather and how hot it is -- how much fall-off and how you have to manage track position throughout the day. The cooler the day is, the more you have to manage your track position. The hotter the day, the more you have to manage the fall-off. Better-handling cars will have a little easier time of getting through the field.It remains to be seen how a new rule announced by NASCAR for Phoenix will affect Harvicks SHR team as well as the other Chase contenders. In the eternal pursuit of trying to keep skewed cars in check, the sanctioning body circulated a new tech bulletin about how the truck trailing arms in the rear suspension are mounted to their brackets. Its a rule that will be carried over to 2017. The object of teams skewing their cars is to gain an advantage in the corners by picking up more aerodynamic sideforce.The new rule will present at least one new challenge for Harvick and his crew. The other challenge as always on a relatively short track will be contact from other drivers. Harvick has always seemed to know when to bang fenders and when to avoid contact that could cut a tire or possibly put his car into the wall. He won in the spring by banging into Edwards on the last lap coming to the checkered flag.Not surprisingly, Harvick believes the Phoenix track belongs to him until someone can prove otherwise. In the last four years, only the rain gods have beaten him. ' ' '