Official 2009-2010 Des Moines MENACE Post-Season Thread

http://www.menacesoccer.com/news/release/index.html?article_id=159

announced players returning- appearances (goals)
M Ross Moffatt- 13 (2)
F Armin Mujdzic- 10 (5)
F Sterling Copeland- 14 (3)
D Nick Foster- 8 (0)
M Yuki Kariya- 11 (2)
D Jack Pearson- 16 (2)
F Jacob Schmoker- 17 (1)
F Hunter Kennedy- 6 (3)
M Michael Thaden- 3 (0)

 

That's good to hear but I was hoping Ben Taylor was also on the list.

 

Taylor was apparently one of the very last minute drop outs from the group. I heard he may be back in Springfield for the summer. Too bad.

 

Springfield? As talented as he is? Ridiculous.

Plus, I wouldn't want to hear from us.

 

Those in the know say he is not playing for Springfield and is still hoping to come back to the Menace this year

 

"He guards the back
and leads on the attack!
Its Benny Taylor!
Benny Taylor!"

Unless he's playing for Springfield, then we'll have to have another song for him. maybe one with swears.

So any new comers to the Red Army this year?

 

I. Hoping to make most games.

 

Chris apparently ha two newbies as well.

 

BTW.. are we going to do scarves or not? Buz did you look at my idea?

 

I think I tried but couldn't find it. Can you post the seal you were talking about?

 

Again, I figured, on one side, we could change the seal to solid color and stretch it out across a two color striped scarf. Each letter in Des Moines would be in a stripe with the arch taking up the last stripe.

Other side can be whatever we come up

 

England native Laurie Calloway is back as the Premier Development League team’s head coach, and he is joined by assistant coach Neathan Gibson, who hails from South Africa. As the season draws near, Calloway and Gibson welcome at least seven new players who come from outside the United States.

Players have started reporting to camp, preparing for the Menace’s May 8 exhibition opener against Drake at Valley Stadium.

“If the first batch of players is anything to go off of, we’ve got a lot to be excited about,” said Calloway. “We’re going to have defenders who can attack out of the back and midfielders who can score goals. Hopefully, we’ll give fans a very exciting brand of soccer.”

Stephen Okai and Jubril Lawal are the first international players on the scene. They came with University of Mobile (Ala.) teammate Jason Williams, a goalkeeper.

Okai played for the U15-U17 Ghana national team; Lawal, just 16 years old, is from Nigeria.

The other foreign players who have committed to play with the Menace:

• Lebogang Moloto – nicknamed “Tsunami” – a South African who was named the Most Outstanding Offensive Player of the NAIA Division I National Championship, after leading Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) to the title
• English footballers Clark Bradford (Christian Brothers University in Memphis) and Sam Brooks (Kentucky)
• Luis Piffer, a Brazilian forward from Marshalltown Community College who joins Grand View University in the fall
  
• Kenan Malicevic, a Bosnian citizen who will play against the Menace on May 8 before joining the team for the regular season

Through the organization’s 16 previous seasons, Des Moines Menace players have represented 27 countries, to be featured on the opening page of this year’s souvenir program. As the soccer world prepares for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, hosted by Gibson’s and Moloto’s native South Africa, the Menace unveils a new theme: "Experience the World's Game."

“It’s very interesting for fans. They can see a Menace game the same day as a World Cup game,” Calloway said. “It’s an educational thing for fans to compare us to the top teams in the world. They’ll be able to compare the styles of play.”

See what players return from the 2009 team.

Player Capsules Stephen Okai
Position:Midfielder
College:University of Mobile(NAIA Division I; Mobile, Ala.)
Hometown: Ghana
Okai was a member of the U15-17 Ghana National team.

Jubril Lawal
Position: Midfielder
College:University of Mobile(NAIA Division I; Mobile, Ala.)
Hometown: Nigeria
Lawal is only 16 years old; he was 14 when he graduated high school.

Lebogang Moloto
Position:Midfielder
College:Lindsey Wilson College(NAIA Division I; St. Columbia, Ky.)
Hometownolokwane, South Africa
In 2009, Moloto scored eight goals and had five assists for the Blue Raiders. He helped lead Lindsey Wilson to the NAIA Division I National Championship and was honored as the Most Outstanding Offensive Player of the tournament. Moloto, nicknamed “Tsunami,” was selected as an NAIA all-America first-teamer in 2009.

Clark Bradford
Position: Midfielder
College:Christian Brothers University(NCAA Division II; Memphis, Tenn.)
Hometown:Blackburn, England
In 2009, Bradford had five goals for the Buccaneers and led the team in assists with seven.

Sam Brooks
Positionefender
College:University of Kentucky(NCAA; Lexington, Ky.)
Hometown:Birmingham, England
In 2009, Brooks transferred from University of the Cumberlands to the University of Kentucky.

Luis Piffer
Position: Forward
College: Marshalltown Community College (NJCAA Division I; Marshalltown, Iowa.)
Hometown: Amparo, Brazil
In 2010, Piffer is committed to play for Grand View University.

Kenan Malicevic
Position: Forward
Collegerake University(NCAA Division I; Des Moines, Iowa)
Hometown: Cedar Rapids, Iowa
In 2009, Malicevic appeared in 24 games for the Bulldogs. He scored six goals and had one assist.

 

Tell us something we don't know.