Open Practice Thoughts

Discussion in 'San Jose Earthquakes' started by mthead14, Aug 6, 2019.

  1. mthead14

    mthead14 Member

    Nov 5, 2011
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Anyone here go to the open practice? It really was entertaining. Having seen previous such events, this was done right and the intensity and complexity of the drills was a joy to watch. Almeyda seems to get a lot out of players while keeping a very fun demeanor. Pictures attached in below link for anyone interested

    Cheers

    https://flic.kr/s/aHsmFRsnSf
     
  2. don gagliardi

    don gagliardi Member+

    San Jose Earthquakes
    Feb 28, 2004
    san jose
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    I thoroughly enjoyed it.
     
  3. battchy

    battchy Member

    Oct 18, 2001
    Mtn View, CA
    any notes/thoughts/sightings of Fierro or Rios?
     
  4. mthead14

    mthead14 Member

    Nov 5, 2011
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Fierro moved well, looked talented, and a little soft (see pics)
     
  5. Scott Rohde

    Scott Rohde Member+

    San Jose Earthquakes
    United States
    Jul 28, 2018
    great night. weather was perfect and it was fun to see what goes on in a practice session. I'm sure the players were having more fun than usual since they had an audience but I can see that they work hard. After Almeyda blew his whistle I noticed some players just drop in exhaustion - only to get back up and go again a few minutes later.
    During the practice I thought we wouldn't see any scrimmage because the players already looked completely exhausted but nope - they still scrimmaged at the end (although on a small field).
    These athletes recovery time is not the same as my recovery time - that's for damn sure.
     
  6. Scott Rohde

    Scott Rohde Member+

    San Jose Earthquakes
    United States
    Jul 28, 2018
    Anyone know the academy kid who was playing with Shea? He stood out to me - thought he looked pretty good.
     
  7. NedZ

    NedZ Member+

    May 19, 2001
    Los Gatos
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    I was glad to see practice activities which kept everyone moving and running. I can see how fitness is maintained. In addition there seemed to be a lot of activity which promoted quick, hard, short passes at speed in close-quarters. I could see how the close-in give-and-goes in the penalty area during MLS games will benefit. I've seen a few Quakes open practices before, and they usually featured players running down the sideline and crossing the ball into the box. Of course, this was a Monday session after a Saturday game, so perhaps the crossing drills will come later in the week. Still, this practice looked more like the way the team is paying on the weekends now, which is an attractive style.
     
  8. mjlee22

    mjlee22 Quake & Landon fan

    Nov 24, 2003
    near Palo Alto, CA
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    We really enjoyed the event! I took a lot of notes, but I was surprised how little the guys actually played, and how few touches they got. It was good for maintaining skills, but If that’s a typical practice, then I wonder how anyone actually improves their skill. Now I understand why players hang around after practices to keep kicking or shooting.

    But maybe it was lightweight cuz it was a Monday practice after a Sat game.

    What really struck me was the staff of 11 coaches and helpers including translator. Were some of those academy coaches?

    The last practice I attended had only Yallop, Watson, Russell & GK Coach. So that’s a big increase in coaching staff
     
  9. hc897

    hc897 Member+

    May 3, 2009
    San Jose, CA
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    I would venture to guess that the training activities are not the same for every session. You only have so many hours a day to train and you have a lot of things to work on.

    However, this does have me wondering about Vako's interest in working after hours, as it were, to continue improving, and how he was asking the staff what he can do. Again, you only have so many hours to work with everyone, so you're only going to get so much individual attention during training sessions. I wish I'd been able to go to the event, it sounds like it was pretty interesting.
     
  10. mjlee22

    mjlee22 Quake & Landon fan

    Nov 24, 2003
    near Palo Alto, CA
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Hey guys, i put together a little video of the open practice. Hope you enjoy it!
    (Hopefully it doesn’t get removed for content issues)

     
  11. SoccerMan94043

    SoccerMan94043 Member+

    May 29, 2003
    San Jose
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Make it so!

    I loved the fitness with in the drills (cross field zones). Plus practical drills controlling and moving. I love this coach!
     
    mjlee22 repped this.
  12. don gagliardi

    don gagliardi Member+

    San Jose Earthquakes
    Feb 28, 2004
    san jose
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    My favorite part of the open practice was at the outset when Wondo nonchalantly carried out the bag of balls and started setting up those plastic frisbees (or whatever their official name) on the field. Top-scoring ball boy in MLS history. :)
     
    NedZ repped this.
  13. MtnGardener

    MtnGardener Member+

    San Jose Earthquakes
    United States
    Jul 21, 2017

    And this video holds the keys to the mystery of who has the pink cleats. At minute 1:21 are the pink cleats. At 1:46 is who I think is Cummings, in bright yellow cleats.
     
  14. TyffaneeSue

    TyffaneeSue moderator
    Staff Member

    Nov 15, 2003
    Upstairs
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    See the photos in the first post. There's a close-up of #19 wearing pink cleats. Siad. Is that the guy?
     
  15. MtnGardener

    MtnGardener Member+

    San Jose Earthquakes
    United States
    Jul 21, 2017
    Pink cleats, then it was Siad. There was only one player wearing pink cleats. He looked much bigger than 5'8" to me, but like I keep saying... I didn't have my glasses. But he _was_ a beast. I was very impressed. In the scrimmage, he anticipated so many passes, and several times he did what I call a "Bobby Wood", which is to take a ball facing away from goal, looking down, turn and shoot, into a corner, without ever looking at the goal. I know it isn't unique to Bobby, and he hasn't done it that many times, but he was the one I first remember thinking "wow, he just knows where the goal is at all times." If Siad does it in a Quakes game, I'll rename it in my mind =)
     
    SoccerIsOurLife repped this.
  16. TyffaneeSue

    TyffaneeSue moderator
    Staff Member

    Nov 15, 2003
    Upstairs
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    I hope we see more of Siad in games.
     
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  17. Earthshaker

    Earthshaker BigSoccer Supporter

    Sep 12, 2005
    The hills above town
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I hope MtnGardener can see him as well.;)
     
    TyffaneeSue repped this.
  18. SoccerMan94043

    SoccerMan94043 Member+

    May 29, 2003
    San Jose
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    He's just training for a Quakes coaching job.
     
    don gagliardi repped this.

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