Texgator's summary: All of our players were good, made progress, contributed, and we expect great things in the future.
maybe i missed them but no comments on maurin or wags eh? could it be cause they never saw the field this yr? hard to judge players when they arent given a chance
I enjoy reading CC's commentary on the players but he was never going to be brutally honest and say anything negative about the players. I did like his explanation to Nunez's lack of playing time. I was glad he took the stance to show that talent and reputation will not earn you playing time no matter whether you think you deserve it or not. Maybe this will help the kid in his maturation process.
I agree to an extent but, what I see in CC's handling of Nunez is what Jeffries did to EJ. EJ has obviously proven himself this year but, had Jeffries not been fired, I wonder where EJ would be right now. Hopefully next year CC will throw Nunez in there and give him some time to work it out, just like he did with EJ this year.
English as a second language Interesting word choices. Several players were said to have bright future with the team; Nunez has a bright future in the game. What game? What team? You could almost interpret that to mean, trade bait. "It took us a while to get to know each other..." This about Reyes, a guy that CC & GE said they had analyzed and studied in detail prior to the start of the season. Translation: I don't have a clue how to properly use a wing back because of my penchant for an antiquated brand of soccer. For this reason, Milton wishes he was never assigned to this team.
Do not forget that it is mandatory for all coaches, GMs, politcos regardles of sport or politcal party attend the same PC college. You can NEVER trust the official publication of any organization and or group. Heck even FIFA said somewhere that (I paraphrase) the comments reflected on the Official FIFA mag. was not to be construed as the opinion of FIFA. What a load of crap. Long live independent sources of information until they say something negative and credentials are revoked.
Re: English as a second language This is not what Reyes said on a radio interview yesterday. He said that despite not getting much playing time until the end of the season he really enjoyed playing in Dallas this year. He also mentioned that his contract runs out in December. There is a one year option on the contract, and he would love to come back to Dallas next year. That hardly sounds like a guy that wishes he was never assigned to this team. Theo, you make many valid points. Some I agree with and some I don't. However, when you stretch the truth to make a point the persuasiveness of your argument loses its teeth.
Good to see the comment "He will be another valuable member to this team" regarding Salyer. I think he works hard and deserved another shot this season.
No way Clarke was going to slag on the players in this format. Even so, I think we can read between the lines. My take on some 'bubble' players: Scott Garlick = Gone Carey Talley = Back in 2005 Chris Gbandi = Gone. Trade bait. Steve Jolley = Back in 2005 Jason Kreis = Your guess is as good as mine. I figure if they get a good offer, they'll take it. If not, he'll be back. Brad Davis = Same as Kreis. If someone gives them a good deal, he's gone. If not, he'll be back. Milton Reyes = Back in 2005 Eric Quill = GONE Toni Nhleko = GONE
What do you read between the lines on this? Is their future in question - because more than 21 guys finished the season on the roster - so someone can't count... Maybe someone there (in Dallas) can ask the coach to comment on these two guys. I bet they feel pretty sh**** being left on the offical end of the season comments by the coach. Great confidence builder - unless he's totally written them off. He certainly could comment simply because they practiced everday, played in reserve games and he knows what his plans are with them. Makes you wonder.
Well, you don't know that he actually failed to comment on them. Someone else could have made the decision to not include them since they didn't play a single minute of MLS action. Who knows.......certainly it would be foolish to try and imply anything from their ommision at all.
Re: English as a second language Sure. OFB penetrates w/ or w/o the ball when ball is on their side. Most effectively used in switches to exploit the width of the field. In order to create the space on the flank in which to penetrate, the midfielders are usually drawn more centrally to draw in a defense and make use of short safe passes. Depending on the coverage system that a team uses, SA teams generally have a defined and more recessed midfielder or two who plays the coverage function so that teams cannot counter into the space vacated by the OFB's run. If you are a 4-4-2 you can do it with one or two players. So your midfield could be a box, (like Arena has currently fallen in love with), and use two guys. Or you could run it in diamond, (probably would have been the Burn's best bet allowing Simo to be the single destroyer, coverage man.) Because of the technical demands placed on an OFB, you prefer for the player to be dominant with the right foot if on the right and the left if on the left. There are many variations. A couple of years ago, I watched the U-17 Nats, and the played a 3-5-2 with penetrating OFB's their coverage system was to slide over and let the weak side wide mid cover the back door whenever the strongside OFB penetrated. A flat spread out midfield as the Burn attempted to play, kills the space and angles. Furthermore, it leaves them very vulnerable to silly counterattacks. Almost a year ago we had this same discussion. Quite a few of the regulars on the board had some interesting ideas. Maybe someone can find the link.
Nunez is protected. Coach Clarke likes him. FCD concesus seems to be that he just needs to mature and toughen up mentally... just like he did EJ. See the "leaning how to be a pro" comment. FCD in fact are really pushing for reserves through Clark Hunt on the competition commitee becasue of Nunez, Stone, Salyer, Wags... I had a talk with Elliott on Tuesday. No one is untouchable on this team according to Elliott, but he says there is a young core that have a very high price. "We have a good young core of players that we know are going to carry us forward: Gibbs, EJ, O'Brien, Simo... Well Simo's not that young... then we have a group of young talent that we expect to take the step forward and fill holes for us: Davis, Nunez, Goodson.... The question is when it's going to happen. If you have a vetearn piece and a young talent behind, when do you move on from that vet piece. Sometimes cap will dictate it, sometimes it's some other factor. " I believe it would take at least a high #1 now to get Nunez and probably more.
Re: English as a second language He wasn't 'assigned' IIRC he wheeled & dealed with the Burn, played their offer against some central american team's offers, held out and finally came to an agreement on price and contract. Did Reyes tell you this himself?
Hold the horses there amigo. I am simply playing the role of swami. Don't go retaliating against him simply because of my analysis of syntax.
I don't speak Spanish, and admit it's a problem in what I try to do. But both Pareja and Haynes talk to Reyes for me, and they tell me Reyes was not happy early in the year. But in the second half of the year he began to feel he belonged and is now very happy here. You could see it in his play in training. The first half he was ineffective in training. As his recovery continued and his pace came back he began to have an impact in practice and he moved into the lineup not long after. He played his way in and kept the job. Hence he is now happy. It's how these thing work. Players that play are happy, players who do not are not happy.
Hopefully CC was just sending a message with his comments. I have seen the kid play in a couple of the reserve games and he clearly has a lot of talent. He has a lot to learn, but he's only 18....a little early to give up on him. He needs to mature, but another thing that is a big issue is his not being a part of the team. If you watch him during games, he usually sits near the end of the bench and often looks like an outsider when the subs are warming up or doing pre-game warmup. He isn't in the click which makes it hard to be a core part of the team. Hopefully he can figure things out and have a long successful career here. Otherwise, he could be 2004's DJ.
Do we get to hear 3rddegree's on the players this year? The rest of us don't get to see practice . . .
Ok. That's what I thought. Sounds like how the Burn played last year. Gbandi/Reyes/Salyer/Talley all got forward. And despite what CC said about wanting a flat four in the midfield, that's not how the team played.