C'mon you guys. Don't any of you remember playing organized soccer at some point?? Those two-a-day or three-a-day practices in high school before the school year started, mostly focused on getting back in shape? Of course they are going to start by focusing on fitness. I'd be surprised if they didn't. These guys are professionals so they already bring a certain level of fitness to camp, but I would imagine they still need those first couple of weeks to work themselves back into game shape. That's why there is a preseason.
I didn't see it as smart-alecky, ManU. There has been so much said about fitness being a focus, not just this season, but in seasons past. It is definitely not surprising that they would be doing it now. The test will be whether it is the primary focus the week of the first match. Lets hope not!!!
How many times have we seen the Rapids give up a goal in the 80th minute? If they are so fit, shouldn't the Rapids be the ones scoring the late goals, especially with the altitude advantage?
That's a good point, BeTheRed. I have seen nothing that would suggest that they are the fittest team at the end of a match, nor a team whose fitness seems to make them less injury prone. Whatever it is, it doesn't seem to be translating into great improvements.
Has the "fitness complaint" been voiced since 2005? I recall an interview in 2006, where one of the players said Mathis got them a day off, by telling the coach they needed a rest. I've suspected that the Clavijo caved on the focus on fitness he started in 2005. Maybe he hasn't, and is still running them hard.
In 2007 the Rapids gave up 9 goals after the 75th minute. That was tied for 5th best in the league, behind D.C., Houston, Chivas and Toronto (believe it or not) and tied with Dallas, RBNY, and LA. 2006 - 11 goals, tied with Chivas and Columbus for 10th in the league 2005 -13 goals, 9th in the league 2004 (Cannon's MVP deserving year) - 6 goals, 3rd in the league (Columbus and LA tied for fist with 5). 2003 - 10 goals (0 OT goals), tied with LA and Chicago for 6th So this is one stat that's consistantly improved under Clavijo, after getting worse in his first year, though I think a lot of that is because of the outstanding year Cannon had in 2004.
We can go back and forth about altitude providing any real advantage, so I hope we can avoid that argument and dead horse. I see what you are saying, and would like to add something. What about these guy's mental fitness? Sure they are being scored on, but some games last season they looked like they were just phoning in the last 10-15 mins. They looked content with a draw... or they were chasing the game and, mentally, had already embraced defeat. Now I know that playing with the lead is much different than playing with a draw and totally different than chasing a lead, but it just looked to me that we were not a tactically fit club last year - especially in the last 30 mins.
In some regards, I can't see how the players would be too much different last year than we are as fans. They started the year with high hopes, but as the year went on, players left, players changed positions. It seemed to me that they were up until they gave up the first goal, and then after that, they slipped back into mediocrity. I know all the arguments for professionalism, and they are being paid for playing, but I can tell you that at my own work, while I am expected to be productive, when I have worked for organizations and bosses that seemed to be at cross purposes to what I thought was important, I didn't produce nearly as much as when we were a team and working together for a common goal.
What about playing Clark 'up top' ..... good skills on the ball and his work rate is excellent. ............... Bouna .............. Ugo ... Petke ... Erpen .... Hilgenbrinck ............... O'Brien .............. Cooke ..... Ballouchy .... Burciaga ......... Herc & Clark .......
I'd prefer to keep him at left mid. I remain extremely skeptical of the merit of trying to play a defender at left mid. I've seen Burciaga and I don't think he's a left mid. Hilgenbrinck is a mystery, but going undrafted and playing in Chile doesn't make me think he'll be an answer when played out of position.
Would Hilgenbrinck or Burciaga be comfortable playing right back ? I'm thinking either one may be more effective than Ugo at that position.
We really need for someone to sneak into a practice to get the low down. I really have to wonder what this signing means for Ugo as well as Gargan, Prideaux, Kimura, and Keel and the entire reserve team's back line. Petke, Erpen, and Burciaga look like the most likely starters going into the season.
If this were any team but the Rapids, I'd say the coach was out scouting talent to provide competition for his returning players hoping to field a better team as a result. But this is the Rapids, hence, I have no clue.
That might be exactly what they're doing. Although, I wish they'd introduce competition to a few other areas of the pitch.
Not long ago I spoke with the brother of one of the Rapids player and he told me his brother have told him many times that Fernando doesn't know crap about soccer but they have to deal with it as players because they know the FO are not going to fire him any time soon. That's some f***ed up $hit. I can't believe the players have to deal with such crap. Just fire the damn man and get it over with.
Wouldn't we all like to see that. Hopefully that change does come soon, and we finally become an actual soccer club. I hear to many times from them that it takes time. It doesn't take 11+yrs....
So let me get this straight, FC, who doesn't know crap about soccer signed the brother of the person you talked to. That must mean the brother of the person you talked is a crappy soccer players, no?
My friend's girlfriend's cousin's trash man's wife's hair dresser's daughter's boyfriend is a friend of one of the players and he said that FC gives the best foot messages after practice.