Notes and Quotes 02-06-08 In the morning the team worked out in the pool and the afternoon was in the weight room. Quotes Dom Mediate - How is the pre-season going for you so far? “Pre-season is going well. We’re getting into it a little bit now trying to gauge where everyone is, trying to get everyone to game shape and be ready for that first CONCACAF match.” - Coach Soehn was talking about the fitness earlier. How is your fitness, and what do you think of the fitness level of the team at this point? “Right now, just looking at us, I feel like we have a ways to go to be game fit. We’re coming off two months. You can tell that some people are in better shape than others. We all need to get on the same page fitness-wise. We still have a few weeks. I think we’re five or six weeks out, so that gives us time to all get in game shape.” - Has Tommy talked to you about what roles you will taking this season? What has he told you that you should expect from here on out? “He hasn’t really spoken with us individually yet. He’s letting us mesh with the team and figure out strength and weaknesses of the new players. He’s letting us figure out how play together and how we need to play together and what needs to be done. I think after this next week he’ll kind of sit down with us and let us know, ‘Here’s where we’re going . . . This is where we need to go.’” “We’ve already had the one organize session based on defense that you saw. And you saw that was a little bit of a struggle against the U-23’s. Hopefully we’ll keep on improving that part. Then we’ll get onto the offense and how to attack other teams.” - There are a lot of new faces on the team, and Christian Gomez left the team. What are your impressions of each of the new players? “Playing with Christian Gomez, he is by far one of the greatest players I’ve played with, and I believe everyone on DC United that played with him over the years would agree with me. We know that Marcello (Gallardo) coming in with his great background has huge shoes to fill. We’re waiting for him to become match fit so that so we can see exactly what magic he can do on the field. He’s been in two World Cups with Argentina and that’s a great accomplishment. We’re all a little excited to see what he can bring to the table. We’ve seen glimpses of it. Hopefully with match fitness, and becoming familiar with what we do around him, that will bring out the best in him.” “Lucio (Emilio) and Fred just came in and we know what they can do from last year.” “Franco (Niell) is dynamic. He’s a feisty, little player up top. And we have a couple players in the back, Peralta and Martinez, that bring a lot of knowledge to the game and they’re comfortable on the ball. They seem to be meshing in with the team well.” - You are predominately a right sided player. As of this moment you have guys like Ben Olsen, Devin McTavish, and Justin Moose all competing for a position out on that wing. What do you think about having all that competition? “It’s just like any other year; you’re always fighting for your position. I have a great opportunity laying in front of me with Ben’s injury, unfortunately for him, is taking longer to heal. I’d never wish an injury on anybody. But, when an opportunity like this happens for me I’ve got to take advantage of it. So now I just view this as an opportune time to bring my game up to where I know I can play. I still want to improve. I know that I could have done better this first week. Hopefully I will be able to show the coaches that I can play in that spot come the CONCACAF games.” Clyde Simms - How is pre-season going for you? “It’s going well. It’s tough getting used to the new faces. The guys are real good guys, and they’re great soccer players, so I think we’ll be all right this year.” - What do you think about playing behind Gallardo? What about some of the other new players? “You can definitely tell that Gallardo is a great player. He has a lot of experience, and I think he’ll bring that to the table, and help those of us that have been the league for a couple of years, but are still wet behind the ears. I feel I can learn a lot playing behind him.” “You can definitely tell those guys (Peralta and Martinez) can play soccer. I think we just need some time together. I think this might be one of the best teams we’ve had in awhile.” - The coaches and management have stressed that the international tournaments, specifically CONCACAF, are extremely important this year. What is your feeling about the competition? “I think it is. When I first came into the league, I don’t think I understood how important is really was. Now being here for a few years, and continue playing in these tournaments, you can definitely sense just how important it is for us and for our league. Just to get our name out there with some of the others that are playing and beating premier teams. It’s definitely a big challenge, but I think we’ve now got the players to win it.” - Last season one of the biggest competitions for a starting spot was between you and Brian Carroll. He is now gone, as is Arguez, who was slated to be your back up. What are your thoughts on not having any direct competition for that position right now? “There are definitely some guys that the team picked up that can play the position well. I would never come into training with the attitude that a position was mine. I don’t even think about it that way. I just treat everyday as if I wasn’t a starter.” - What are your personal goals this year? “To hold that spot. As a team, this is my fourth year and we haven’t won MLS Cup. That’s what I would love to do.” Devon McTavish - How is pre-season going for you? “It’s going pretty well. Everyone is getting to know everybody. We’re all trying to figure out all the new faces and they’re doing the same for us. Things are starting to fall into place.” - That is obviously the big change over the off-season – Gallardo replacing Gomez. What are your thoughts on that specific situation? “Everyone on the team knew Christian, and liked Christian. It’s been a change of pace coming into the locker room not seeing him around. Marcello is a very capable player with a great resume’. He’s starting to do stuff on the field that people aren’t used to seeing. It’s a change of pace, but we’re getting used to it.” - Has Coach Soehn talked to you about your specific role for this season? “No, not yet. It’s early on. He said that I was a utility guy, just filling in for now. That was my role last year – to fill empty slots. I guess that could be part of it this year. It’s tough to say. Anytime I get out on the field I’m going to take advantage of it.” - How comfortable are you with the utility role? How important is it to you to be a starter? What role do you want? “I don’t really know, to tell you the truth. I was comfortable at center-back last year. However, the team signed two new players, and if that means I have to find another spot on the field then that’s what I have to do. I’ve never really had only one position. I’ve always been filling spots from high school up through college to now. I think that’s going to be my role this year.” - Everyone seems to be saying that CONCACAF is one of, if not the primary goal for the team. What do you think about that tournament compared to MLS Cup? “CONCACAF is huge. It puts DC United and MLS on the map globally. It shows we can compete with anybody. Winning it would get us into the FIFA World Club Championship, which would be the next step in putting us on the map. I think that was the thinking in the off season – to go and get the players that could help us win that level. Every player knows that that is here. That is what we’re training for now in this pre-season. Once that is over we’ll start focusing on the other tournaments and the regular season. But, right now it is CONCACAF and that’s huge for the club just to do well and represent well.” - What are your goals as a player this year? “Try to solidify a spot on the field. I’m not sure what spot that might be, but that’s one. One other goal is to score a goal! . . . . Or at least get a shot on target. There’s other stuff that I have in mind, but those are the top two.”
That mentality and his work ethic is what made him what he is now. To beat out Carroll who the season before was great for us, but simms showed when he got limited time he was THAT much better than Brian. I'll admit, i was the first guy to hate on Simms, when we first went to Guadalajara he was shaking in his boots, could barely control and let the ball go. You could tell the atmosphere got to him, he could barely keep up with the pace. Seeing him months later was incredible, he won my respect, he played really well for following that game, even scoring for us against Chivas. That game is what won my respect from him, and i cannot see anyone else in the D Mid Position right now. Simms is the man, and i hope we get another good year outta him this season!!! NOW ON TO JAPAN AFTER WE TAKE HOME THE CONCACAF CHAMP. THIS YEAR!
Olsen is a good back up for Simms. When Olsen comes to that position, need little adjustments on wings.