Quotes 02-11-08 – Tommy Soehn - Now the first phase of pre-season is complete, Bradenton, what are your thoughts? “I said this from the beginning that I didn’t think our fitness levels were where, so we’re a little frustrated because we wanted to work on tactics a little more. But, we want to be patient, and touch on that in the next camp as we finish focusing on fitness here.” - You talked about the “team fitness”, getting everyone to a level where you can then move forward, what specific part – endurance, speed, quickness – is lacking? “It’s a combination of everything. When you’re not fit to sustain ninety minutes of soccer you star making bad decisions – your passing is off, you’re not opening up for each other – it’s a combination of all that. And now when you try to work things as a unit things fall apart. We have to first focus on where we need to be physically. Then the rest of it comes naturally the movement off the ball is sharper because our legs are crisper. And all that is the whole package.” - Specifically, what group of players are you most disappointed in? “I think it is the new guys that are coming in who weren’t part of the organization. They don’t understand how fast we get into things here. I had several meeting with some of them and they said they are not used to this pace this early, so it is something new. With these guys coming back the following year, they’ll understand their starting points need to be better.” “Some of the returning guys . . . not many, but there’s a couple that didn’t do a good enough job in the off season. And now they’re having to do a job catching up. And when you push them, they tend to hurt themselves. It’s a fine line.” - Injuries. Dyachenko, Kpene, and Namoff are the only ones that have been obvious in camp here. What are your thoughts? “In Rod’s case, he actually came here fitter than he left last season. It’s disappointing that he got hurt because he came in really sharp. Guy is quite the opposite. And Bryan it is jus a case of his toe is hurting, and he’s just going to have to deal with the pain. That’s part of playing soccer.” - You said the team was unable to address tactics. What have you been able to glean from this pre-season tactically? “It’s more about evaluating people. The system is going to have to wait a little bit because you’re not going to be able to gauge what system you want to play until you get everybody up to speed, to their best potential . . . or even midway. Once you get them there you can start tinkering with different formations and more tactics. But, right now we’re just trying to evaluate everybody and get everybody caught up to the same points.” - It looks as though you have a Best XI and you are trying to develop several other players as utility players that can be plugged in when needed. Is that correct? And is this a changed in your coaching philosophy? “I don’t know that for sure if you gauge off last year. I think we had the most different starting lineups, even though we had guys healthy. I think throughout the course of the season you’re going to continue to see that by cycling guys in and out to keep them fresh. Obviously injuries and call-ups happen throughout the year and you have to balance that. I think there is a core of fifteen or sixteen that you can count on because they’ve been there before. It’s our job to get some of the new guys some time to see if they can adjust and be part of that group so we can be even deeper and have more options.” - Give me a short impression on each of these players and where they stand at this moment? Moreno “The starting points for Jaime are better than last year. He’s pretty sharp. There’s still room to go with the fitness, but he’s come in pretty hungry.” Emilio “Emilio still has some work to do fitness-wise – he hasn’t hung in on our runs. We have time to get him where we need him to be. But, he’s showing signs in this short amount of time this week.” Gallardo “Gallardo is still getting used to everything. I’ve used these first two weeks for him to get acclimated to everything. He’s pushed himself through everything I’ve asked of him. I think the soccer can improve, but that’s partly him gaining an understanding the guys around him. And with him being the focal point, they have get an understanding of how he does things.” The defense as a unit, including the keepers and Simms “I’m still seeing things that we need to work on tactically – who’s stepping, who’s dropping, understanding how we’re going to open up. Like I said, I’m going to wait to address that in the next camp because a couple of the guys need to get fit.” “I think Martinez is going to come around pretty quick. He came in, not soccer fit, but he’s pushed that bar and gotten better and better.” “Peralta had a little more work to do as far as fitness. Unfortunately he had to go back home. He made some strides, and I know he was tired because we worked him pretty hard.” “Together, once we get everyone where we need them to be, we’ll focus on the intricacies of defenses.” - With Ben Olsen’s injury, even if he came back today, it would likely take him a month to get his fitness down. You are playing guys like McTavish, Moose, Walker, and Mediate over in that right wing position. What are your thoughts on that situation? “We’ve tried several different things. We’re trying to give guys shots, and we want to see how they handle it. I think through the course of the six weeks, now four weeks, we’re going to wait to see who really separates themselves. The only way you can figure that out is by giving guys opportunities.” - What is your opinion on the rookies? “Dan Stratford has done a really good job and been consistent. Some guys, when you get them out of college, might not show as well in that college system. But, you put them around better players and they tend to get better. I think that’s the case with Dan. He’s a guy that we’ve put into some important positions, in the middle of the field, and he’s been able to hang in and spray the ball around.” “And, for the most part, Pat Carroll has been pretty consistent. Nothing extra flashy, but everyday he comes to work. He’s done a good job.” - You now go out to L.A. for the next camp. You only have four weeks left before that first game. When do you expect to have this team ready for that first game? “The bar is March 12th. Last year the time was shorter. No one played ninety minutes until the first game that we played. I think we’ll be further along this time – we’ll have some guys that will have played ninety minutes. But, we’ll be building right up until March 12th. That’s going to be our time where we can back off training a little bit and set them up for a normal week so that they are fresh and have the best opportunity to succeed. Right now we’re not taking that approach, and training hard right up until game day as the focus is different. March 12th is our target date.” - The other day Dave Kasper said that this team is pretty much complete, possibly all the way through to the summer transfer window. Do you have the same feeling? “There’s this guy Dyson we’re going to try next . . . Throughout the season opportunities always come up and we’ll also keep our window open to make our team better. But, right now our focus is on the guys we brought in. We brought them in for a reason to fill needs that are important. It’s going to be our job to make that group into a team. It won’t happen overnight. Like I said, the faster we can get them fit, the faster we can see how they’ll respond as a group. Off the field I see some real positives as they come together as a team. That’s an important stage. But, that doesn’t win you games. At least we’ve got that part down, and now we’ve got to build the most important part of them meshing together on the field.” - The Gomez trade went through this past week. DC United got the first round draft pick for next year and ‘future considerations’. Hypothetically one of those future considerations is a second designated player. Do you foresee using a second DP slot? “I don’t want to talk in hypotheticals.” - If there were a player out there, past or present, who would you want on this team? “I would take Franz Beckenbauer.” - What final comments do you have to wrap up this portion of the pre-season? “I think the exciting thing about this group of guys is that when I’ve challenged them they’ve all worked really hard. I met with a lot of them today as far as getting through the first two weeks of camp. I think they are all in it for the right reasons. I think we have a lot of work to do as a group. I expect good things from them.”
Once again, you do the business quite well for the rest of us, Diceson. Thanks. I don't want to read too much into TS' answers, but does he seem anxious (tone, body language) about meeting his requirements for that 3/12 target date? Also, will you be the man on the West Coast or does someone else take over for you once camp moves? Just checking because you've done such an awesome job. We're grateful.
Glenn Davis had Soehn on his show last night, I thought of posting this in its own thread but saw this one and felt it appropriate. Click here to listen around the 33rd minute.
Haha. I hope our guys can all get match fit, because guys gasping for air at the 70th minute isnt good at this point, good to hear on moreno though. With that said i think its safe to say he will be starting for us early on. Emilio seems to be trying to get match fit, and my biggest worry is at this point getting all our new guys to match fitness as is Tommy, i didnt realize the new guys were in that bad a shape as it seems he makes it out to be. Hopefully we can get damn close to 100 percent by the start of the concacaf tourney. I want this team to make history again for the MLS, and show the world that we are a concacaf powerhouse.
This is how things get on MLS related blogs. I see it now. "Beckenbauer rumoured to be coming to DC United on a free transfer."
Hi all, Craig Stouffer here from the Washington Examiner. It's been a while since I was a big participant on Big Soccer, although I used to be in my former life (I haven't always been a reporter). It's probably been six years since I posted, so long that I couldn't remember my old username.... In any case, I'm hoping to post regularly when I've got new stories, perhaps attract a smidgen of attention once in a while. We're going to make an effort at the Examiner to get stuff on our web site when it happens -- perhaps graduate from the 20th century world we've relied solely on print -- and who knows, I'll probably wade into the blogosphere before too soon, too. Thoughts/emails/criticisms/tips all welcome...thanks for reading. Here's the latest, relates somewhat to where the team stands so far: http://www.examiner.com/a-1216061~Olsen_in_jeopardy_for_United_opener.html cheers c
Good, i dont see enough DC United related stuff on the examiner. Get on the ball like Goff at the Washington Post
It's a good start.....keep it coming and look to big brother Steven (Goff) for clues on where to go next.
Craig is plenty talented and resourceful enough to get his own news. In fact, if Goff's there interviewing players/coaches/FO personnel, it's a pretty good bet that Stouffer is there too. Keep up the good work Craig and see you in the press box, C Webb
But it looked like he's still got game in the Adidas commercials last year! And Dyson--you rock! (Good luck with the tryout--will Tommy Boy be giving you a shot at outside right mid or are you there to push Emilio to the bench?).
Two weeks ago when I first arrived, the first guy I ran into was Olsen. We talked for a while, specifically about the team and new players (off the record stuff) and his ankles. I busted his balls about "this being my shot for the right wing . . . rumor has its the least secure". He chuckled. That being said, it is apparent that Olsen will get his surgery next week to clean up bone spurs. I've heard two different stories. First, it is minor and only one ankle. Second, it's both ankles and more serious. I don't know, but I get the feeling the team is hiding the seriousness of the situation. In either case, that outside midfield slot is now a gaping wound. Even if everything goes right, my best guess is that Olsen isn't back for at least a couple of months, and then he's nowhere near game fit. HOWEVER, Mediate, Moose, McTavish, and Walker should be able to fill the role well enough. I should have my Bradenton analysis up by Friday.
I'm too lazy to write, so I'm just stealing Stouffer's stuff. The radio station finally got off its azz - yes, I know it's not fancy yet. http://www.wjfk.com/pages/1495684.php This is just a link to our radio station hot chicks - they love The Soccer Show! http://www.wjfk.com/Junkette-Search:-Holiday-Edition-2007/1340001 Book-mark it. Blogs and podcast by myself and Aaron Stollar will be there, including all the Bradenton threads I started here for future reference.
Yea dude, thats exactly what i was thinking. Any sports injury while your down especially for a pro athlete eats at your muscles, and leaves you feeble as you stay off your feet, there is month's of PT he's going to need, not to mentioned muscle training to get him back to where he was months ago before the surgery. Anything related to the ankles scares the crap outta me! In HS i twisted mine bad jumping out my GF's window(dont ASK! LOL) and it took me out of the game for close to 1.5yrs because of my lack of PT and trying to play on it right away, i had to get those tendons around the ankle area back to normal, and that took me that long due to a lack of PT and even if i did they said it would take close to a year. Since then my ankle has been weak as hell and i've never been 100 percent, not to mention my bum knee which i got surgery on last summer. But back to Benny, i have a feeling a bad bad bad one, that we are going to be hurting without his holding of the ball, crosses, cuts in the middle and teamwork he has with moreno, emilio up front. I hope we dont have a hard time without having him on the wing, but i have a bad feeling he is really going to be noticed or felt with him missing from our starting 11. BRING BACK DONNET!!!!!!!!!!!
Yeah right. Your were jumping out someone elses girlfriends window. People get shot in those situations.
Every year since the last Cup, outside midfield has been a problem. Every year, it's been identified as a problem before the season starts. Sometimes, because of injuries, both outside mid positions are a worry; other times, just one. But every year, our only solution is to plug players into that position that either can't get it done (e.g. Guppy) or are better suited for someplace else on the pitch and don't really fit out there (e.g. Donnet, Olsen, Fred). Sometimes they're able to do reasonably well in stretches; but it's been a festering wound for three seasons now and it looks like we've got another season ahead in which it's going to be a real problem. How odd are we in this regard? How many teams in this league have two good starters for outside mid? How many teams have just one? When I think of strong outside mids last season, I think of Holden at Houston, Richards at Jersey, Cooke/Clark at Colorado, maybe Smith at New England (erratic). Interesting that a couple of those were rookies last year, but still impressed. We're weak on the outside, and I can't help but think that teams will try to punish us for that. But maybe it'll be hard for them to do so, because almost everyone is weak on the outside?
Diceson (or anyone else)- any idea if Jamil Walker still has his speed after the achilles injury? If Olsen doesn't come back before June, I can see us using the DP slot money to get a right wing in the transfer market. None of last year's players showed that well in the position and other than Stratford I don't know of anyone in camp who can take it on well now.
Yea good call, i wouldnt mind using that DP spot for a trade for a Winger instead of Benny if he isnt well in time, or using it on someone from SA.