Practice Observations: One of Two
January 22nd, 2009 . 3:12 pm . By: Buzz Carrick
My gosh it’s nice today. Beautiful in the morning and it might even hit 80. I love Dallas in the “winter.” This is a quick report on the first session this morning. There is a second session at 6 PM and I’m sticking around to watch it. I found some internet at a local coffee shop and figured I’d bang out a quick report. I did talk to Schellas but I won’t bother transcribing the Q&A until I get home later tonight so his quotes will be in the second report. For now I have a bunch of news and notes. Quick disclaimer: As I was working on this report, something personal has come up that may prevent me from making the later session. If that happens I will just put up the SH Q&A by itself. News, Notes and Observations.- Steve Purdy has arrived. He’s going to be wearing #25… his birthday is Feb 5, and you have to earn a sweet number in the single digits. Instant Scouting Report (Just Add Water): Big player, tall and not to bulky. Feet are agile and quick under him; he doesn’t have that lumbering look of most big men. Has some pace. He can do a little something with the ball to as I saw a couple nice tight space plays. There is big upside here. We’ll need to see him in 11v11 to really get a read for his current skills. - Dario Sala is NOT switching to #1. Boo. He’s sticking with #44. - Speaking of Dario he looks thinner to me this year. That’s great to see as I hope it means he’s even more fit. It might even help his quickness. - Other numbers: Dave ven den Bergh #7 (good fit), Peri Marosevic #18 (the double 9, good choice), and George John #14 (smart player, that fits, but the #14 is a big number for FCD). - Dave ven den Bergh speaks four languages: Dutch, Germany, English, and Spanish. He and Dario talk a lot in Spanish. He took a ball to the face today from Guarda and had to ice it for about 5 minutes. Hopefully that won’t effect his ability to talk. - Brian Shriver is going to finish his degree before reporting to FCD. Although he is going to be coming in and out of Dallas on some weekends and for things like Spring Break. Hyndman says Shriver’s going to be playing with the Carolina Rail Hawks this spring to keep in high level soccer. - Andrew Daniels appears to have retired. FCD has not heard from him and he didn’t show up. FCD didn’t pick up his option and they did tell him they were looking for some center backs. The odds were going to be long anyway and with a degree from Brown it won’t be shocking if Daniels has chosen to get on with his life. - Kevin Ouma is back in FCD training. He fits the kind of speedy and strong player I think FCD needs for their bench. I’m not sold he’s got enough else though. - Michael Dello-Russo is out with his nose that got broken yesterday. He’s going to see a specialist to make sure it’s ok. - Jeff Rowland is back fighting for a job. Chase Wileman is also invited back to compete, but he has a left knee injury and will be out another week or so. That’s got to be long odds on him. - Marcelo Saragosa has his green card. He should be in Dallas by Saturday. - FCD is going one session tomorrow and Saturday, with Sunday off. - Andrew Rocha is working on his visa, but it’s more complicated than that. Last FCD told him was to be here on the 29th. When they moved up the spring reporting date there weren’t able to get a hold of him in Brazil. By the time they did so he hadn’t been working on the visa yet as he thought he needed to be here on the 29th. So now he might get here by the 27th or so at best… and probably not till the 29th. - Mike Sambursky is back in training, he was around a bit last year. This guy has some potential. He was South Carolina’s best player for about three years. Hyndman will certainly know him from Conference USA play. Having been a star most of his career he likely needs sometime to become hard working pro but might be worth the investment. - Hyndman is discussing with Josh Lambo the idea of going out on loan. - Speaking of Lambo he’s matured physically to my eyes. He looks more solid and strong. Like an adult and not a kid. - Adrian Serioux is doing some rehab running on the side today. You may recall his (non-sports) hernia operation this winter. - MIA today… Kenny Cooper is with the US senior side. Brek Shea, Anthony Wallace, and Peri Marosevic are with the US U20s. - Hyndman says he has three candidates for captain. One is Ricchetti, I know cause I asked Hyndman about Pablo, his contract, his work and attitude since asking for more money and a trade, and could be be captain.. The other two I’m going to guess are Drew Moor and Adrian Serioux. Hyndman talks about what he wants in a captain in the yet to come Q&A. - I talked to Drew Moor about his change to #3. He says he wore #3 his entire career up till he went to IU. With his new contract he wanted to make the number change as a symbol of it being a new era for him in some ways. I expect a ton of leadership out of Moor this year. TrainingToday was a progression of defending skills. Drills went from 1v1 to 2v1 to 2v2, 4v4 then 4v4 with two outside neutrals. Drills were about lateral shape, dealing with overlaps, and partner combination defending. Training ended with the dreaded Tunnel of Love. Thought of the DayThe Josh Lambo loan idea is a really good one. With the end of the reserve league it’s going to be hard for him to get game time. Lambo is 3rd right now on the depth chart and that will mean little PT. He needs to go to USL-1 or USL-2, whichever it takes to be a sure starter. Austin would be ideal, close enough to get back and forth and the makings of a good organization. But if they can’t guarantee starts then he needs to go somewhere else. 14 Comments Comments RSS TrackBack Identifier URI Leave a comment |
We’d love to have some FCD loaners down here in Austin on the Aztex USL-1 side, but I’m not sure how much time Lambo would get in goal. Literally the first player signed to the USL-1 team, right after the end of the PDL season, was Aztex U23 goalkeeper Miguel Gallardo.
He was the PDL Goalkeeper of the Year, conceding only eight goals and leading the League with nine shutouts (see http://www.austinaztex.com/Pro/268252.html).
Hope everything is okay on the “personal” issue Buzz
Yeah, totally, Buzz — hope all is okay.
Geez, Buzz, that album came out in ‘82, how old are you?
All good on the personal thing. But thank you.
Aaron. Old enough to know the fems kick ***.
Buzz,
Do plan to ask Drew about his recent exclusion from the Nat’s. Did BB speak with him or what?
tex, we talked about it before, but not in this specific instance. Moor’s a fairly level headed guy.
Buzz,
Thank you very much for the report. My soccer weenie is getting excited.
What is the Tunnel of Love?
It’s a fitness drill Schellas does all the time.
And a great song by Dire Straits.
Buzz, what does it entail? I might use/steal it for my team.
ok, divide your team in half. Take one group, give each a ball, and stagger them out about 10 yards apart over about 60 yards on diagonals from each other.
The other group starts and the end and runs at full speed through the “tunnel” of other players going from man to man (ie side to side) and one touching, trapping and playing back, or heading back the ball. When the first runner get to the first guy and plays the ball the second runner goes, so half your team is running at a time and no one is standing and watching. When each runner gets to the end he sprints back to the start and goes again.
Each group goes twice through the tunnel then you swap places and he other group runs. Repeat three or more times depending on how much you want to kill your team.
the drill becomes about mental toughness and focus as the drill progresses.
Buzz, that’ll be a new one in my book. Thank you very much.