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Colorado Rapids New coach, players raise hopes in Mile High City
Updated: Thursday April 05, 2001 2:08 PM
By Lee Geeker, CNNSI.com The offseason brought sweeping changes to the Mile High City, as the Colorado Rapids said goodbye to several big names. The 2001 campaign will see a new coach roaming the sidelines, and several new players on the pitch. Despite making the playoffs in 2000, the season had to be considered a disappointment for the Rapids, who finished with a sub-.500 record. To be fair, the team was once again saddled with numerous injuries, which had a devastating effect on the club. The playoff appearance was a short one, as eventual champion Kansas City knocked out Colorado in three games. Soon after the season ended, two veterans who had anchored the midfield -- Paul Dougherty and Anders Limpar -- announced their retirements, signaling major changes for the franchise. Then on Nov. 30, the Rapids announced that they would not be bringing back coach Glen "Mooch" Myernick, who had led the Rapids to the playoffs in each of his four seasons. However, the team's recent post-season struggles did not sit well with management, and Myernick was shown the door.
In his place steps former Tampa Bay Mutiny head coach Tim Hankinson, who was also let go after leading his team to the playoffs in 2000. Hankinson, named head coach on Dec. 20, will still have plenty of talent at his disposal as he implements a more offense-oriented strategy. Leading the way will be forward Junior Agogo, the 21-year-old from Ghana by way of England who scored 10 goals in 2000 -- tops on the team. Agogo's numbers, attained in Myernick's conservative attack, seem sure to rise in 2001. Joining Agogo up front could be newly acquired international Neathan Gibson, who scored 12 goals with MyPa 47 in Finland last season. Gibson is one of several new faces the have joined the Rapids since the team's tour of Portugal concluded in early March. The Rapids also signed midfielder John Spencer from Scotland's Motherwell, and pulled off a trade with New England, sending forward Matt Okoh and defender Alan Woods (as well as a 2002 draft choice) to the Revolution in exchange for midfielders Imad Baba and Carlos Parra (who was later waived). Baba, who had nine goals and eight assists in 2000, will provide immediate help to what had been a very thin midfield for the Rapids, with Paul Bravo one of the few returnees with plenty of experience. That doesn't mean there is a lack of talent however, as young players Jason Moore and Wes Hart played well last year and could be future stars in the league. Spencer's arrival takes some of the midfield pressure off of Ross Paule. Defensively, the Rapids appear to be solid if they can remain healthy. Veteran captain Marcelo Balboa returns to anchor the defense, along with defenders Scott Vermillion, Chris Martinez, and Lance Key, all starters a year ago. The biggest boost for the backline -- the second-worst defense in the league last year -- came five days before the opener when the Rapids sent a package of draft picks to the Los Angeles Galaxy for 1999 league defender of the year Robin Fraser. Second-year 'keeper Adin Brown returns between the pipes. Brown, the Rapids' first-round pick in the 2000 SuperDraft, started 13 games last season before injuries cut his season short. The Rapids showed their commitment to Brown in the offseason, signing the former William and Mary star to a contract extension. Colorado's 2001 SuperDraft crop won't match the 2000 group, which featured first-rounder Hart along with Brown. The player who could have the most immediate impact is speedy defender Stephen Herdsman, a surprise second-round pick out of Cornerstone College who was the team's top choice.
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