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MetroStars preview Posted: Monday April 07, 2003 8:20 PM
By Will Kuhns, Soccer America The whispers floating around MetroStars' games during spring training in South Florida were skeptical: "Where is their midfield?" "Who is that guy and what is he doing here?" "They just need players." And no wonder. Just seven players in the MetroStars' training camp had as many as 25 MLS starts: Joe Addo, Tim Howard, Steve Jolley, Clint Mathis, Jaime Moreno, Eddie Pope and Richie Williams. A respectable group, but Mathis and Moreno sat out with injuries and a parade of trialists got a chance to wear the club's AC Milan-esque jerseys for at least a day. A whopping total of 73 players had been in the MetroStars' camp by the end of their trip to Argentina. Obviously, not many of them stuck. When Bob Bradley picked up the reins of the MetroStars, many expected him to bring stability, an end to the annual chaos of interchanging parts. But from his experiences with D.C. United and Chicago, Bradley knew that building a team from the ground up requires chaos before a balance can be found. "You deal with things that are out of our control," Bradley said. "If the first three or four guys you brought in to look at were all excellent from the first kick of the ball - all sharp and all fit - maybe we'd be a little further ahead, but you have to have a little realism."
Opponents will find out soon enough what Bob Bradley is up to. Bradley was optimistic that one major hole would be filled by Honduran national team standout Amado Guevara, an attacking midfielder who would complete the backbone of the team. "One thing that does give us confidence is that we have some strength down the center of the team," Bradley said. "Putting all the little pieces around those players is a challenge, and I would expect it's going to take a while." Three returning players who will battle the newcomers for spots are Mark Lisi (out with a broken ankle), Jeff Moore and Craig Ziadie. Ziadie is likely to patrol the right sideline while Bradley hopes to obtain Joey DiGiamarino to help on the opposite touchline. Ricardo Clark and Mike Magee, two of the team's four Project-40 players, are vying for starting spots. A crucial barometer of the team's success this season will be the health and form of Mathis and Moreno. Both are trying to re-establish themselves as All-Star caliber forwards after injuries contributed to career nadirs last season. Mathis had just four goals in 14 games; Moreno had three in 16 games. "It's a big year for both of them," Bradley said. The state of affairs points to a slow start for the MetroStars, but then again, Bradley's 1998 Fire hit a five-game winless streak early before going on to win MLS Cup and D.C. United started 2-7 before winning the 1996 title with Bradley as an assistant coach. One other whisper in Florida, from an MLS coach, seemed more curious than skeptical, perhaps even bordering on worried. "What is Bob up to?" We'll find out soon enough.
AT A GLANCE
Pivotal: Jaime Moreno. Where have you gone, Jaime
Moreno, 'Star-nation turns its lonely eyes to you. Wooh-wooh-wooh.
Roster
Avg. Age: 24.1 (2nd youngest in MLS). Capped players: 7
(9th in MLS). Head coach: Bob Bradley (MLS record: 82-54-15, 5 seasons). * Countries for which players have been capped (through March 25) are in parentheses. Will Kuhns is a senior editor at Soccer America magazine. Copyright © 2003 Berling Communications dba Soccer America. All rights reserved. |
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