SAYS GOODBYE TO BIG 5 HOOPS FOR '09-'10
NOTE: This is a long post because I put a lot of quotes in it. But I think it's better to get as much out there on the record as possible, so stick with it if you can.
As many of you know by now, Major League Soccer and the MLS Players Union announced a new five-year collective bargaining agreement this afternoon. The announcement was made right as Villanova's NCAA Tournamente game against Saint Mary's tipped off, so I couldn't be on the conference call with MLS commissioner Don Garber and union chief Bob Foose.
But after the game ended, the Union held a conference call with president Tom Veit, CEO Nick Sakiewicz and defender Danny Califf, who is the team's player representative with the union (lower case).
(And many, many thanks to the Union for waiting for the Villanova game to end. I know it's a selfish thing, but I'm not the only soccer writer in town who also covers college basketball. This made things so helpful.)
The main story from the Associated Press, with quotes from Garber and Foose, is here. More from the Washington Post's Steve Goff here.
We don't have many details yet of exactly what is in the new collective bargaining agreement. But the most important thing to know is that according to Califf, the players would have gone on strike at midnight tonight had no agreement been reached. They would not have boarded their flight to Seattle on Tuesday.
"We as an organization, as league, as players, as fans - everybody is very happy and relieved and delighted that we got this behind us," Sakewicz said. "Now we can focus on the most important stuff, which is the soccer."
Sakiewicz admitted he "thought this might come down to the wire."
But he praised both sides in the negotiations, concluding that "the relationship between the players and the teams and the management is going to be that much stronger for having gone through the process."
Califf praised the Union front office for being "receptive - not that we always agreed, but it was a man-to-man conversation, and it helped out a lot. It gave me a lot of support, it gave me a lot of confidence that I could go in and speak for us as players."
The Inquirer's Marc Narducci asked Sakewicz if the team would have gone to Seattle no matter what. He answered as follows:
Obviously, we didn't know what the outcome of the weekend's discussions would be, but I will tell you this. Our organization - the front office staff, the techincal staff and the players - were extraordinary in following through on the game plan to go to Seattle and open up our season. When Tom and I went down to North Carolina and Florida, there was no holding back.
They were very focused on preparing themselves for an important game in Seattle and it was great to see, and I'm exceptionally proud of the fact that our guys didn't allow the distraction to get in the way. And that was a real testament to their commitment to our club and our commitment to Seattle next Thursday.
Narducci asked if there was any contingency plan just in case, and if they would gone left either way.
Obviously, a lot of canceled flights and a lot of scrambling to make new plans. If there would have been an interruption, we would obviouly not have gone, but we didn't have to make that decision, thankfully.
Veit added that the team was going ahead with its marketing and advertising plan no matter what.
We had quite a bit of advertising to get ready for the game on Thursday night, for people to watch, and for our opening game on [April] 10th. That's starting to run Monday, and we let it go. We were assuming we were going.
Another one of the key points in the new CBA is an improved ability for players to move between teams within the league. It's not quite free agency, but there will be something called a "re-entry draft."
Sakiewicz's reaction to it:
What it tells me is that the players union representatives and the league folks that were negotiating this really got creative in terms of providing new rules that protect players who've been in the league and have served well in the league over the years, but perhaps are either on the tail end of their careers or are maybe not desired by the team that they have been with, but still have an opportunity to play in the league.
I'm looking forward to hearing more details about the re-entry draft. As I understood the commissioner earlier on the call, and Bob Foose, within the league, there will not be free agency. But there will be this re-entry draft... to mitigate the situation where those players who are terminated or released by their teams will still have an opportunity to play elsewhere....
The same result will be accomplished for those players with the re-entry draft concept... Don said more meat needs to be put on the bone but the concept will be agreed to in principle.
Sakiewicz was asked if there's an increased cost associated with the new system. His answer won't surprise you.
My understanding is the salary cap will go up and the players will be paid more money.
But the league's first priority financially is still to remain prudent. Sakiewicz is not the only person still haunted by the ghosts of the North American Soccer League.
The one situation the owners don't want to get into, a situation that could be fiscally disastrous for the league, is one owner bidding against another owner for players. I had a front row seat to watch the North American Soccer League dissolve because of that dynamic.
At this point in Major League Soccer's history, we're not ready for that. But I think the alternative that the league and players developed addresses the ability for this league to grow financianlly.
Califf is on board with the concept.
I think there were two huge issues for players going forward in these negotiations, guaranteed contracts - or some form of guaranteed contracts - and player movement. Whatever you want to call it. You want to call it free agency, you want to call it the re-entry draft.
Basically, giving a guy an opportunity that if his team decides he doesn't fit, then he is able to go someplace where he can fit and where he is desired. And whether that's taking less money in order to go some place else or just being in a situtation where you feel about going to work every day. That was the crux of the whole deal....
At the end of the day, we're all a family here at the Union. I think it's something that's going to be a tremendous thing going forward, and I'm just happy that it's behind us. There's no more cautiously optimistic, it's Seattle here we come.
Califf emphasized that a major point in the negotiation from the players' side was improving the salary structure for what he called "the spine of the league" - players in the lower and middle range of the pay scale.
I think we accomplished a tremendous amount as far as increasing the rights of the players, and I think the league gave us a great deal. They retained the things that made MLS what MLS is, and I think it was three steps forward in the process, and going forward I think it's going to create goodwill on both sides of the fence, as opposed to maybe in the past, there being a bit of resentment on the players' side as far as how much rights you have as a player.
I'm most happy that we made big gains for the guys that make up the heart of MLS. I think the guys that are in the middle income, that make up 60 to 70 percent of the spine of the teams, I think that we made huge strides in protecting their rights and giving them options, and I think the league recognized that. And they were very forthcoming with recognizing that there were some things that went on the past that weren't right, and that they needed to set the record straight.
The biggest thing for us was that we made big strides in helping the heart - as far as player-wise - we felt the heart of MLS. Those guys who certainly aren't your David Beckhams or your Juan Pablo Angels, but they're middle incoome guys that roll up their sleeves and go to work every day and are the spine of the league.
It is not just a coincidence that a lot of the players who make up that "spine" are American players, or at least players who have come through the American college system. Major League Soccer was created first and foremost to develop better American soccer players, and it has done so.
Now the players who are making their way up the ladder are getting beter compensation for their work. More from Califf:
I think that throughout the history of the last 14 years of MLS, when you come in from outside ytou are afforded a bit more leeway as far as contracts and everything like that. We were looking in this negotiation to take care of the American player who came through the ranks, who put in his time, who's not the DP, who's not making 200 grand a year. The guy that's making making 50 grand a year, 40 grand a year, that puts in the same effort - that makes up the spine of the league.
We acomplished that. That's what those guys - the American players that make up 80 percent of the league - that we felt that we helped most.
This is not protectionism, or anything close to it. Those of you who've followed MLS over the years already know that, and those of you haven't can understand why protecting that middle class of player is important.
(I know that phrase has some political connotations, but I couldn't think of a better alternative. Sorry.)
Though he is on the management side now, Sakiewicz understands why the players fought this battle.
Many of us that played in the 80's, we had to find other options because there were a lot of foreigners in our domestic leagues and we couldn't get jobs. So a lot of us hhd to go overseas and play in second divisions and whatnot. So when we started this league 16 years ago, there was an acute focus on devloping and leaning towards the American player...
The quality of the American player has gone up dramatically over the last 15, 20 years, and I think we should still continue to manage that league in that regard - to give more American players more opportunities to get better and be better and compete on the world stage. So as we manage this business going forward, we always have to keep that in mind.
I had a great job in a bank, making money, and I wans't going to get into this league unless it was going to be about the future development of American players. I think we're going to stick to that going forward.
At the end of the conference call, I asked Califf if, in is heart of hearts, he really wanted to go on strike.
Califf didn't answer right away. Instead, we heard a shout from his young daughter, who had scored a hat trick in her game that was going on at the same time.
Finally, Califf responded.
No. That's God's honest truth.
For Califf, Garber, Sakewicz and everyone else, the hard work is done. Now we can finally talk about what happens on the field.
And I can finally say this: I'm flying to Seattle on Wednesday afternoon, and will be blogging live from Qwest Field on Thursday night. It will be an historic occasion and I hope you'll join me for it.
The report originated on the other side of the Atlantic, and now we have confirmation from the Union that powerhouse Spanish club Valencia CF will visit Philadelphia.
Valencia put out a statement on its website that the game will be on July 31. A spokesperson for the Union told me this morning that the game will be at PPL Park but a date and time have not yet been confirmed.
The reason why the date and time have not been confirmed is that the Union host New England on the same day. So the Valencia game has to be on another day.
Valencia also stated that they will play the New England Revolution on August 3 and D.C. United on August 7th. The Revolution are free on the 3rd, but United are at New England on the 7th.
The Washington Post's Steve Goff reported this morning that there have been negotiations between D.C. and Valencia to play in August, but there's no confirmation of a date there either.
The Union have announced the signing of 18-year-old Colombian midfielder Roger Torres on loan from Colombian powerhouse club América de Cali.
"He's another young, talented player with a lot of potential, and he'll be a strong addition to our midfield attack" Union manager Peter Nowak told the team's website. "His creativity and ability to see the whole field will help us play the way we want to play."
From where I sit, it's good to see that the Union has signed an outright central attacking midfield type. I say that knowing that Fred is on the team, and is much more likely to start in an attacking midfield position than Torres because of his experience. But Fred's best season in MLS, 2007, was spent on the left side of midfield.
As we don't yet really know what Nowak's formation will be, I don't want to conjecture too much about whether Fred will spend more time centrally or to one side of the field. But what matters more is that the Torres signing bolsters the Union's attack.
There's a good history of Colombian players succeeding in MLS, from Carlos Valderrama at the league's inception to Seattle's Freddy Montero last year. If Torres can keep that streak going, then the Union will have done very well.
It's also good to see another young South American player join the league. There is so much young talent in South America that not all of the players can command the astronomical transfer fees that the big names get to go to Europe.
The Union have posted a few photos of Torres on their website here. Post your thoughts on the signing in the comments.
There's been a storm brewing over the last few days about rumors that longtime ESPN soccer announcer JP Dellacamera wouldn't be part of the network's World Cup TV commentary team.
ESPN finally confirmed today that JP Dellacamera won't be on television, but he will be the lead announcer on ESPN Radio's coverage of the tournament.
The four TV announcers are, officially: Martin Tyler, Derek Rae, Adrian Healey and Ian Darke. Rae and Healey have been with ESPN for a long time, while Tyler and Darke come from Sky Sports in the United Kingdom. Tyler is Sky's lead soccer announcer, while Darke is a regular commentator on English Premier League games.
In addition to Dellacamera not being on TV, this is a big deal because all four play-by-play guys are British. It's a huge reversal from past World Cups, when American voices called games for the sake of having American voices call games. This led to Jack Edwards and Dave O'Brien being the lead announcers in 2002 and 2006 respectively, and neither worked well calling soccer.
(Which I'm sure some of you will say is being polite about it, especially regarding Edwards.)
The roster of TV color analysts hasn't been announced yet, but we know that Alexi Lalas, Ruud Gullit and Steve McManamman are in the mix.
The radio crews are all ESPN veterans, or at least commentators with ESPN experience. Dellacamera - who will also be the Union's play-by-play announcer on Channel 6's local game broadcasts - will work with Tommy Smyth. Glenn Davis will work with former Columbus Crew star Kyle Martino, and ESPN International's Ross Dyer will work with Shep Messing. With the exception of Dyer, all those names are probably familiar to you.
ESPN Radio will broadcast all 64 World Cup games, as well as a few studio shows. Thirteen games will be broadcast nationally: the three U.S. group games, two Round of 16 games, the four quarterfinals, the two semifinals and the final. The rest of the games are at affiliates' discretion from what I can tell. It's after business hours as I write this but I'll try to get a call in to 97.5 as soon as I can to find out which games they'll pick up.
Thoughts?
My Philly.com colleagues Esther Lee and Litty Samuel were out in Downingtown yesterday to shoot a video at the Independence's first training session of the preseason. I had a doctor's appointment or I would have been there too; I plan to get out there soon.
It's worth noting that all of the Independence's big-name players are in Portugal right now for the Algarve Cup, which is the most prestigious annual competition in international women's soccer. The United States beat Sweden, 2-0, in a semifinal match yesterday. Independence players Heather Mitts, Amy Rodriguez and Lori Lindsey all played for the U.S., and Caroline Seger captained Sweden.
There were still plenty of players in Downingtonw, though. Esther and Litty talked to a few of them who have come from elsewhere in the country and got some insight on how they have adjusted to life in Philadelphia.
You can watch the video in the player at right.
It's March. Yes, really.
The craziness won't start around here as soon as it will at my other blog next door. But it won't be long.
So, get ready. You have 24 days, and those of you who are going to Seattle have a few less.
Regardless, the clock is ticking.
Are you ready?
The Union announced individual-game ticket prices for its two games at Lincoln Fnancial Field this morning. They range from $28 for the Sons of Ben and seated corner sections to $100 for the fancy club seats at center midfield.
Only the lower bowl and club seats will be sold. This helps push demand and it also makes sure that the fans aren't too spread out, which makes for a better atmosphere (and TV picture).
The seating chart is here. You'll notice that prices are the same across entire sections, regardless of what row you're sitting in.
I was a bit surprised that central midfield seats in the main seating bowl are $55. It struck me as being on the expensive side. Then again, I barely have time to get to Citizens Bank Park anymore, much less the basketball games I cover.
So I decided to compare the Union's prices to some other teams in the league. Here's a sampling, and I think it covers the full range from NFL stadiums to soccer-specific venues. A few still have last year's prices listed, and a lot of teams don't have individual game ticket prices posted yet. But you can get a pretty good idea from the list below.
Chicago: $50 or 70 depending on side of field; $26 for 200 level
Chivas USA: $30
D.C. United: $32-42 depending on row
Houston: $42 for front rows, $36 for higher rows
New York: $45 for 200 level; individual game 100-level tickets not on sale
Seattle: $45 to 50 depending on row
Toronto: $42 to $77 U.S. depending on row and opponent
What do you think of the Union's ticket prices so far?
Updated with a quote from the Independence front office. See below.
The Independence have released their schedule. Most of the home games are 6 p.m. Sunday kickoffs.
All home games will be played at West Chester's John A. Farrell Stadium; directions are here.
The home opener is Sunday, April 11 vs. fellow expansion team Atlanta at 6 p.m. Another notable game is a July 4 date with Boston at 4 p.m.
Brazilian superstar Marta and FC Gold Pride will visit once, on June 13.
Interestingly - and disappointingly, it has to be said - the Union and Independence are never home on the same day. So there aren't going to be any opportunities to even consider having a doubleheader at PPL Park.
But on the flip side, fans won't have to choose between one team or the other on a given day.
"Soccer enthusiasts will get the best of both worlds, and we are glad they have the opportunity to get behind Philadelphia professional soccer on every level," Independence general manager Terry Foley said in a statement this evening.
Perhaps next year, when PPL Park will be available for a full season, doubleheaders will be a possibility. I've been to a few in Washington and they've regularly drawn big crowds. Attendance won't be an issue for the Union, but it would be a nice way to bring a bit of extra buzz to the sport.
Here's the full schedule, with home games in italics.
Sunday, April 11 vs. Atlanta Beat, 6:00 pm
Sunday, April 18 at Boston Breakers, 6:00 pm
Sunday, April 25 vs. Washington Freedom, 6:00 pm
Saturday, May 1 vs. Atlanta Beat, 6:00 pm
Saturday, May 8 at Saint Louis Athletica, 8:10 pm
Saturday, May 15 at Chicago Red Stars, 7:00 pm
Sunday, May 30 at Washington Freedom, 6:00 pm
Sunday, June 6 vs. Sky Blue FC, 6:00 pm
Sunday, June 13 vs. FC Gold Pride, 6:00 pm
Saturday, June 19 at Sky Blue FC, 7:00 pm
Wednesday, June 23 at Atlanta Beat, 7:30 pm
Saturday, June 26 vs. Washington Freedom, 6:00 pm
Sunday, July 4 vs. Boston Breakers, 4:00 pm
Saturday, July 10 at Chicago Red Stars, TBD
Saturday, July 17 at FC Gold Pride, 10:00 pm
Saturday, July 24 vs. Sky Blue FC, 6:00 pm
Saturday, July 31 at Boston Breakers, 6:00 pm
Wednesday, August 4 at Washington Freedom, 7:30 pm
Sunday, August 8 vs. Saint Louis Athletica, 7:30 pm
Sunday, August 15 vs. Chicago Red Stars, 6:00 pm
Sunday, August 22 at Sky Blue FC, TBD
Sunday, August 29 vs. Boston Breakers, 6:00 pm ET
Sunday, September 5 vs. Saint Louis Athletica, 6:00 pm (Fan Appreciation Day)
Saturday, September 11 at FC Gold Pride, TBD
Playoffs
Sunday, September 19 WPS First Round Playoff, 2:00 pm
Wednesday, September 22 or Thursday, September 23 WPS Semifinal Match, 6:00 pm
Sunday, September 26 WPS Championship, venue and time TBD
U.S. Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati clearly understands the nature of Philadelphia as a sports market.
Gulati was in town today to formally announce the U.S.-Turkey game on May 29, and the first thing he said was, "I think we've failed a little bit."
"We generally try to spread our premier events around the country, and this year it seems like we've got a lot of on one city," Gulati said. "So our failure to follow the message of spreading the wealth - it isn't working."
He was being sarcastic, of course. But no one is kidding about how high Philadelphia's stock has risen in American soccer in recent months.
"When you put it all together, the soccer fans in the area, the soccer people, have done a great job and we're just delighted to be a part of everything that's going on in Philadelphia," U.S. national team coach Bob Bradley said in a recorded video message that was shown before this afternoon's press conference at the NovaCare Center began.
"It's another great day for soccer in Philadelphia - I've been getting to say that quite a bit lately," Union president Tom Veit said. "To have the national team come not once but twice within a one-year period... we just feel lucky and honored to be a spoke in that wheel."
The full details are that the U.S. national team will play Turkey at the Linc on May 29, with a kickoff time of 2 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN2 and Galavision. Tickets will go on sale to the general public on February 26, and there will be a few presales for various groups the week prior.
The Turkey game will be the last of three warmup matches for the World Cup on American soil. The other two are against El Salvador in Tampa on February 24 and against the Czech Republic on May 25 at a site to be determined. There will also be a game against the Netherlands in Amsterdam on March 3.
Wherever that May 25 game ends up, you can be sure that people will be watching how many people attend the game at the Linc - especially because of the fierce competition to be part of the U.S.' World Cup bid.
"All of this leads up to our ultimate goal, which is to be one of the hosts for the World Cup in 2018 or 2022," said Mayor Nutter, who added that "we're serious about the sport - it's going to continue to grow and flourish here in Philadelphia."
He also said the U.S.' first game at this summer's World Cup will be against Great Britain, for the record.
Nutter presented Gulati with a replica liberty bell. Banner gave Gulati an Eagles jersey, then Gulati gave Banner and Nutter U.S. national team jerseys. Then, just to make sure everyone was in on the swag party, Veit gave Nutter a Union winter coat that looked the size of a sleeping bag.
Audio of the full press conference is below. It includes a rather humorous conversation with a radio host in town you might have heard of.
There's also a video in the player with press conference highlights and my own exclusive interviews with Gulati and Veit.
Just got this scoop in from Daily News soccer beat writer Kerith Gabriel:
Perhaps in search of warmer climates, given the snowy conditions of their current home in Greensboro, N.C. the Daily News has learned the Union will take the second phase of their inaugural training camp to Guadalajara, Mexico. Team sources estimated the one-week session is slated to begin the week after their Feb. 17 return from Greensboro.
The team is currently in preparation for a full-sided scrimmage against the University of North Carolina at Bryan Park this Saturday. Following the Mexico trip – which could coincide with a scrimmage against a team yet to be determined according to team officials – the Union will finish out training camp for 2 more weeks in Florida in advance of their regular season opener against Seattle at Qwest Field on March 25.
And now this from me. Union head coach Peter Nowak and assistants John Hackworth and Rob Vartughian held a conference call with reporters to give an update from the team’s training camp in Greensboro, N.C.
I transcribed as much as I could, though the phone line was a bit patchy at times. Here’s what I was able to get:
On how preseason training has gone so far
Peter Nowak
First of all, the weather down here is better for us because there’s a little bit more snow… That’s the funny part. From our perspective, as we’ve said from the beginning and as we’ve told our players, the first couple of weeks are going to be laying out foundations for future work for the next training camps we will have.
There’s going to be more soccer-specific training and practices, with tactics, with the overall system – we’re going to try to find out what the best way is to play… It’s going to be a little bit unusual for these guys, going to places where it’s warm and there are nice grass fields and everything is all peachy and rosy…
I think the group has adjusted very well and it looks like we’re going to have a lot of fun together.
On who among the group has been the biggest surprise
Peter Nowak
I think mostly we knew, and maybe John can add a little bit – when we went into the expansion draft, we always looked for guys who were going to fit the characteristics not only of this city but what kind of team we wanted to build…
We tried to look very consciously at what kinds of players we wanted to add to this team. From this perspective, there’s no big surprise in terms of us being surprised with anything we see. It was good that we have Danny Califf as a veteran, and Stefani Miglioranzi, and Alejandro Moreno, and it’s also good to have Fred with us because he’s a little different than the other group.
So we have enough veteran quality, and now this group of veterans will be given the job to come together, take the young players under their wings and show them the ropes. It’s not easy for these youngsters, every day they are getting more tired… and then they have to go outside and show their skills.
So they try to monitor as well, and Rob and John with me, we try to monitor things as well… I’m very happy with the group work ethic, I’m very happy with how they’ve enjoyed themselves and how they’ve enjoyed being together.
Some days are a little bit tougher than they expected, but they’ve come together pretty well.
John Hackworth
I think the group’s been good, and like Peter said, I think Fred’s been a pleasant surprise for us. We all knew the qualities he has as a soccer player, but in the last few weeks we’ve had the chance to really get to know him and his personality. He’s fit in really well with our whole group and he’s providing a lot of leadership on and off the field, and I think that’s excellent.
On how the younger players are fitting in and adjusting to life in the pros
John Hackworth
Our younger players have a lot of national team experience, for the most part too, aside from Danny Mwanga. With that international experience, playing in different national team camps, being on the road for extremely long periods of time, those are the things that young players struggle with.
And then I think young players struggle when coaches don’t clearly define rules or expectations, and I think that our young players don’t have that problem right now. I think veteran leadership is a key to that – the older guys have been tremendous. We knew that coming in, as Peter said earlier. That kind of transition, that kind of relationship, between both the staff and the older guys and the younger guys has been key for us so far.
On whether the players in camp now are the final roster, or whether the team might bring in more players, and whether anyone from the team’s open tryouts has gotten further consideration by the team
Yes, we had a couple of guys from the tryouts with us. We continue to see what we can do. As we’ve said, it’s not easy, not only for our youngsters, but also for these guys – the transition is pretty big for them…
Maybe there’s going to be somebody who comes at the last minute. Back in 1998 when I was in Chicago, the biggest signings were Lubos Kubik and Jerzy Podbrozny. So you never know who the whole thing will play out… If we’re going to make a decision like that, then we will add something that we don’t have in this group.
On Michael Orozco and how he has settled in and adjusted to playing in the United States
Peter Nowak
We’ve been very fortunate to get him here to our team. It was a couple of months ago that we started to talk about bringing Michael to the Union… Michael was in the preseason with San Luis, he had a very good last season though didn’t play at the end of the season because of a change in the coaching staff and [team] president.
What happened in the meantime, the negotiations went for so long that we couldn’t get him until our preseason… We’re trying to catch up right now, not only with the fitness part but also the tactical part so that when he enters the national team camp [later this month], he’ll be really prepared for the challenge expectation from coach [Bob] Bradley and his coaching staff.
[The U.S. national team plays El Salvador on February 24 in Tampa. It’s one of the last games before the World Cup roster is finalized. – J.T.]
It’s a very important game for him – not only for him but a lot of guys who I know and John knows who we’ve managed in national team camps. There are not going to be too many chances before the announcement of the World Cup squad. So as I said, I know Michael is smart, and he wants, like any other player, to be in the World Cup squad…
The games he will play are not going to be that good, and there’s nothing we can do. There’s nothing coach Bradley can do….
He [Orozco] is very good as a utility man because he can play on the backline at any position. He played left back with the Olympic team [in 2008], he also played center back in Olympic qualifiers with me, and he can play right back as well. So he can play a bunch of positions, and at the end of the day, the national team might need that.
John Hackworth
I think Michael’s done well, because he does have a lot of experience. He helps like a veteran, and although he’s coming from the Mexican league, he’s been with the national team long enough to know some of his teammates like Chris Seitz. So he’s fit in extremely well there, and it’s great to have him.
Peter Nowak
He’s still a young kid. We’re looking for veteran leadership, and [Orozco] being 24 years old and having all this experience with older players on different national teams, I believe that we can have success with Michael and he’ll have a successful year as a player.
On whether the team might benefit if none of its players go to the World Cup
Peter Nowak
Everybody’s dream is to play in the World Cup… What we’re trying to do is give them the best chance to play and to try and to the best work they can do. From my perspective I would say: Would we benefit? No, because it’s an honor to play for the national team, regardless of the national team.
We will have no problem releasing players for friendlies. We’ve released Shavar, we’ve released Alejandro, and we will do so in the future. Because we believe, all of us who have been on the other side with national team coaches, that you always want to have the best team possible. And we will honor requests from the U.S. national team or any other federation.
I think it’s great for our players that they can play for their national teams, regardless of their national teams.
On the mentality of working with an entirely new team in training camp
Peter Nowak
There’s different methods to do that. We mostly know the old players here, and we’ve been working before camp with them, interacting with them and talking to them. So the contact has been very good from day one.
Now we have to encourage them and lay down the principles and values and what we expect from them, the rules, all this stuff that little by little we expect them to follow. And we expect from the whole group that they will give us some suggestions.
Because we are all together as a group. The coaching staff is a new group. And we have to establish all together how we are going to work. The guidelines and the rules must be very clear for all of the, but they can give us suggestions as well.
So that’s more trust. It’s about developing trust and a belief that as a group, we can be stronger. That’s what the first two weeks have been all about, and as we go forward with the next training camp, we will learn some more in that regard. And we’ll get more into the game, not only tactical and technical as I said, but also the mentality, the spirit. Every little aspect of the game must be there.
So little by little, we have another six weeks to establish that, and we are very happy where we are right now.
John Hackworth
The only thing I would add to that is look at who we selected. We’ve put a lot of thought in, and we’re trying to be very careful about the players we’ve brought in to this team. There’s a ton of work to be done right now. I think we did a lot of work in our selection, andI think that’s very important
You look at the guys we have on our roster right now, from the younger guys to the older guys, and you can kind of tell the type of characters, the type of players and the type of people that we want to represent this team.
On the benefits of training out of town together
Peter Nowak
We don’t want to keep this team under a bubble, but we need to get to know each other… We believe that keeping us quiet, and having this kind of situation like we’re in here in North Carolina, is going to give us the time to establish all these aspects of who we are and what kind of identity we’re finding as a team.
The shared moments, the fears and doubts, what is going to happen this season, who is going to stay, who is going to go. Talking to this group, you can clearly find all these little aspects of being away.
You are not in Florida, you are not in Phoenix or L.A. where the grass is green and the weather is great and you have friends around. Now they are pulling together, they play cards together, they have fun together. And with our help, we try to establish the soccer part, which at the end of the day will be very important to us.
On what the hardest part of preseason training has been so far
Peter Nowak
The hardest thing so far has been to work with John and Rob [laughter].
That’s not because I want to be different. We believe – and I’ve discussed this with Rob and John – where we’re going to go, what kind of environment we want to create, and what would be the best possible angle to tackle this kind of challenge, having a new team and new players.
We have a lot of youngsters. We knew there was going to be a mix of veterans and youngsters who were going to be new to the professional game. We discussed a lot of aspects that make us feel like it could be possible that we could go to North Carolina, where it’s not that easy to be, and spend time not only on fitness but also to go forward with the soccer part.
I believe, as do John and Rob, that the players are going to create the system that we play. Then we’ll see how it’s going to be. We can correct it as coaches, and with our experience and our knowledge we will correct it if something goes wrong.
But as I said, we’re going to find the players, and that is the system we will play. We believe that in selecting the players that we did, it’s going to give us a lot of flexibility, and also give us opportunity to let them on their own.
Not only because Nowak is a hard-nosed guy or whatever the characteristic is, and John is a ‘good cop’ and Rob is a ‘good cop’ as well – we don’t work this way. We’re trying to do what the team needs, and also have as the other side what they expect from the game.
So we need to hear them first, what kind of game they want to play, to get our ideas on paper and give it to them so they will understand not only what kind of group we have, but also the roles, what kind identity we have, what kind of team we are going to be, and what kind of environment we will have as a franchise, as a club going forward.
Not only for this year, but two years, five years, ten years from now. That’s more of a project than only winning the next game.
On the team’s young players
Peter Nowak
These kids have something. We believe that now we’re going to add experience, then watch and discuss – not only watch, but discuss – the soccer part. We want to have players that will adjust to the game. Not looking to the bench at John and Rob and myself and asking, ‘Coach, what should I do at this point in the game?’
So we have to establish this stuff and say, ‘Okay, that’s your game.’ We’re going to give you everything on paper, you’re going to have a playbook, you’re going to have this, you’re going to have that. But then, this is the game you play. This is the game you establish, and this is the game you believe. As soon as this happens, we’ll have a lot of fun.
But there’s a lot of work ahead of us, and we don’t want to waste any minute, any hour on the practice field. This environment here in North Carolina has given us the time to talk to them about that.
