MLS FC Dallas

Clarke Returns from Scouting Trip to England

January 7, 2004 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
FC Dallas News Release


Dallas Burn Head Coach Colin Clarke spent two weeks during the holidays in England scouting players at games and training sessions.

"I found a couple of possibilities during my two weeks there," said Clarke. "There are two players in particular that I'm looking at that I feel would fit what we need in the center of the midfield. These are players with leadership, experience and a good work ethic. We should be able to have a decision in the next 3-4 weeks."

MLS PLAYER COMBINE BEGINS SUNDAY IN CARSON, CALIF.

Clarke will depart Saturday for the MLS Player Combine in Carson, Calif. The combine begins with games on Sunday and runs through Tuesday.

"The combine will give us a chance to see some players that we haven't seen yet in addition to those that we have seen that we'll be able to give a final look," said Clarke.

Following the combine, Clarke and Burn President and General Manager Greg Elliott will depart for Charlotte, North Carolina on Thursday for the MLS SuperDraft on Friday, January 16.

TRIO OF BURN PLAYERS AT U-23 OLYMPIC QUALIFYING CAMP

Burn goalkeeper DJ Countess, midfielder Brad Davis and forward Eddie Johnson are three of 25 players that are currently participating in a two-week training camp in Carson, Calif. The camp marks the team's final preparation before traveling to Guadalajara, Mexico for the final round of the CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Tournament from Feb. 2-12.

At the final round of qualifying in Mexico, the USA will play all three Group A matches at Estadio Tres de Marzo, facing Panama first on Tuesday, Feb. 3, followed by matches against Canada on Thursday, Feb. 5 and Honduras on Sunday, Feb. 7. The tournament opens on Feb. 2 with Group B action featuring Costa Rica, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago and the host nation at Estadio Jalisco. The top two teams from each group will meet in the single-elimination semifinals on Tuesday, Feb. 10 at Estadio Jalisco, with the winner of Group A meeting the second-place team from Group B, and the winner of Group B meeting the second-place team from Group A. The two semi-final winners will earn automatic berths to Athens 2004 and meet in the final on Feb. 12.

Check out the FC Dallas Statistics



Major League Soccer Stories from January 7, 2004


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central