Sports stats



Ready for Kickoff

March 28, 2015 - North American Soccer League (NASL)
Atlanta Silverbacks News Release


ATLANTA -- Following last weekend's 3-1 victory in Birmingham, the Atlanta Silverbacks commenced their fourth week of preseason camp. Silverbacks first-year head coach Gary Smith set out to duplicate the game-week rhythms ahead of Saturday's friendly at Clemson University on the final weekend before NASL play begins.

Smith's Silverbacks approach the home stretch of preseason, closing in on the NASL spring season in much different shape than when the Club -- with a variety of new faces, including Smith -- held its first organized training session of the year February 27. With five exhibitions and a month of practices completed, the Silverbacks are pushing closer to what they hope will be a successful rebound season in NASL.

"I feel a lot better about what I'm seeing day-to-day and certainly in our preseason games," Smith said. "There were many rough edges to try and file off and iron out. Slowly but surely, we're starting to see a much clearer picture of what this team's about.

"There's a number of different facets within the game that we still need to nail down: How we're going to start the game, what we look like as the game unfolds and the shape of the group -- both creatively and defensively."

Reduced physical load

Smith's first step in attempts to simulating a true game week was to scale back the physical work required of the players, especially in the afternoons after full sessions in the stadium -- and extra work in the gym -- took a toll on the players.

"Of course, our preseason has been slightly different to others," Smith said. "I need to be mindful of where we're at and the steps that we're taking."

Two- and three-a-days defined the early stages of preseason; the Silverbacks have now settled into a routine of ending the day on running through set pieces or even pool workouts. It's no vacation for the team, but a trimmer workload may result in sharper performances.

For some players, like 31-year-old midfielder Hans Denissen, Smith's tough preseason regimen has been quite welcome to assist in the return to regular season form.

"Over the past few weeks, you've seen a lot of guys changing for the better," Denissen said. "For myself as well, coming off an injury, being able to train twice a day and going into a routine again is great for my body and my mental health."

Ceus in good spirits after minor knee surgery

With his minor knee operation in the rear-view mirror, Silverbacks goalkeeper Steward Ceus can now turn his attention toward making a full recovery and returning to the pitch. Ceus is already walking without crutches and has attended training and film sessions with the rest of the squad. The goalkeeper even posted an Instagram video of his early rehab efforts on a stationary bike to update his followers.

"I'm very confident in how the surgery went," said Ceus, who celebrated his 28th birthday Thursday . "I'm very positive, looking forward to a good rehab and getting healthy soon."

Before his surgery, Ceus also talked about the confidence he had in the abilities and communication of his rookie stand-in, Georgia State alum C.J. Cochran, and said there wouldn't be any issues with Cochran in the net while the No. 1 recovers.

Rauwshan McKenzie's first week in Atlanta

Former Chivas USA and Portland Timbers defender Rauwshan McKenzie was officially announced as an Atlanta player last week, and the veteran center back has given the Silverbacks favorable reviews after a week with his new club.

"The guys have been really receptive to me and the coaching staff is great," McKenzie said. "Everyone looks sharp and has been getting ready for the regular season to begin."

Though he said he hasn't had much time to really get accustomed to the city off the field, McKenzie immediately slotted into Smith's starting lineup against UAB. He only played, however, part of the first half while getting adjusting physically to the preseason's demands. Because McKenzie joined much later in the process than his Atlanta teammates, the defender put in some extra work during week four, occasionally sticking around after training sessions to catch up on fitness.

They Said It :

Forward Matt Horth:

"Personally, I'd like to score more than and most importantly stay injury-free. I want to be a durable player and one that can continually give everything I have for the team. I can't do that from the sideline, so I'd like to stay healthy this year."

Midfielder Hans Denissen:

"I just can't wait to start to start the season. We still have a way to go. You won't see our best soccer right from the get-go, but we'll definitely be there once the season is going. We're looking forward to being 100 percent."

• Discuss this story on the North American Soccer League message board...

North American Soccer League Stories from March 28, 2015


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.

Other Recent Atlanta Silverbacks Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central