MLS Major League Soccer

Spring Training Notebook: March 6

March 7, 2003 - Major League Soccer (MLS) News Release


FT. LAUDERDALE, FL (Thursday, March 6, 2003) - The Los Angeles Galaxy, Dallas Burn and Colorado Rapids were the first teams to depart the South Florida area on Thursday as Spring Training 2003 winds down. Nine of ten MLS teams made the trip to the Sunshine State in preparation for the start of the League's eighth season, which kicks off on Saturday, April 5 with the national television broadcast of the Columbus Crew vs. Los Angeles Galaxy live on ABC Sports (4:00 p.m. ET).

Following Wednesday's first MLS Copa Carnaval doubleheader, Thursday's schedule saw the Columbus Crew and Kansas City Wizards in exhibition action. The Crew played two matches on the day, using two different lineups. First the defending Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup champions tied the U.S. Under-23 National Team 1-1 in a morning scrimmage. That was followed by a 7-1 exhibition win against Lynn University in the afternoon.

The highlight of Spring Training 2003, two Copa Carnaval doubleheaders held at the Orange Bowl, will wrap up with the second twin bill on Saturday, March 8. The matches are being held in conjunction with the 25th Anniversary of Carnaval Miami's Calle Ocho festivities. Saturday's action kicks off with the Columbus Crew facing D.C. United (5:00PM) and the Chicago Fire locking horns with the San Jose Earthquakes (7:00PM).

CAPTAIN SPEAKS OUT: With rookie forward Casey Schmidt continuing his tear for the Colorado Rapids during the 2003 preseason, it may be easy to forget that the club's all-time single-season goal scoring leader - captain John Spencer - is on the mend and is reluctant to give up his spot in the starting lineup.

"It's one of the hardest jobs in this game, to put the ball in the back of the net and the young man has come in and done very well," Spencer said on Thursday. "But I feel I've I got a few more years left in me yet before I'm ready to hand over the mantle."

It has been an injury-riddled few months for "Spenny", who missed most of the 2002 campaign following left knee surgery on May 23. That intervention was required after the Scotsman suffered an injury during a pregame practice.

The latest setback also involved an injury during training camp - a collision with goalkeeper Byron Foss and a knock on his right knee this time around. It was an unfortunate turn of events for the former Scottish international who netted five goals last year after setting a club record with 14 the year before that.

"I missed 10-12 games last year after knee surgery which I was disappointed in," Spencer said. "I'm hoping this time I'll be back in two, three weeks time."

To think that Spencer joined the club for 2003 preseason already in top form - "really strong and really good" in his words. In fact, during the offseason he returned to Scotland and hired a personal trainer to help prepare for preseason.

"I'm a bit disappointed in the injury," Spencer said. "I've lost all that fitness that I got in Scotland, but these things happen for a reason. It's not the end of the world ... Fortunately Foss is still here - it gives me a chance to give him a good kick in the head when I come back fully fit."

When he does make his comeback, the former Chelsea and Queen's Park Rangers player will be joining a new team which will be without Carlos Valderrama, a significant presence in the team's midfield, dictating the tempo for more than a season.

"It's going to be a different style of play this year," he said. "I think it's going to be a lot faster, and there's going to be a lot more weapons on the field. So there's going to be a new look to the team, not just in the uniforms but in the style of play as well."

THE LONG WAIT IS OVER: With Joe Cannon moving to Lens of the French Championnat, the goalkeeper's No. 1 jersey at the San Jose Earthquakes is being passed along to the man who served as Cannon's backup since entering the League in 2000. Jon Conway, a 6ft, 6in Rutgers University product, is ready to take charge in his fourth MLS season at the age of 25.

"I've played the games all throughout Spain (La Manga Cup) and coach has said it looks like it's my job to keep," he said. "That's the way I'm going in. Until I hear differently it's my job."

It will be a special Opening Day this year for Conway, who played in just three matches, totaling 181 minutes and facing just 17 shots last year. Ever since his 2000 rookie season, however, Conway has shown great promise in his limited appearances and signs of good things to come. He may not have had to wait this long for his breakthrough opportunity had he been able to stay healthy entering the 2001 campaign, his second in MLS and the first with Frank Yallop assuming the coaching reins.

"In my first year with Frank we both (Cannon and Conway) came in with clean slates with a new coach," he said. "But I suffered an injury in preseason which put me out four to five weeks and the job was obviously his and he played great. He had his best year that first year when we won the MLS Cup championship. I'm not going to say the injury was a turning point but it put me behind the eight ball a little. I wasn't able to compete for the job. He went in, played great and never relinquished it."

The Aston, Pennsylvania native has started every match for the Earthquakes during the 2003 preseason and his current backup is SuperDraft selection Josh Saunders. Conway is again expected to start Saturday's match against the Chicago Fire in the final game of the Copa Carnaval at the Orange Bowl.

However, it was only a few weeks ago that Jonny Walker, a 1996 Dallas Burn draft pick who most recently played in Chile with Universidad Catolica, surfaced in camp and media reports made him the likely starter had he signed with the Earthquakes. Conway has another take on that situation.

"I don't think he would have been an automatic starter," he said. "I'm here and he would have had to beat me out and I don't think that was going to happen."

The confidence is that of a player who knows he must capitalize on the given opportunity. Conway, who says he has never sought a trade from the Earthquakes, is the latest in a series of young American goalkeepers who has patiently waited his turn. U.S. National Team and MetroStars goalkeeper Tim Howard also waited several years before getting his break and he has since earned Aquafina Goalkeeper of the Year and Pepsi Best XI honors. As in Howard's case, Conway believes that by just playing games he can raise his stock on the domestic scene, something he may not have had a chance to do if Cannon returned.

"I could not take too many more years of that (bench)," Conway said. "I was going into the last year of my contract and it was fortunate for me that Joe decided to move on. But I've just been patient. I love being here bad playing for Frank (Yallop) and Dom (Dominic Kinnear) and playing with these guys. That's what keeps me around and keeps me going."

FIRE CAPTAIN HAS NEW NAME: Although he is still working with the club as its Soccer and Business Advisor and Director of International Relations, the end of Peter Nowak's tenure as a Chicago Fire player left a vacancy for the captain's role which has already been assigned. Midfielder Chris Armas, who tore the ACL in his right knee in a World Cup tune-up match last May just weeks before the event, will don the captain's armband in 2003 and his teammates are waiting for his return.

"He's looking great in training," said DaMarcus Beasley. "He's not at full game speed yet but he's going hard twice, three times a day (practices) to get his knee ready. Once we get our captain back I think we'll be fine. Chris is a great leader and I think he is what we were missing on the field last year."

"It's been a long 10 months for me," Armas said. "When you're on the sideline it's no fun. I worked hard and I'm looking forward to the season more than anyone can know. I'm there - I'm practicing, and playing full out. As far as playing in games right now I'm working my way up, building up the minutes. But the knee feels great and I'm very excited to be back again."

It has been almost a year since his last official match for the Fire on April 20, 2002 in a 2-0 road win against the MetroStars. But Armas is looking forward to 2003 not only for his return to the playing fields but because he believes the team assembled by new Head Coach Dave Sarachan is better than many expect.

"I am pleasantly surprised to see how well the team is coming together," he said. "We have a lot of new faces but we've jelled and come together quickly. Although there have been a lot of changes we've really done well and we're off to a great start. We're in good shape."

His return to MLS fields should also coincide with a U.S. National Team comeback and a chance to erase the memory of that fateful day at RFK Stadium last May.

"I was hoping for the Japan game (March 29 in Seattle)," Armas said. "I intend to speak to Bruce (Arena) while I'm down here but he seems to be in a position that he wants to give me every opportunity in the near future."

WIZARDS SCORING DROUGHT COMES TO AN END: Nights like the ones on Thursday were not to be anymore at Florida International University after the school's administration had announced the folding of the 30-year-old program in January. FIU has produced more than 40 professional soccer players, four of which currently play in Major League Soccer. That decision to erase the program was reversed days later.

Thursday night the lights were on at the campus stadium and approximately 700 people filled the stands, offering a charged atmosphere for the exhibition featuring MLS' Kansas City Wizards. Head coach Bob Gansler's squad came from behind to earn the 3-1 win against FIU in the MLS club's fourth preseason exhibition.

"It was great. You don't get this [atmosphere] at exhibition games," Gansler said. "Coach [Karl] Kremser and [assistant coach] Munga [Eketebi], they've been friends of mine for 20 years, when I was with the national team we trained here in their neck of the woods.

"I felt badly when they said they were taking away the program but then they made the right decision (to reverse it)," he said. "This is a quality program. They are on cloud nine and we knew they would be running on adrenaline."

In fact, the crowd on Thursday was treated to an emotional first half, as the college players matched up well to start the game. FIU opened the scoring on a penalty kick in the 19th minute after Allen Handy was fouled in the box. Paul Kolovos stepped up to convert the spot kick.

But it was all Wizards from that point on. In the 35th minute, draftee Jack Jewsbury took a pass from Diego Gutierrez and blasted a shot from 20 yards out on the right. FIU 'keeper Shawn Crowe, a member of the youth national team pool, got a hand on the effort but the shot made it through for the equalizer. Jewsbury's goal ended a drought of three preseason matches in which the Wizards were unable to find the back of the net.

Kansas City's patience and fitness proved to be the difference, and in the 60th minute Steve Lawrence dribbled past two defenders on the right and placed the ball to guest player Aleksey Korol, whose first-time shot found the bottom left corner. The Wizards' Kerry Zavagnin scored the third with a shot from outside the box which slipped through the hands of Crowe, who went down with an injury following the play. Wizards' keeper Bo Oshoniyi offered to enter the game for FIU, garnering applause from the pro-FIU crowd.

Since the school's announcement to shut down the program was made public on Jan. 16 and its decision to extend the program days later, alumni, current players and students have rallied, establishing "Friends of FIU Soccer," a support group seeking to raise funds for the soccer program. About 800 people were at hand last week when D.C. United was the first MLS team to make the visit for a fundraising friendly.

"Q" HOPING TO MAKE INTERNATIONAL RETURN: After a four-year suspension leveled by the Salvadoran Federation last November, D.C. United forward Eliseo Quintanilla is still hoping that the organization can reconsider its decision and allow him to return to national team duty. The 20-year-old forward/midfielder with the quality left foot is the most promising youth player for a country which has seen its senior team qualify for the CONCACAF Gold Cup to be held in the U.S. and Mexico in July.

"I think there is a possibility of playing again although I haven't had contact with the Federation [since the suspension]," Quintanilla said in Florida.

The controversy started last year after the Salvadoran Federation claimed that Quintanilla failed to report to Under-20 training camp ahead of the November CONCACAF qualifying tournament for the FIFA World Youth championship. Reports out of El Salvador presented conflicting reports for the Federation's unprecedented sanction, but at the time Quintanilla was adamant that he was a victim of disorganization and misunderstanding.

"All along I had said that I wanted to play for the national team and at no time did I say otherwise," Quintanilla said in November. "Players who are playing in El Salvador are not informed of their call-up by letters or through their clubs. They have to listen to the radio to know."

Quintanilla says one feature of the senior national team is the impressive selection youth players which the side has resorted to and who will likely compete at the Gold Cup. The senior squad is led by his former head coach at Salvadoran club team FAS: Juan Ramon Paredes, a fact which further fuels Quintanilla's hopes of rejoining his nation's team.

KEEPING HIS OPTIONS OPEN: From the very first camp following the 2002 World Cup, U.S. National Team Head Coach Bruce Arena has called up Dallas Burn defender Ryan Suarez for every training period. However, Suarez did not enter the match vs. El Salvador (Nov. 2002) and also did not make the final cut for any of the games played thus far in 2003. A single appearance in any of those contests would have tied the 25-year-old to the U.S. for international duty. However, the fact that he has never played in an official match for this country also means that he can possibly attempt to join the national team of the other country of which he is also a citizen: Uruguay.

Suarez is a dual citizen and last May had an informal meeting with former Uruguay Head Coach Victor Pua, when the South American squad visited RFK Stadium for a pre-World Cup tune-up match against the United States.

"Things are still open," he said from Florida. "My goal and my heart are with the U.S. I definitely concentrate on the U.S. but all things being said, if things don't happen that way, then there's always the possible chance that Uruguay is still interested."

Former U.S. National Team Head Coach Bora Milutinovic is a candidate for the currently vacant Uruguay coaching post. "He knows who I am," Suarez said.

Following a 2001 breakthrough rookie season in which Suarez registered 19 starts as a right back, the Sacramento, California native started all 24 matches he appeared in last year. Many expected his subsequent inclusion in the national team pool following the 2002 World Cup.

"Camp (for Argentina and Jamaica matches in February) was good. I was fit and ready to go. Bruce decided to go with a little more experience, he told me, in the games. I'm still waiting for my chance. I have faith that there's going to be other possibilities," Suarez said.

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