Colorado Rapids Supporters Holiday Party....

To those who live in Colorado and are soccer fans take a look at this! The Rapids are co-hosting a Holiday party with their supporters groups. The money raised will go to benefit the supporters groups. Sounds like fun.

WHAT: 2008 Colorado Rapids Supporters Holiday Ball

WHEN: Saturday, December 13, 6:30-9:30pm

WHERE: The Press Level (3rd floor) inside Dick's Sporting Goods Park

ATTIRE: Cocktail/Holiday attire is suggested

PRICES: Couples $25, Indviduals $15, Children $10, with a maxium ticket spend of $50 per family!

REGISTER: Sign up today by clicking here! You can also register by phone at (303) 727-3541.

If you've ever been interested in meeting some supporters club members or Rapids players and staff, what are you waiting for? Register!

Rapids Playoff Push...

This has been an up and down year to say the least for Colorado Rapids fans. I'm not going to do a season run down, this is a call to all the soccer fans in the Denver metro area to make sure you come out and support the playoff push. The Rapids are back in the swing of things. Coach Smith has the team back on the right track and they're playing great soccer. If you missed the Connor Casey game winning goal in New York last week, head over to the MLS website to catch the highlights. It was a world class service and goal.

This weekend Houston comes to town. The Dynamo are coming off a wild mid-week game in Mexico. They got a draw down there and are probably feeling good about themselves. The Rapids need to stamp them down.

This week the Rapids have launched a new campaign called Together We Rise. I like it. Here is the video.



You get the point, a packed house will help the team perform. Beating the first place team in the west this weekend will certainly help lock up a playoff spot in the tightest MLS playoff race ever. Three teams are currently tied for third in the west. A win and we make some breathing room while also closing in on 1st place Dallas Houston.

Come on out to Dick's Sporting Goods Park. The Rapids hopefully won't disappoint. Add to that the Supporter's Tailgate chili cook off in lot AA, starting at 5:30, and what more can a soccer fan hope for? See you there.

Rapids Win Bruno Guarda Lottery...

The weighted lottery comes Colorado's way...for once. It almost always looks like MLS favors the local team in these cases, add to that the fact that his college coach is now FC Dallas coach and in my eye's, Bruno was going to FC Dallas. But, things don't always work out the way you expect and the Rapids won the lottery. According to Director of Player Development, John Murphy, Guarda will be joining the Rapids.

We are very happy to have Bruno join us. He is a very skillful player and will join our team at an opportune time. We think very highly of him and expect him to have a bright future in our league.

I'm sure if FC Dallas really wanted Guarda, the Rapids will listen to offers. As a Rapids fan I'm excited to know they have another young, skillful midfielder in the ranks. They certainly are creating the best stable of midfielders with potential in MLS.

**Edit**

The Rapids have officially announced the signing and will not have to cut anyone as young goal keeper Justin Hughes has been put on the season ending injury list.

Colorado Rapids To Sign Greg Dalby…Finally…

We’ve written about Greg Dalby’s path to the pros a few times here at FCTP. Take a look for yourself. Here are just a few examples.

His name is probably one of the most used on this blog due to him being a hot prospect going into the 2007 SuperDraft, being drafted by my team and then his going AWOL and ending up in Europe. Dalby was a consensus top 10 pick going into the draft before the word trickled down that he was headed to Europe.

We’ll folks, he’s boomeranging back home and we expect him here in Denver after the July 15th transfer window opens.

In actuality he’s already here training with the club and the Rapids organization is thrilled to have him back.

"Everyone is thrilled with Greg joining us. We took a chance drafting him at #17 in the 2007 MLS Super Draft, and even received some criticism for the move. However, it was a calculated risk that has paid dividends despite the year and a half long wait. Greg should be able to make a contribution with our team in 2008 and prove to be another talented young player with a bright future for our organization."
- John Murphy, Rapids Director of Player Development

Between the 2007 SuperDraft, rejecting MLS’ original contract offer and today Dalby has spent time bouncing around Europe trying out for teams from Italy’s Serie A to Germany’s Bundesliga and Scotland’s Premier League. After many trials Dalby found his way to Belgium and second division R. Charleroi S.C. After not catching on with the Flemish side, Dalby is returning back to the States. The Colorado Rapids still hold his rights and they’re releasing Brazilian Rafael Gomes to make room. After the window the signing will be made official by the league and club.

Dalby will join a stable of other promising American midfielders. Over the past few drafts the Rapids have stockpiled young players who can compete in MLS. Early in the season the Rapids found their best success while captain Pablo Mastroeni was injured. Rapids fans got their first taste of Nick LaBrocca and John DiRaimondo and enjoyed what they saw. Dalby’s addition packs the house and could make one of the other young, up and coming midfielders surplus to the Rapids’ needs.

To be frank, I was one who was critical of the Rapids drafting Dalby. At the time I felt like it was a waste to take a player who had openly made it clear he was going to Europe. Additionally, I was critical of Dalby for going on trials around the world instead of working on his game in a professional environment. Here we are today with him coming back to MLS as another young American boomerang. He's 22 years old and could be behind the curve compared to his teammates who stepped right into MLS following college. Nick LaBrocca and John DiRaimondo aren't going to give up their positions in the club too easily after working hard while Dalby traveled around Europe.

It will certainly be interesting to see how Dalby fits into the team. The Rapids are currently floundering in league play and are out of the US Open Cup after not qualifying. The coaching staff is seemingly in transition or turmoil, depending on who you talk to, and Dalby is just now stepping into this. Should he play well and keep his mouth shut, coach Clavijo will have a new weapon in his arsenal of young American midfielders.

Another aspect to consider is the Olympics. Will playing on American soil help his chances of making the team? I'm sure he hopes so.

*Edit: After publishing this post Rapids GM Jeff Plush added the following:

We are very excited about Greg. He brings us ability and versatility,
but as important he has a strong record as a leader as captain at both Notre Dame and the US u-20 squad. We look forward to seeing him develop with our club.

2008 MLS Season Is Here…And So Are The Rapids Reserves…

You all know my style by now, I’m not team specific on the blog but I am a Rapids supporter through and through. By now you’ve heard, the Rapids spanked the “mighty” LA Galaxy on Saturday night in front of a sell out crowd here in Denver. Way to go ‘Pids! Big win! While the Rapids fans are jumping for joy after not seeing that big a margin of victory since 1996 and the club is patting themselves on the back for a successful kick off we here at FCTP need to look at the win from another angle. Where did all these starters come from? (“Rhetorical question Farley, I already know the answer!” is what Mr. Woodcock would say, right bad movie conisours?)

Those who don’t regularly attend Rapids games, check the website for daily updates, surf BigSoccer regularly or go to Rapids Reserve matches probably won’t recognize some of the names on the Rapids opening night starting roster. Kosuke Kimura, John DiRaimondo, Nick LaBrocca, Omar Cummings and Stephen Keel all filled in for injured starters or found themselves at the top of the depth chart after some good old fashion pre-season hard work.

First off, the Rapids have moved to a 4-5-1 formation with the off-season signing of Argentinean playmaker Christian Gomez. He will be allowed to operate at the top of a five man midfield with few defensive responsibilities if any. With two of the other four midfielders wingers that leaves two defensive minded midfielder spots open. Going into opening night I expected to see Pablo Mastroeni and Brazilian off-season signing Rafael Gomes holding down those two spots. However, fitness wouldn’t allow it and we got two youngsters, DiRaimondo and LaBrocca in their place. I have to admit, I was nervous when I saw that flash across the FSC pre-game lineup screen.

Next the back line. Jose Burciaga Jr. and Facundo Erpen have been starting in the league for a few years now, but Kosuke Kimura and Stephen Keel haven’t. Injuries to Mike Petke and Ugo Ihemelu opened up two spots and the two youngsters filled in admirably. With Mike Petke being on the Injured Reserve list, out until at least May 10th, Stephen Keel is going to get plenty more playing time after helping to shut down Carlos Ruiz and Landon Donovan.

Finally, up top we saw Omar Cummings’ first professional start for the Rapids in league play. Last season he was coming off the bench to give Conor Casey and Jovan Kirovski relief. This season he seems to have wrestled the starting position away from Kirovski while Casey is also on the Injured Reserve list.

So where did these guys come from? The Rapids Reserves of course. For the past two seasons the Rapids have been using their reserves for exactly this purpose, to fill in for the senior team when injuries rear their ugly heads. The Rapids seem to have figured out that instilling a winning spirit in the reserve team can help the senior team. Coaches Clavijo and Murphy need to be given credit for their ability to scout players and sign players who don’t rate well after the MLS Combine but who still have the right stuff. While other teams seem to be using the transfer market more as the main player conduit, the Rapids have quietly assembled a group of talented young American college products. Yup, all of the guys mentioned above either graduated or played some college soccer here in the US. Yes, all those doom and gloom people out there who forecast the death of American soccer need to take another look. Combined with good coaching on a reserve team American college players are still making an impact. This also shows that programs outside of the power conferences are doing well at bringing along talent. Cummings played for Cincinnati. LaBrocca played at Rutgers. Kimura went to Western Illinois University. DiRaimondo attended St. Louis University. Keel went to the biggest soccer school, Wake Forest.

All of these guys have one thing in common. They’ve spent the last season or two playing for the reserve team, winning back to back reserve league championships. They’ve been given time to mature into the pro life as opposed to being thrown in at the deep end. It takes a special player to be able to adjust immediately from College to the Pros, the rest need time. Of this group Kimura had the most starts going into last night with four. LaBrocca and Keel both earned their second while the rest their first.

The #5 selection in the 2008 MLS SuperDraft, Ciaran O'Brien, got his first league action as a second half sub. While he showed a lot of hustle, he also showed some rookie over exuberance with his tackle on Carlos Ruiz from behind. He earned the red card and learned that tackles against the worst diver in the league need to be better timed. From what I've heard everyone in the Rapids camp is happy with O'Brien's pre-season work and he should continue to get minutes as the season moves along, and his red card suspension expires.

Congrats to the Rapids for a big season opening win and for showing the rest of MLS how to develop players.

Add Him To The Database...

Last night was the Rapids annual Burgundy vs. Blue game. Overall the event is no more then a dry run for the DSG Park and Rapids staff and a chance for soccer needy season ticket holder and Commerce City residents to get a free look at their team. I wrote about it over here on the Class VI website. The 60 minute match ended in a 1-1 draw. How appropriate for a Rapids game....

Of note to this blog was the fact that an un-known forward made his way onto the field with about 10 minutes left. The tall and lanky kid wasn't listed on the one page program handed to fans before the game. His name was announced and my friend and I gave each other a mutual shoulder shrug. One minute later I couldn't remember his name. Overall his play was unremarkable and you could tell he was nervous and out of place. Thankfully for Rapids fans he wasn't the latest signing from Scotland, Tam McManus. This morning we learned he is a member of the Colorado Rapids U-18 team and his name is Omar Haner.

Wait...what??? A member of the U-18 team came out with the big boys in a pre-season friendly. I know New York has been looking at one of their youngsters for a full time deal, but is this the first time a youth team member played in a match with US Soccer referees? No, not an official match but official referees. Did the Rapids do something first? I'm going to ask my friends Steve Goff, Ives, LB help on this one...any other of the major MLS bloggers know about this one? Has a member of the U-18 team been trotted out with the senior team in a friendly yet?

As the title implies Haner will be added to my database and I'll do whatever research I can on the kid.

University of California Graduate Heads To France...

Andrew Jacobson has decided to sign with FC Lorient of the French football league instead of MLS and DC United who drafted him. So far as I know, he is the first drafted player to sign outside of MLS, however I expect a few more to announce their intentions to spurn MLS.

To me, this isn't a huge loss. On the one hand you are losing a player with a lot of potential, on the other it will give someone else trying to get noticed by DC United a chance. Truthfully, there was little chance for Jacobson to feature in the heavily South American DC United roster. Of all MLS teams, DC probably has the most crowded roster. Jacobson is chasing a dream, good luck to him.

Above I said it will give another guy a chance. I really do believe for the young American's trying to play professional soccer when one door closes another opens. Here's a great interview with Colorado Rapids player Stephen Keel. While many people have trashed the Rapids 2008 draft, the Rapids have a wider approach to signing players. After two years with the reserve team it looks like Keel should be getting more playing time in 2008...and they didn't even draft him.

Looking Back at The Drafts...With Colorado Rapids Assistant Coach Murphy...

This weekend the Rapids posted a write up of the off-season by assistant coach John Murphy. I'd like to highlight his comments on the draft. Specifically the following:

I feel that people still tend to look at the MLS Draft as they do in football and other sports, but that is a misconception. The player pool is not deep enough to dictate that type of philosophy. They see that we have drafted players who play in a certain position and feel that we are stockpiling defenders or midfielders and that is not the case: we are stockpiling good players. Individuals who are functional, can play more than one position, and are comfortable on the ball. To keep a depth chart of strikers, midfielders and defenders is a good organizational practice, but the philosophy of choosing the best player available is often the rule of thumb.

When you look at the players taken by the Rapids you can really see Murphy and Co. practicing what they preach. While Ciaran O'Brien is listed as a midfielder, I believe the Rapids selected him 5th overall because he was the best player available, in the coach's minds, at that time. He has played centrally through his career but in MLS it will be up to him to excel at whatever position the coaches want to see him play. For the Rapids a huge hole has existed on the left side of midfield. If O'Brien can challenge the new left sided players and Colin Clark, the youngster will have a better chance of staying in MLS.

The same can be said for the rest of the Rapids' picks in the SuperDraft and Supplemental Draft.

I particularly like this quote from Coach Murphy:

The internet is certainly the place for the press and fans to discuss the college player pool. I think it is great that we are starting to develop a “buzz” about certain players as the draft approaches, but even our harshest critics would be shocked if we allowed that to dictate our decision making on draft day. Bottom line is, there are many reasons why certain players are picked, and some of them the general public cannot be privy to.

I hear ya Murphy. I actually had a similar conversation with the coach the day before the draft and I'm sure my text message to him moments before the draft, requesting he select Patrick Nyarko if available, was in the back of his mind when he wrote the above. He's right too. While my colleagues and I no doubt watch way more college soccer then the average fan, we are arm chair coaches. People like me think our experience in Football Manager 2008 makes us uniquely qualified to select players for a team. Thanks for the wakeup call, Murph.

I really look forward to seeing how the young guys come along for the Rapids this season. Every season I love the build up to the draft...I love watching and commenting on the draft but I really love following the youngsters come into the league and try to make their way. Not all of the players drafted will make the opening day team. In fact, only a fraction will, but we're rooting for you guys. Work hard and impress us. Be the next Colin Clark, Danny Wasson and Bouna Condoul. The sky is the limit, especially in a league like MLS where rosters are only so deep and players need to cover for their injured teammates.

Players reported for duty here in Colorado this weekend. I can't wait for opening day!

An Open Letter Response To Jeff Plush’s Colorado Rapids State of the Club Address…

As my dedicated readers know, I am first and foremost a Colorado Rapids fan. When I started blogging I decided to focus on college players moving on up the ranks, but on hot summer nights I’m at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park watching my ‘Pids. So, sometimes I have to digress of my main subject area and today is one of those days.

As you may or may not know, Jeff Plush has posted his State of the Club Address on-line.

I don’t agree with everything going on over there at Rapids HQ and I’m going to take some time to dissect this address and respond to Jeff Plush. In my humble opinion, this type of conversation between club and customer will help the Rapids look at things from another perspective. This is not intended as a personal attack on the Rapids, coaching staff or players. It is constructive criticism and a fan’s perspective.

I will take certain sections of the address and provide some counterpoints to Mr. Plush, I am not going to transcribe the entire address, as it is lengthy.

Away we go….

CRC: What do you see as the areas that need improvement?

JP: “Clearly the biggest need for improvement is on the pitch. We failed against every goal we put in front of ourselves from the team side this year. It is time for reflection and time for us to figure out how to improve in virtually every area on the team side...

Certainly there are also still other areas for growth for the club, with selling more tickets and sponsorships and getting more media coverage and exposure…”

FCTP: What is being done to improve on the pitch? The coaching staff is still in place minus a goalkeeping coach and fitness coach (as readers will find out later in the address). Goalkeeping was a bright spot this season, what good does firing the keeper coach do? At this point in the year I think a team has an obligation to the fans to make changes if things aren’t working. The Rapids have not made adequate changes.

In regards to the second paragraph. I think it is common knowledge that fans and sponsors follow winners. Denver is a competitive sports environment and to get noticed you need to win. Look at the Rockies, they made it to the World Series and had tremendous support. Look at the Nuggets, they’re winning right now and people are excited. The Rapids have NEVER finished higher than 3rd in the Western Conference at the end of the regular season. That is a problem not being addressed right now.

CRC: What is the status of the Rapids' coaching situation?

JP: “Fernando will be back for 2008. He has one more year left in his contract. We know that it is a controversial decision and that some people don’t agree with it at all. We respect everyone’s opinion on the subject, but at the end of the day Mr. Kroenke believes in honoring the contracts that we sign, and he believes in honoring his word. I think there are some positives to be learned by that.

"Clearly there is some work to do to recover some of our fan base that we may have lost with this decision. We will work diligently to do that and that work has already started. However, the reality is that this organization can win with this coaching staff and this current team. We did make it to the Western Conference Championship game in both 2005 and ’06. I’m confident that if we can get some things shored up, demand more of ourselves, train more effectively, and add a little bit of talent, then we can make steps forward next year for sure.

"As far of the rest of the coaching staff goes, John Murphy has been doing a great job for us, had led the Rapids Reserves to back-to-back championship titles this year, and is helping build the future of this club with all the work he is doing with the Rapids Academy. On the other hand, a couple of subordinates on the staff have been let go. We will move forward next year without Goalkeeping Coach Leo Percovich and Fitness Coach Hector Ifran. We are in the process developing a plan on how to fill those positions now.”

FCTP: Fernando Clavijo has shown over six years in MLS that he does not know the recipe for success. Yes, he made it to the Western Conference Finals two years in a row but in all competitions he has compiled a 35% winning percentage. I do not know a single other sport where a winning percentage of 35% is accepted. It is admirable that team owner, Stan Kroenke wants to honor a contract but this is professional sports. If your team is not winning you make changes that help you win. I do not believe that Stan has not fired another contracted employee before the end of their contract for poor performance.

The fans will return when there is a winning team on the field. More soccer fans will come when there is a winning team on the field. Why aren’t you doing what needs to be done to get a winning team on the field? Fernando doesn’t know how to win in MLS.

A final comment on coaching. The entire coaching staff is made up of defensive minded coaches who either played as defenders or coaches. I think the results on the field bear that out. Consider getting an attacking minded coach on the bench this off-season if nothing else.

CRC: How have the Colorado Rapids stacked up against other MLS teams this year? How do you think we fared both on and off the field?

JP: “You go back to how we didn’t hit any of our objectives, but when you look at some of the specific games and how we stacked up, it makes it that much more frustrating. If you look at it, we split the points with the East. We beat DC, New England, and New York, tied all four games with Chicago and Kansas City. So all the playoff teams from that conference, we split the points with.

"Where I think we really struggled was against Dallas and Houston, two of our main rivals in the West. We beat some good teams; in a five day period we beat both of the Cup finalists in Houston and New England. Clearly we have the ability to compete at the highest level in this league. It made it difficult to be a bystander at MLS Cup this weekend. I also think that when you start looking at 2008 we know we have the ability and the talent.

FCTP: Facts are facts here, Jeff. The team did not stack up against the rest of the league. They missed the playoffs and only won 30% of their 2007 games in the league. The Rapids lost 43% of their games…a majority. Splitting points or not, a win is a win and a loss is a loss. The Rapids had more losses then wins. I don’t think they stacked up well against the league. Furthermore, the Rapids bombed out of the US Open Cup with a 5-0 loss against a lower division club, Seattle. So the Rapids didn’t stack up well against the USL-1 at all.

CRC: There are two camps currently divided about the importance of signing a designated player. What is your vision?

FCTP: Since I agree with Jeff’s response I won’t post the whole thing here. However, I will add that the DP slot has a lot of trade value. If you’re not going to use it, trade it to New York, Chicago or Los Angeles for some value.

CRC: The Rapids have been accused of being content with mediocrity...how do you respond to that?

JP: "Nothing could be further from the truth, but I also acknowledge that it is just rhetoric unless the results change. We have made mistakes and we will set out to change them. At the end of the day, I take responsibility for our failings. If anything, I have been too deferential to others, but no longer.

"We will change the way we conduct our soccer business effective immediately. If we make changes on our roster, it will be based on character and integrity in addition to technical skills. I no longer will tolerate people who do not want to be here. We will move forward with a 'Club First' mentality, and with a group who wants to play for the shield on the front of our jersey, not the name on the back."

FCTP: Since I am one of the people making this claim I feel obligated to respond. This is all good on paper but I think the biggest problem of the past three years is the coach. He’s who brought the players here. He’s who shipped out certain players. He’s responsible for the play on the field, not you Jeff. Make him own up to his mistakes and get someone in who will perform.

CRC: What do fans most have to look forward to for next year?

JP: “Our fans right now are needing to know they can look forward to a quality product next year, one they can be proud of. A product we believed we would put in front of them this year, be we didn’t do it. We need to make it happen, there are no excuses.

"We have a platform to be proud of. We have a fan base that wants us to be successful and will support us. We have players who want to play in Denver, and other players who aren’t here but would love to come play here.

"We can be very successful. We have made the playoffs most years in this organization. Since KSE has owned the Rapids, we have made the playoffs three of the four years and have made it to the conference final twice. That should be the expectation and not the goal.

"I have met with the coaching staff and players, and my expectation is that we will play an attacking, pressing brand of soccer in 2008, especially at home. We want to take advantage of the altitude, the big pitch, a fun and raucous crowd to make teams dread playing here at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. That is our responsibility to ourselves and to our fans. That is what we will set out to achieve in 2008.”

FCTP: Your lack of action in the clubhouse is sending a clear message to fans that they can expect the same in 2008 as 2007. Words are one thing, actions are another. Take action. Let the coaching staff and players know that 2007 was not acceptable. Bring in a new manager who can find success. Who knows what success tastes like in MLS. For example, an assistant coach who just won MLS Cup for the second year in a row. Or an assistant coach who won the US Open Cup this season and has been to three MLS Cups in a row. They know the recipe for success in MLS. Coach Clavijo clearly does not.

I do not think Coach Clavijo knows how to play attacking, beautiful soccer. Why wouldn’t he have played that brand of soccer in 2005, 2006 or 2007 if he knew? He is a defender by trade and that is what he knows how to coach. It is time to bring in someone who understands how to play and coach attacking, fluid soccer…not disrupt it. I am sure at the beginning of 2007 Clavijo didn’t intend to score less then 1 goal per game. But his team did. That is the problem and he isn’t the person to fix it.

In closing, I appreciate that Mr. Plush took the time to address the fans. I think too often MLS and the Rapids are too closed door, hush hush. However, I have to point out that while the questions were difficult, they were asked by someone on the Rapids staff. This wasn’t unbiased journalism. As I posted yesterday, the Rapids need to open up and allow some real press coverage, not controlled PR. We’re in the spin cycle here people, that needs to stop.

While it was a nice thought and effort, at the end of the day the play on the field has not been addressed. This is all lip service. The fans want action, Jeff, not words. Until the club takes an action that firmly says, “We want results now” that fans are not going to support you. Until the team is winning games, there will be a lack of quality at Rapids games and your revenues will suffer. This is sport, it is about winning. You need to make the changes that bring a winning culture to the Rapids. As I said earlier, the Rapids have NEVER finished higher than 3rd in the Western Conference. True, they did win the conference once…in 1997. And they did get to the final of the US Open Cup, once, and lost. Those are the only two bright spots in a 12 year history. You should be able to see why people believe your organization is content with mediocrity. You should be able to see why fans think decisions are made on the balance sheet as opposed to the field. You should be able to see why fans are demanding change.

It should also be pointed out that successful clubs in MLS have stable rosters year after year. 16 starters in this weekend’s MLS Cup rematch were also on the field in 2006’s final. The Rapids made so many roster changes this season everyone’s heads were spinning. Instill some consistency in the roster in 2008. Clavijo’s in/out policy where he trades for a player in the off-season and then ships him out mid-season is not going to lead to success.

It is now clear that we are not going to see a new coach in 2008. It is now obvious that the Colorado Rapids and Kroenke Sports Enterprises accept the status quo. I have a hard time believing that there will be any difference in the play on the field in 2008. You have done nothing to make me feel differently. I have no faith in you as a leader of my club.

Sincerely,
From College To The Pros

For those thinking I am hiding behind a false name, I do that only to protect my identity in this cyber theft world. Mr. Plush knows who I am, has talked to me on the phone and has emailed with me.

Colorado Rapids Reserve Win Second Championship...

I don't know if I should be excited by the above or not. Last night the Colorado Rapids Reserve team did what the senior team has never done, won its second MLS Reserve League Championship. I am not trying to take anything away from the victory and accomplishment. I should be excited by the Rapids having the best reserve team in MLS, two years running. However, I'm not very excited by that and neither is MLS. The fact hasn't even made it to the league website and the reserve division web page is terribly out of date.

Folks, the reserve league is for developing young players, not crowning champions. The players who do well for the reserve team are supposed to make the senior team better by challenging for starting positions. That hasn't been completely true for the 2007 Rapids. While Collin Clark has stepped gracefully from the reserve team to the senior team, ineffective Jovan Kirovski has been playing on the senior team ahead of youthful talent. Kirovski is the second most played player in terms of minutes behind Terry Cooke (not counting goal keepers). As a forward we expect Kirovski to take shots and score goals. In 2007 he has 12 shots on goal. That is a 0.66% SOG/Min ratio. 12 Shots on goal all season from our most "productive" forward. There is something wrong people!

Yes, the Rapids have injury problems up top, however Jovan wasn't playing because better players weren't available. He was paired with Conor Casey up top when Herculez Gomez sat on the bench. Jovan was paired with Herculez Gomez while Casey sat on the bench. Reserve team standouts Jacob Peterson and Omar Cummings sat on the bench while Kirovski got the start week in and week out. The two top, up and coming strikers on the team were relegated to a seat while Kirovski continued poor on field production. I'd give you some better stats but the league website hasn't been updated with Rapids Reserve stats since July.

That's how I feel folks. I hope the reserve league plays some more games next season since there will be another team or two out there. Getting these young guys games helps them develop for the senior team. Next season I hope to see more talent moving from the reserve team to the senior team like Collin Clark.

Ten Questions With Colorado Rapids Academy Director of Coaching - Brian Crookham...

Brian Crookham was recently named the Colorado Rapids Academy Director of Coaching. In addition to being one of the Colorado Rapids’ television announcers on Altitude, Brian has been working around Colorado in different soccer organizations. Now he’s landed at the top of the heap, in the big leagues. Brian was kind enough to answer some questions regarding the Colorado Rapids developing youth organization. Here is what he had to say:

FCTP: Are you modeling the Rapids youth organization after a foreign model? If so, is there one in particular?
BC: We have looked at a number of models around the world. I don’t think there is one specific model from a club that is the perfect fit for us. We have unique challenges, not all of which are bad, that call for unique solutions. For now, US Soccer’s Development Academy plan addresses many of our needs. That said, our curriculum will be influenced by our experiences both internationally and here at home and we will be constantly working to give our players the best possible environment to develop in.

FCTP: What youth teams will be playing for the Rapids in the fall of 2007?
BC: For the fall of ’07 we will sponsor U16 and U18 teams in the US Soccer Development Academy. Rosters must have a minimum of 20 players, which is where we will be. Our conference will include 2 clubs from Northern California, 2 clubs from the Seattle area, a club from Portland and the two other Colorado clubs, Colorado Rush and Real Colorado.

FCTP: How many kids tried out for the youth teams?
BC: We had a total of 54 players train and compete with our U16 and U17 Super Y League teams this summer. Some had the time and ability to compete with us all summer and some just came to train. They represented clubs from Ft. Collins to Pueblo and everywhere in between. Since we announced that we were joining the Development Academy we have been inundated with phone calls and emails about the program. As we look to set our final rosters over the next couple of weeks we will evaluate dozens more players.

FCTP: What is your vision for the academy 3 years from now? 10 years?
BC: Right now our Youth Academy supports a couple of different programs. The grassroots training and camp programs that John Murphy has done such a great job of running will continue to grow. Our youth teams will start with just the U16 and U18 boys teams but our hope is to have a fully integrated youth development program that will provide year round training for recreational players who will become our competitive players, who intern go on to the U23s, the Reserves or the 1st team. We will have to see how quickly we can make that happen. I think it is safe to say that we need to have a fully functional, top to bottom youth development program that serves the grassroots camp kids, the recreational players, the competitive players, and the aspiring professionals well before we hit the ten year mark. We have the support of the organization on this project, we just have to make sure we grow at a rate that allows us quality control over the product. That ability to put out a quality product will dictate how fast we get there.

FCTP: When will you add more youth teams?
BC: That is a great question. I have no doubt we will add teams (or players) down the line. We are currently finalizing our development model from the littlest ones all the way to the pros. We want to be careful to not end up as just another club. When the time is right and we can support additional participants we will do it. We are in no hurry.

FCTP: What will the new US Soccer Development Academy mean to the Colorado Rapids?
BC: The Development Academy gives us a vehicle to find meaningful, high level games while concentrating on providing quality training as well. When you get to train 3-4 times for every game you play you have the time to teach players how to play the game, not just how to win tomorrow’s game. The Development Academy setup also allows us to meet MLS Homegrown Player initiatives. There are many factors that have created the current club soccer environment and I think it is past time for US Soccer to get a handle on it, even if it is just with the elite players right now. I can’t tell you how important it is that the leadership of this club is supporting our efforts in this program, I really think you will see a difference in the quality of play we have on the field.

FCTP: What will the season look like for the teams the Rapids are putting into the Academy?
BC:Late in the fall we will start competing in Development Academy games. We will play 14 games (7 home, 7 away) within our Conference. We will also play 8 games against teams from a neighboring conference. The remaining 8-10 games will be against national opponents in multi-game weekends. The first week of December, the week following Christmas and Easter week will provide breaks in the schedule where we can compete in other events such as MLS, adidas or international tournaments. The league will finish with a National Championship at Home Depot Center in July.

FCTP: What other events are you planning on entering youth teams into?
BC: As I mentioned earlier, we have the unique opportunity to play in both MLS and adidas competitions when the Development Academy is on break. MLS currently has an under 17 tournament around the All- Star game, there are preliminary plans for another tournament we may look at in December, and our partnerships with Arsenal and Pachuca as well as our relationships with other clubs all over the world certainly present some exciting opportunities for us worldwide. The real challenge is narrowing it down to the opportunities that are appropriate for us.

FCTP: Can a Colorado Rapids youth player still play for The Colorado Rush or another club team?
BC: The players currently on our Super Y League teams are participating with their home clubs. Once they join one of our Academy League teams they will not have that ability. Academy League players will be limited to competing with their Academy club, their high school soccer team and their National Team.

FCTP: Can a Colorado Rapids youth player still play for their high school?
BC: The information that I have today indicates that players should be able to play with their high school teams this fall without major conflict.


Thank you, Brian for your time answering questions on the new youth development system within the Colorado Rapids. I can't wait until the first homegrown player takes the field. Good luck!

Colorado Rapids...Embarrassment...

***Note, this post is more of a rant then anything else. This will not feature any news or information on rookies in MLS, college soccer players or the typical fare here.***

Today I am embarrassed to be a Colorado Rapids fan. Today I feel like the team doesn't care about having fans. Today I feel like the players don't want to play for the Colorado Rapids anymore. Today I wish the Rapids ownership, Kroenke Sports Enterprises, would do something to make me believe they care about their club. Today I would not, under any circumstances renew my season tickets. Today I don't want to go to Saturday's Rapids game.

You see, the Rapids have not won a league game since May 26th, 2007. On May 27th I was excited about the Rapids thinking they could make a push to be the best team in the Western Conference. Since then they have earned 3 points by drawing 3 games. In 10 league games they have earned 3 points. The Rapids have 11 games left in their MLS season. If they replicate the last 11 games they will earn 6 points for the rest of the season, bringing their total points to 24. I thought Real Saly Lake was only that pathetic. I seem to have been proven wrong.

Furthermore, last night the Rapids bombed out of the only worthwhile competition left to succeed in, The US Open Cup. They lost 5-0 to a second division Seattle club. MLS teams are supposed to be better than USL teams. Not this year.

Rapids head coach Fernando Clavijo is a nice person, I've met him and spoken to him at length about his career as a player and coach. He takes time out of his busy schedule to talk to fans, to call into his friend's radio show, to meet with volunteers. He has passion for the game. However, he has lost the plot. I don't think any of his players want to win for him right now. His practices are rumored to be more about running and fitness then soccer. It has been clear to some that his time as coach has come, now it should be clear to all. www.fireclavijo.com.

Clavijo has no one to blame but himself. His downfall started last year when he traded Jeff Cunningham to FSL for Clint Mathis. Cunningham was coming off a very productive season for the Rapids while Mathis was coming off a very lazy season for Saly Lake. The Rapids have long needed a proven goal scorer, they had one and then they traded him to a rival. What?

Then in the 2007 off-season Clavijo reshaped the team some more. He traded for Greg Vanney, a skilled veteran defender. Vanney made it through half a season in Colorado before being shipped off for a petulant young defender, Facundo Erpen. Erpen got a red card last night and then proceeded to flip off the host fans in Seattle. Vanney would never have done that.

Clavijo has made some good player moves like the blockbuster trade for Gomez and Ugo. However, good trades ahead of bad won't help a club. Roberto Brown was signed and made it half a season before Daniel Osorno came in to replace him.

Jovan Kirovski has played an entire season despite doing little of merit. The forward played as a defensive midfielder last night and plays many games in the midfield.

Long time Rapid heart Kyle Beckerman was traded to the enemy, Saly Lake, for unproven youngster Mehdi Ballouchy who has come into the team and promptly been suspended for a hockey like cross check to the neck.

It all adds up to a team that doesn't trust their leader and results on the field that are far from professional. So I am embarrassed to be a Rapids fan today.

Here are the steps I think need to happen to start off in the right direction:
1. www.fireclavijo.com - Do what the website says.
2. Appoint John Murphy interim head coach and give him the rest of the season to show if he can win games with this lineup.
3. After the season evaluate how Murphy has performed. Did he galvanize a broken team or did the status quo remain?
4. Determine if Murphy stays or goes early in the off-season. A full time head coach must be in place most of the off-season.
5. Remove Charlie Wright. It is hard to tell what input he has on day to day operations of the club but if he is involved in any of the trades/player decisions he is the wrong man for the job. Let the coach handle the job and find a replacement if it is needed. With the VP and Managing Director level above him, it doesn't seem like the General Manager is needed.

Thank you for putting up with my rant. I promise this won't become a regular thing.

Which 2006 MLS Draftee Will Shine in 2007...Part I...

Bill Urban put a nice piece together over at ussoccerplayers.com. He took a page out of my book looking at the young guys and asking who will step up. I'm going to throw some more names out there to go along with his list.

Let’s go team by team in three parts….first the “C” teams.

Chicago – Brian Plotkin. Plotkin became a midfield sparkplug for the Fire, being used as a late game sub most often by coach Sarachan. In his rookie season he notched fourteen appearances while only four were starts. There is certainly room for Plotkin to take hold of an outside midfield position with Armas, Thiago and eventually Blanco holding the central midfield spots. Mapp on one flank and Plotkin could certainly look like a strong combination if Plotkin continues his growth as a professional. He has the pedigree being an IU grad, M.A.C. Hermann Trophy Award finalist and two time NCAA College Cup Champion and now he needs to make a sophomore statement firming up a starting eleven spot.

Chivas USA - David Arvizu. Arvizu amazed many American soccer fans with his displays on the field at U-17 Residency events. I remember a video on ussoccer.com where he hit a couple amazing goals and even I salivated at the thought of Arvizu and Adu at the 2010 World Cup. However, as I have learned, U-17 glory does not translate into professional success. Arvizu spent 2006 on the Red Bulls’ roster but he didn’t see a professional game as he was often training with the national team in preparation for this summer’s 2007 U-20 World Cup. Bruce Arena decided young David wasn’t needed this off-season and traded him to California, closer to his Santa Ana home. Chivas USA will certainly lose a few players to National Team duty during this summer’s Gold Cup and Copa America so Arvizu will get his chance if he works hard. The talent is certainly there.

Columbus - Robbie Rogers. I know what you’re thinking. Rogers is a MLS rookie. Yes, you’re right but he isn’t a professional rookie. He took some time playing in Holland professionally, and then when everything seemed to be on the up and up for him, he decided he didn’t like it and he moved back to the states. Columbus is a very young team and Sigi Schmid will have his hands full putting together a winning line up. If Rogers can show he learned a thing or two from the Dutch, he should be able to cement a starting spot. If not, I’m going to be blogging more about players leaving college, getting a lot of unnecessary hype by going to Europe and then coming back as a failed soccer experiment.

Colorado - Daniel Wasson. Wasson was the Rapids last 2006 Supplemental Draft pick and he quietly became a super-sub for the Rapids defense during the 2006 season while also helping the Rapids Reserves to the 2006 Reserve League Championship. The Colorado Springs product has showed the Rapids staff that he understands the game and can keep up with the physical side of the league. In 2007 he is going to need to show he can step in for Captain Pablo Mastroeni and Ugo Ihemelu when they go play for the US National team this summer (Yes, I know Ugo isn’t in the player pool but there is a chance, right?). Wasson has a lot of weight on his shoulders going into the 2007 season. My sources tell me he is trying to get a senior contract worked out and the team has until July to come to terms. If they don’t, he’s ready to walk away from his home team. The departure of Aitor Karanka and the seeming downhill nature of Mike Petke’s game means that central defense has a potential opening. If Wasson can step up he’ll get that senior contract and stay in Denver. If not…..

What do you think? Who will be the break out MLS Sophomores?

Check back tomorrow for the next group.

One Fast Boomerang....Robbie Rogers Returning to the US...

Two weeks ago today I blogged about the recent Boomerang effect going on with American players leaving for Europe and then swinging back home a few years later. Recent news has one more highly rated youth international returning to the US from a European adventure. Yanks Abroad is reporting that Robbie Rogers and Dutch club Heerenveen will be parting ways after only six months has expired on a three year deal. The article makes it sound like the youngster was home sick, however a lack of breaking into the first team probably contributed to his yearning for the USA.

Heerenveen press liaison Tina Lagerweg:

He would like to go back to the United States. He is only 19 and wanted to be in America, so we respected his wish.

Growing up Rogers was a soccer stud. He found success at all youth levels, and won a national championship with Maryland as a freshman. I can understand how going from top dog to just another youth player with promise in Holland is tough. However, Rogers is coming back at a tough time. Most MLS clubs are getting ready to pare down rosters as opposed to taking on new trialists. The roster compliance date is March 1. Hopefully his youth status will allow him to jump onto a MLS roster with such short notice. On the other hand, if his ego is high after signing on with a European outfit, and he makes outrageous contract demands, he may find MLS coaches disenchanted.

A similar story is playing out for once highly rated MLS prospect Greg Dalby. Dalby has been bumping around Europe ever since the MLS draft where his stock fell from certain early 1st rounder to second rounder because he wouldn't sign the league's contract offered before the draft. Now he is trying to get a third trial with a mystery European club after unsuccessful trials with Italian side Siena and Swiss club FC Aarau. Frankly I think Dalby is being misled by his European based agent. Is a playing for FC Aarau really going to be better then playing for the Rapids? The club is currently last in the Swiss first division. Dalby's agent continues to release stories to Yanks Abroad in an attempt to create value for his player by making a sense of competition for his signature.

Dalby's agent:

(Siena) are still trying to get rid of one non-EU player. I think they want to come to him with something

I just don't believe that Siena is trying to dump another non-EU player to sign Dalby. If they were going to, they would have by now. At this point Dalby should be in MLS training camp, fighting for his spot. Dalby continues to depress his value by going on trial after trial. MLS' roster compliance date is March 1. After that the Rapids are probably going to have some heartburn about dumping another player for Dalby who thumbed his nose at them to begin with.

The story of Adolfo Gregorio is not ringing in enough young players' ears. Adolfo skipped MLS to go straight to Europe. He signed with a club, couldn't make things work and came back to MLS. He bombed out after one year. My point. A successful college career does not guarantee professional success. Hard work and a willingness to put in your due can. Rogers and Dalby are going to learn that.

Arsenal invade Denver...What Does The Partnership Mean???

The dust is settling on the big announcement out of Denver. For the past week rampant speculation had the Rapids changing their name to Arsenal, Kroenke Sports buying a piece of the historic club and the Rapids signing some really high profile player for their vacant Designated Player spot. Well my friends, none of these things happened. However, the Colorado Rapids and Arsenal FC of London did sign an historic partnership agreement.

The partnership agreement has three main points. 1) Inception of a Center of Excellence (COE) at Dick's Sporting Goods Park 2) Development of the Arsenal Cup 3) Arsenal building their brand in the US.

If I am connecting the dots correctly, points 1 & 2 could be very big for the development of the game in the US, especially at the youth level.

1) Inception of a Center of Excellence at Dick's Sporting Goods Park: This will no doubt be multi-faceted and can either be great or a disappointment. I see it being great if coaches from London come over and help the Rapids with coaching techniques for all levels. Since MLS is starting youth teams at each club this season, now is the time for international help coaching the youngsters. If this COE is successful the Rapids could have a couple home grown players joining the senior team in five years or so. Arsenal has one of the top youth systems in England and the Rapids will do well taking that system and adapting it here.

The COE will also have an impact on college soccer in the US. If the Rapids youth system graduates one player a year to the senior team, there are going to be ten or more other guys going to college. Training at a professional level will no doubt benefit the college programs signing Rapids academy players. In some ways it will be like another Bradenton is opening up in Denver, but the best from the region will join the Rapids, not the best from the entire nation.

After a recent conversation with Rapids coach John Murphy I was shocked at the level of competition for young players in Denver. Hopefully having Arsenal knowhow in the Rapids Academy, more and more players will be interested in joining the club as opposed to staying with their current clubs.

2) Development of the Arsenal Cup: This is going to be great. Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado will host a youth invitational tournament under the name of Arsenal. The winner of the tournament will go to London to play against the Arsenal U-17 team. This makes the tournament seem focused on U-17 clubs but who cares. I've been waiting for a Dallas Cup type of event in Denver and now we're getting the start. Hopefully this is something that can grow into a great soccer event.

On the youth development side of things it will be exciting for these kids to play at a great complex with the prize being a trip to London. The winners of this cup will have an amazing life experience which will serve as motivation for teams from around the US. A great prize!

There are some Rapids fans out there who are disappointed with the result of the big news we waited over a week for. At first I was surprised to hear Jeff Plush say, "Colorado Rapids." I really had gotten used to the new rumored name of Colorado Arsenal or Arsenal Colorado. As a Tottenham fan I didn't want to, but I had been in Arsenal territory the day they won the Premiership in 1998, so I could get used to that name. Since the dust has cleared on the whole deal I am excited to keep the Rapids name and gain the things I wrote about above. Overall I do think this is the dawning of a new age of the Colorado Rapids. Here's hoping some of this sharing will equal wins on the field and more fans in the stands.

Cheers Arsenal, you're going to help the Americans catch up to your high level of football and I am thankful for it.

MLS Pre-Season Kicks Off...

The 2007 MLS season continues to inch closer. By my count there are sixty (60) days until the opening of Dick's Sporting Goods Park, the Colorado Rapids and MLS season. As you can imagine...I'm very excited. The MLS 2007 season schedule was just released. Now you all know when David Beckham will be coming to a city near you.

As you probably have read there is a lot of head scratching here in Colorado as to the name of our great club, and at this time I have no comment. After all, as my friend William once said, "What's in a name? That which we call a rose. By any other word would smell as sweet." Here's a big FU to the fans of other MLS clubs. As if I care that you don't like the rumored name change, I know you don't like the Rapids and I don't care. I think my club likes being the bad boys of MLS, right Pablo?

Back to FCTP. I hope you all enjoyed the Carnival. I think all the pieces were well thought out and the league would benefit reading them. Maybe they will incorporate some of them to build a great youth development system we all want. I continue to wait for more information on the new youth set up and what youth teams will be suiting up for the club this season. However, I'm not holding my breath since I know how bad MLS is at giving us the information we want. I need a contact at MLS HQ if anyone wants to volunteer.

At this point I don't have a lot to talk about with you all. MLS pre-season is kicking off and most teams are releasing little bits of info on their camps. The best I can do is point you to the MLS website. My Rapids have chosen to spend the pre-season focusing their PR efforts on the name change as opposed to the actual preparations for the upcoming season. I guess I can't fault them...too much.

I'm working on some player interviews. We'll see how that request goes. Hopefully as some camp rosters are announced some news will start to trickle out about this new rookie class. Until then...