First off, great stuff for Jozy Altidore, as he continues to make his stock rise. But I must admit, I was a bit shocked at the exclusion of Dax McCarty and Hunter Freeman. McCarty, who has been a huge catalyst for this squad, has been put on the alternate list due to an injury he is recovering from. So I do understand where Nowak is coming from – he wants no damaged goods heading in.

Hunter Freeman, on the other hand, has been omitted all together. With 7 midfielders and 5 defensemen being named to the first squad, the need for versatility, as Coach Nowak stated, was very important.

Then why not take Hunter? Under Nowak, he has played at the left back position, the categoric opposite of the right. And he did so with lots of class and ambition. In his natural right position, his crosses can be dangerous, and he is able to translate his game to the midfield as well. Freeman is strong on the ball, and fearless in attack.

The omission may have been one of necessity – the midfield is certainly stacked, and versatile players like Edu and Wynne may have made Freemans exile a foregone conclusion. But its my humble opinion that, minus the blinding speed, Hunter Freeman offers more than a Marvell Wynne would.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get the chance to ask why he was left off. Maybe another day.

What are your thoughts? Excited about seeing Jozy represent the US this summer? Annoyed at Hunter Freemans exclusion? Share your thoughts!

*Credit Red Bulls Reader for that awesome Jozy pic*

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Some MLS Talk

Now, obviously, the play in MLS has looked exponentially better in 2008 . . . what do you credit that to?

I think, one, is the development of the league. Players that are coming, the designated players that have been bought in, they have brought more attention to the league and the majority of those guys have performed well. At the same time, that attention that has been brought to the league, you gets guys who arent designated players. They know more and hear more about the league and they see these bigger mae guys coming over, they say hey, you know what? Why don’t I give it a shot. So you see guys like Juan Toja for Dallas, Schelotto, even Dave Van Den Bergh, who has played for huge clubs, he is applying his trade over here now. With Beckham coming to the league, you get huge media, and people paying more attention to it, good bad or indifferent. But anything is good for us now.

And you see alot of younger guys too. Alot of young guys performing well. I think you see guys on the Olympic team and there are some guys that got left out where you would think, why did they get left out? Like a good friend of mine – Arturo Alvarez. Probably one of the best player in the league right now. He got left out, whether right, wrong or indifferent, thats anyones opinion. But that is the kind of competition we have on the Olympic team, and thats the kind of competition thats in the league now. The guys that can perform on the Olympic team can perform well in the league and vice versa. I think anytime you have that competition, its only going to raise the level. And I know from my first year with the league to now, there is much more competition within the league with each individual team. Before it was kind of like you would have maybe 12, 13 guys fighting for a spot. Now, its more like 15, 16 guys, some squads, 18. But when you can start getting into 18 to 20 guys? Thats when you are going to really see competition. Like I said, there are some teams where they have 16-18 guys that can step on a field and play. Thats how far we have gotten.

And though the international players do bring alot of good to the game, the American born players seems to get the short end of the stick with salaries. Its a double edged sword. What are your feelings on that?

I am not really against foreign guys coming in, because every league in the country is like that. But the only thing I see sometimes is the feeling that just because a guy is foreign, they pay them more. Obviously, I dont necessarily agree with that. I mean, there have been cases where a guy has been bought in, and they have performed well, and I would say, “Well yea, they definitely earned.” As a player, I am never going to say “Oh this guy shouldnt be getting that much” because, trust me, if I could sign a contract for that, I would do it too . . .

D: . . . AHEM DENILSON AHEM . . . excuse me . . . sorry . . .

No, I am never going to foul on a guy for making good money. Obviously, thats what we all want to do. But at the same time, I feel there are some guys that have been in the league for a while, and have contributed well, and do represent the American Soccer player, but arent getting maybe what they deserve, or maybe if its a little over what they deserve. Yet they have been in the league and I think thats why this past offseason you saw a lot of guys leave. For example, Pat Noonan, who has been in the league forever, and kind of symbolizes what the league is about, and you let him go. And yea, I know he is probably going for money . . . .

. . . I mean why else would you go?

Ya. And someone like Ngwenya, who has been in the league and had a breakout year and then he leaves.

Matt Pickens . . .

Ya Matt Pickens also. I mean, those guys are still young, you know? They are what? Any where from 25 to 28? I dont really know how old Noonan is, but they still have some longevity in there careers, at least 3-4 years. And for whatever reason, they are let go and I think thats disappointing. But it is what it is and I think it’ll only get better. Its just going to take time.

I think the more the league raises the cap, the more fair salaries would be towards US players

Right. And I think the best thing right now is there is not one owner that has 3-4 teams. I think every team is individually owned except for Houston and Los Angeles.

And even De La Hoya has a stake in Houston now . . .

Ya. Dallas and Colombus are the only teams to be owned by the same owner. I think once every team has its individual owner, maybe we will get away from single entity. That has helped the league be stable and grow. And team expansion coming every year now is a sign that the league is growing. But yet that we are expanding on the quality of players getting better, plus your signing good players, so all of that is a good sign.

Even with the team in San Jose. You have players there on the bench that are capable, ready and able to play on a professional level which is an improvement over the last expansion team with Real Salt Lake.

Oh yea, like I said, San Jose, I feel they have a strong 12, 13 guys, and then they lack something. But those 11, 12, 13 players that they are starting their franchise with is alot better than what other expansion teams have started with. And thats a good sign for the league.

Ok finally . . . The Red Bulls will win the MLS CUP if . . .

If we get healthy, keep not conceding goals and score a few more.

And you will definitely not with an MLS CUP . . .

If we dont score goals.

Hah – straight to the point. Thanks Hunter.

Again, I would like to thank Hunter Freeman for the sit down. We at the Offside wish him alll the best this season.

And yes. There will be a part III.

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Colorado, Coming to New York, Marvell Wynne and The 2007 Playoffs

Lets take a step back to last year, when you first came into New York. Were you expecting a trade when you were in Colorado?

In Colorado, it was good, because I had the chance to start right away, and I think, as a young guy, the best way to learn is by playing in the games. For me, everything I learned was from playing in the game. Being thrust into the spotlight was great for me. Sometimes, I lacked at whatever it was. But as a young guy, you take your dissappointments and bad games and you learn from them. I played alot of games, and for whatever reason it didnt work out there.

There were a couple of instances I felt I was – the words would be screwed over in a lot of ways, treated unfairly, wasn’t given honest opinions from the coaching staff, which, at the end of the day, the coach has to make a decisions, and I will always respect the coaches decision, even if it is not in my favor. But all I want is honesty. I felt like I was not getting that. Honesty is a big thing to me.

In the offseason, I told my agent, “Look, I want to get out of here. I dont care where, it doesnt have to be home (Texas), I just want to go where I have the best chance to play.” I know I am still young, and I still have alot to learn, but I also know I have to be played, whether thats in Salt Lake or New York – whatever. I didnt have a particular team though.

Nothing ever happened. Rumors came up about me going into Dallas in the draft, that never came about. So I said whatever, I have to go back to Colorado, put the past in the past, start new, and see what happens. The minute I got to Colorado, it was pretty evident that I was not in their plans. I was gone with the Olympic team on camp for 4-6 weeks, so I missed part of the preseason. Still, really hadnt heard anything.

Then kind of out of the blue, it happened. With Richie Williams being my assistant coach at UVA and Harkesy an assistant coach with me in the u-20’s, and obviously, Bruce would come to watch games at UVA as well, I think it helped me. Its been a great chance for me.

Colorado and New York are very different – good and bad. The living is obviously more expensive . . .

A LOT more expensive – for an MLS Player? Its gotta hurt . . .

Exactly. But I came over a week or two before the season started, and Marvell was here. So me and Marvell competed ever since the 20’s we competed. At first, I didn’t understand the trade since Marvell was here. I was like “Ok, you got me and Marvell and we both play the same position, whats going to happen here?” I didnt let it bother me. I just figured I would play my game, they bought me here for a reason, it may not make sense right away, but hopefully pretty soon it does, and thats what happened. Marvell plays the first game, and next game, Bruce tells me a couple of days before that “I think I am going to play you.” And I said ya, if your looking to play me Im ready to play. We played against Dallas, we win 3-0 in terrible weather . .

And you threw in a couple of great crosses that game . . .

Ya, I mean, I thought I played well, thought its not the best conditions to play soccer, but at the end of the day it was more about who is going to make a mistake? I feel I showed alot in that game to the coaching staff because, two days later, Marvell went to Toronto, and its was kind of like “Hey, this is your spot.” And that helped me the next 3 or 4 games because that gave me great confidence before the injury. That was probably the best I have ever played. And unfortunately, the injury, its a cooky thing – I am running, nobody even by me, and I cut, and hurt my ankle and it was frustrating because I was really happy with the way I was playing and felt like it was my time, you know? Kind of heard a couple of things like “Keep it up. Your going to get a shot with the big team” and who knows if that would have happened, but I feel like if I kept playing at the level I was playing at, that I would have got a sniff at least. And the rest is history.

I get hurt. I was battling back because the team was thin, and I came back a little too early so I struggled, and I dont play a few games, regain my feet, and the last 4 or 5 games of the season when I started and played, and started to get in a groove. I felt the game in New England, especially the 2nd half, I thought I played really well. My whole game obviously, as a defender is that I am defending but I feel I bring alot to the attack, and my service, I am not going to blast through some guys but Ive got decent pace, and it was unfortunate that we lost. In those two games, we had plenty of chances to score, but for a team that scored alot of goals, for whatever reason, we couldnt score. We give up one goal, down a man, whatever, but 1 goal is all it was. The most frustrating part of looking back at both of those games is that we had plenty of chances to put away one goal to put us into overtime. But thats soccer. The best team on the field doesnt always win. Life goes on.

Very interesting. Getting back to the beginning of the season, you mentioned Marvell Wynne, and it does bring to mind the fact that many Red Bull supporters were clammoring against the transfers of Marvell Wynne and Todd Dunivant. More so Dunivant than Wynne. But in you come, as the new face, drawing ire from the fans for replacing a couple of favorites. What was your take on that? Were you aware of it?

You know, I try not to read alot of stuff. Obviously, you hear about it, my friends would tell you about it – but again, me and Marv are good friends. We compete against each other, and I wouldnt say there is bad blood. What he is thinking is I get brought in, and he is like “Whats going on?” And I would be the same way. If I was in a team and they bought Marvell in, I would think “Man, my days are numbered” you know? I know Marvell, he is a good player, probably the most athletic in the league. He is a specimen, and I know alot of fans liked him, and anytime you come in and you are bought in for that guy, and that guy leaves, your always going to be compared to that guy, whether its fair or not, thats sports.

But you definitely did the right thing in these circumstances. In those first games, you were able to change the minds of everyone – I mean, that would have been the lesson in the fickle nature of the New York fan . . .

When your bought in, its for a reason. When a coach brings you to a team, they see something in you that you can contribute to his team. And with Bruce, he liked his outside backs to attack. When you are coming into the attack, you gotta be solid on the ball, provide a good cross, and yet, you have to be able to defend well, and I feel thats kinda a summary of the things I do.

Bruce gave me alot of confidence from the beginning. I came in, I was with the team for a week? I was on the bench for the first game, meanwhile I almost got into that game, then the next week he says “Hey I think I am going to start you” . . . . I mean, as a player, what else can you ask for ya know?

But like I said. Me and Marvell have always competed, and I think highly of Marvell. Hopefully he thinks the same of me, I think he would! I mean, thats just sports. People are going to come and go, and one coach can love you, and the next coach, well . . .

As was the case right there, with the Colorado / New York move . . .

Ya, I mean that happens everywhere. Its the case this year. Between Bruce and Juan, there are certain players they both liked, but there are certain guys that they don’t. Take Dema for instance. So everyone has their own opinion – right, wrong or indifferent. When you come to a team, you just want to contribute, give it your all, and hopefully, at the end of the day, the fans will support you and they will see you as a good fit for their team.

The Olympics, playing Left Back, and Picking Seniors

Thats not the only changes from last year to now. Tell us about the Olympic Qualifiers for you . . .

To be a part of the team, it was awesome. I mean, to represent your country, is outstanding, but to represent your country to qualify for the Olympics, something we didn’t do the last Olympics – there was a little added pressure on us. Last time we should have qualified, but this time, us hosting it, having missed it last time – I mean, we all felt the pressure. And then the result of the first game being a tie against Cuba, which is supposed to be the easier team in the bracket. It didnt startle us, but we knew we had to take care of business the next game. You know, its hard to play against those teams, because they all sit back against you , if they get a tie, they are more than thrilled.

Well thats what the US used to do! I mean, you look back on the years, and it was our M.O.!

Ya, so in those games, all it takes is a goal you know? But the longer it goes without a goal, the more confident they get, and obviously, the more pressure you get. I play left back. I dont think left back is my strongest position .. ..

You prefer the right . . .

Definitely prefer the right. One thing Ive always said is I dont care what position I play as long as I am on the field. And I still think thats true. I mean, I know I am better in some positions than others, or I feel like I am, but if a Coach says “Hey your going to play in goal,” I’ll play in goal. I may not be the best goalie, but I’ll do it.

From day 1 of camp, I was playing on the left, I never asked questions why. For whatever reason, Petr saw me fit there so I played there. It was frustrating because there were certain things on the left and I would get the ball, I knew that if I was on the right, I would be better or more consistent. So its frustrating like that, but I think its more with myself, my mind is just comparing it to the other side. Like I said, I dont complain. You can even ask Petr if I ever asked “Hey, why am I not playing on the right?” I didnt play one training session on the right, and I dont complain about that. I just try to do what the team needs and that was my job for that tournament.

We qualified and that was huge. And now, that was all good and great, but now its – everyone is back at Zero. You have to scrape and scratch your way back onto the roster, to the big show . . .

So how do you feel that you may say “I am going to be an Olympian” and . . .

Well I dont want to say I am going to be an Olympian because I dont want to jinx myself! Obviously I hope I am there. I feel like I can make that team. Number one is getting back healthy, because once Im healthy, now I can play games, and thats how Ill be evaluated by Petr and his staff, by playing games. And he has pretty much said that. Theres not going to be too many camps between now and then and how you are going to be judged is by how you play with your club team. And so right now, I am itching to get back. I am starting to get there. I dont want to do what I did last year, and come back but I am not really back, and suffer a setback, kind of like I did when I was in between. And second, I’de like to get to that point I was those first 3-4 games last year.

Now, hypothetically speaking, you have the chance to pick the three senior spots for the team – who would you pick?

I dunno, because its such a tough – and this is what the coaches are stuck with, and obviously, thats why they are paid the big bucks. Obviously, you have the Olympic games and then you have a World Cup Qualifier right in the middle of it. So do we take your top three guys, but you will be taking away from the World Cup Qualifying team. Even if you miss one game – even that one game, even though its in the middle, it could be that deciding game. But then I know there is talk of McBride who is experienced and obviously a quality player – something we dont really have on our team, you know, that kind of player. With his experience, hes not going be on the World Cup Qualifying team, and his club woint be performing at that time – like I said, he has a wealth of experience. I know thats been one.

As for the other guys, Landon would be great to have on our team, but once again, you are taking away from the full team. I think someone else, like Dempsey – I think him and Landon are similiar in what they can provide to a team and personally I wouldnt take both of them, because I think they are too similiar. But I think one of them would be a great addition.

And I think, you know, is it a goalie you take, or is it going to be a centerback which is obviously what you could have? I dont know . . .

Well, who would a center back be? A Conrad, and Onyewu . . .

If I had my pick, I would probably say Bocanegra, but if you are going to leave that World Cup Qualifying team alone? I would say someone like a Conrad, or even a Gregg Berhalter, if he’s not (with the full squad).

Those are all guys that have experience, a wealth of knowledge, without taking away from our team.

I feel we have alot of depth in our keepers. I mean, Tim Howard, obviously he would be a huge loss to the World Cup Qualifying team, and a huge gain to us. But then you still have guys like Marcus Hahnemann, and Kasey Keller that can step in. And I dont think that would be a step below. It would be a great asset to us. I am sure these are all things Petr and Bob will talk about. I am sure they are weighing and contemplating. Its aways away so alot can happen.

On a related note, I have to ask you . . . Country or Club? Which comes ahead for you?

Hey, no disrespect to the club, but I think country . . .

I agree!

I pride myself on representing the Red Bulls and New York, and I dont try to represent them any different when I am on the national team ,or vice versa. But I think, especially as Americans, and I think everybody would understand, we have pride in being Americans. There is no better feeling than listening to the national anthem and knowing that you are representing your country. With Red Bulls, we are representing our country. There are, what, 14 teams now representing our country. With the US team, you are the one team thats representing the country. Not only do you represent your country, but you represent your country against all the other countries in the world. I think there is no bigger honor than being able to say hey I represent my country in the Olympics. And the Olympics to Americans are like the World Cup for everyone else. I personally still weight the World Cup a little bit heavier as a soccer player, but the Olympics is only a smigen underneathe it. I would love to say I represent my country at the Olympics. I have been fortunate enough to represent my country at pretty much every age level. To continue that would be a dream come true.

Kudos to the guys and gals at Metrofanatic for that last question. I knew you’de love the country v. club debate revived!

Part III coming tommorrow.

We covered a lot of topics, so this will be part 1 of a 2 (or 3) part series.

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His Ankle Injury, and Toronto FC

So hows that injury doin’?

Its going good. Its one of those things that you have to take day by day. You know, everyday I feel like I am making progress. Today (4/30) was like what – my fifth or sixth day of training? It feels like its been longer. I feel like I am getting back in the flow of things. Still need to get better, sharper, stuff like that. But I feel confident, like I can contribute to the team. Obviously not as a starter since my fitness is probably whats lacking the most right now, but thats only going to come from playing. I thought maybe this weekend (against New England) I would get in 10-15 minutes, but obviously when Kevin went down with an injury, we had to use our third sub. But in the end of the day, we got three points, and thats what matters the most.

Is it more difficult to recover from an injury on that Giant Stadium turf than on a regular surface?

I mean, anytime you are recovering and your on turf, its going to be tougher. There are alot of people supporting field turf saying that it is as good as grass, but its not. I mean, I understand why people are using it because, obviously, the maintenance for it is nothing, you know? But at the end of the day, there is nothing like grass, even in other sports. I mean, soccer is kind of like playing golf on turf – yea you could hit the ball off the turf – its like going to a driving range, and your hitting off the mat, its not like hitting off the grass. Same thing with soccer. Certain balls you go to play, you can’t get under the ball all the time, you dont get a natural bounce – it bounces up off the turf. I mean, those are all aspects that play into it. But as far as injury goes, its just tougher on your body. You ask any player what surface they would rather play off of, they wouldnt even hesitate – grass. You just take more of a pounding. Its not as soft, not as forgiving.

Me coming back from my ankle, in soccer everything revolves around your ankle – your cutting, your striking, your strength – it all starts with your ankles. Its definitely not ideal, but at the same time, you do what you have to do and you deal with it.

Getting back to your debut, Toronto would be a great place to do it! Even with those annoying fans rooting against you and all . . .

Oh yea – its definitely the best atmosphere there is in the league as far as their fans – so numerous, sold out everytime, they are loud – yea, definitely obnoxious – but at the same time they are pretty knowledgable of the game. I mean, everybody feeds off it – it helps them (TFC) because they are rooting for them, but anytime, even as an opposing team, especially in this league, you dont get that atmosphere, the chance to play in it all the time, I feel alot of players feed off of that.

He and Mike Magee

So you and Mike Magee are roomies?

I’ve known Magee since I was 14-15 years old, and we went through residency together. Ive known him forever, so when I came here, it was an easy fit. Unfortunately for him, he has been injured for so long. I mean, I have such an appreciation for what he has gone through last year and this year. In the offseason, people pick up injuries, but nothing like him – I mean he has been out for nearly two years now.

What kills me is that around the time of his injury, he had a chance under the spotlight when Amado Guevara went down in 2005, and he showed plenty of promise.

Yea. I mean, anytime you get injured its unfortunate. But I am happy for him. I think he will be contributing more, game by game.

So do I man. With all the injuries happening this season with you guys, its a great time for him to start competing for a starting spot. I even think he would be able to compete with Reyna for a spot as the CAM.

Yea, I know Coach is pretty high on him. He had these acute nagging pains when he was coming back and stuff like that, just from not having played in so long. But now, those are out of the way and he is getting fit, which is why he is playing a little more, played a half last game.

You must have been psyched about his goal . . .

Yea definitely. I thought he did well in the game. Look what he brings to the game – he is a good passer, has good vision, which alot of guys dont have. I think the best word that sums him up is that he is a cheeky player. Not everybody is blessed with that talent. Yea, he is not going to blow by you with speed or something like that, but he is cheeky, and he is not a big guy, but uses his body just about as good as anyone. And thats the kind of player that we miss in there. So obviously, good for him to get a goal, and gettin more playing time.

Coach Osorio, Bruce Arena and Fruit Loops

Moving forward, what has it been like this year under Juan Carlos Osorio, as opposed to the Bruce Arena era . . .

Um, to be honest, I would say that they are like total opposites. Bruce tended to be more laid back, though he could be intense at times. But with Juan, he is pretty intense all of the time. You know that, no matter what day it is, you won’t be able to cut a corner here or there. Sometimes, though it doesnt necessarily have to do with Bruce, when a coach is a little more laid back, guys think they can get away with stuff, and at times, they get to. I think those are the biggest differences. I think they both demand quality with their players, but I think with Juan Carlos, you know day in and day out that he has his eyes on you. Even if he is not looking at you, he can see what you are doing. I think every player can pick out a moment, like when you are eating breakfast, that he will notice every single thing you ate and will call you out on it. He is not shy to call you out regardless of who you are, whether your a rookie, or Juan Pablo, or Claudio, or Dave Van Den Bergh – guys that are experienced. He treats everyone equally. He will praise you if you deserve praise or he will kill you when you deserve to be ridiculed. But even when he ridicules you, he does it in a way that says he knows that he expects more of you.

And I think as a player, the times you have to worry is when you know you messed up and the coach doesnt say anything to you.
That tells you the Coach doesn’t see any more out of you. Just from what I have seen in the lockerroom, I feel that he is just very honest. Some guys may not like that, but I think the majority of guys, even if he is telling you what your doing is bad, anytime you know what he wants from you, thats all you can ask for.

With some coaches, for whatever reason, you are not playing, and you ask the coach why you are not playing, and they say this is what you do – and you do just that, and you are still not playing. As a player, anytime your caught in lies, its never a good thing. When the coach lays it out there for you, and says “Hey this is what I want you to do, if you dont do it, you are not going play” – thats pretty plain and simple. And thats what Juan Carlos does very well.

Is it unfair to ask you so early what Coach Osorios influence has been on your game?

I think he definitely wants you to pay attention to detail off the field – how your eating, if you are scouting an opponent – he is all about details. And I am serious – it goes from watching the guy you are playing against to what you are eating that morning . . .

So he wouldn’t appreciate us having some Starbucks right now?

He is a coffee guy, so he might! But a funny little story from preseason – I was with the team, we were in LA, and we had a game. I had trained for three or four days, full out training, I just got back, and I was told I would play 15-20 minutes. Now, everyone has their own routine – the game was early in the morning, and it was like an 11 o’clock kick off. So we are eating breakfast, and I am having Fruit Loops – thats one of the things I have. I just love Fruit Loops. I know its not the best thing to have before a game, but at the same time, I had some yogurt and a couple of pieces of fruit – but early in the morning, my stomach, I can’t have alot. Even if its before a practice, I have a yogurt, a coffee, maybe a little bit of a bagel and thats it. I just cant eat a heavy meal! So right before the game, the guys that arent playing were just kind of juggling. He comes up to us and he says “I am not going to say WHO it is, but ONE of your teammates was eating FRUIT LOOPS this morning! Can you believe that? The guy ate Fruit Loops!” Well, the guys start looking around at each other, and I of course knew he was talking about me. And I dont say anything. But he kept going on and on saying “Do you guys approve of this?” All along, I had no idea he was watching what I ate so closely – thats how observant and attention to detail he is.

I think it was a joke – but at the same time, I dont think he was too happy about the Fruit Loops anyway . . .

He must have bought that over from his days in Europe, along with some training tactics as well . . .

The biggest thing that he has bought to this team, especially in training, is that everything is a competition, in everything we do. Especially when we play small sided games, with 4-5 teams of 5, every person puts in $2 and the winner gets the pot. And whatever, it comes out to $6 a person or something, but its a little extra incentive. You know, we are always playing for something, like pride, but you add a little cash . . .

. . . And the ability to rub it in your teammates faces when you win . . .

Ya, exactly. Thats the little things, in everything we do, we are always keeping score. He preaches a winning mentality – sometimes its going to be pretty, sometimes its not going to be pretty, but at the end of the day, when you are getting points, thats all that matters.

I think you’ve seen that in some of our games like in New England – we played one of the better games of our year. We dominated, had good sequences, had good chances, had some crafty and cheeky plays during the game, but at the end of the day, we made one mistake, and its a tied game – so all that good stuff is out of the game. Then you take this game against San Jose for instance – kind of a boring game, we still dominated, but did we really get rid of the danger the majority of the time? Not really. It took alot for us to put away the game, but its a win, you know?

What did Coach Osorio say to the team at halftime? It wasn’t just Jozy, everyone seemed to come back more intense, focused -

I just think there needed to be a little more urgency. I think we had the game under control – at no point in that game did we feel “Aw they’re on top of us, they are coming at us,” but sometimes you get too complacent to just keep the ball. And against team like that, if they can leave with a tie they would be more than happy. The further the game goes along, they are going to tend to sit back more and more. Its a fine line between keeping the ball, and trying to penetrate and create chances. But I think the first half we were too reluctant, keeping position in the middle half of the field instead of keeping it at the attacking part. I thought the second half, we pressed higher, put them under pressure more, but at the end of the day, it took us a while, but once we got the first goal you could tell all the game needed was a goal and obviously, we had the goal at the 93rd minute, a good goal!

Part II of this Freeman interview covers his beginnings as a Red Bull, including his thoughts on his time in Colorado (which is really some interesting stuff), his transition to NY, and maybe some Olympic talk (which may have to wait till part 3).

Stay tuned for more.

I had a chance to grab some Starbucks coffee with Red Bulls right back Hunter Freeman. We spoke, drank coffee, had a caffeine stroke (well, at least I did) and overall, had a good time. We pretty much covered everything there was to cover – from injuries, to Osorio, training, his time in Colorado and even a little TFC talk.

I am transcribing the interview as i type this – and there is alot to cover. I may even make it a two parter. So stay tuned for that.

Through 3 games, we have had 7 relevant injuries and a red carded player in Jeff Parke.

That equals roughly 14.5 missed games by individuals on this team in 3 games. 15.5 if you include Parke.

Here is the breakdown:

Juan Pablo Angel

He misses the second game of the season and is taken out of the 3rd by halftime. Original reports state that it was a sore hammy, but upon further review, it is being called “nerve related” and is seeing a specialist for the injury. He is expected to miss the San Jose game and return for the Maple Leafs

Dane Richards

Dane is back in training this week after he was nearly molested by a bunch of rookie Austrians. We are looking at a 2-3 week return.

Hunter Freeman

Freeman was quoted by Ives saying that he expects to see minutes sooner rather than later – probably against the Maple Leafs. We keep our fingers crossed.

Eric Brunner

Training with a giant Dema mask on, Brunner is looking for minutes as he may be ready to go.

David Roth

The rookie is about 4 weeks off from being game ready. And with people dropping like flys, it couldnt come any sooner.

Jozy Altidore

Though more precautionary by Osorio than anything else, Jozy did miss a game to play with the reserves and prove his health (as is Osorios policy)

Marco Etcheverry

And here is the newest member of this distinguished group. Reports out of Montclair state that Marco will be missing 4 weeks with an LCL injury.

NOW WHAT!?!?!?!?

Well, I will leave the indepth stuff for the pregame preview. But I will say this – dont be surprised this Saturday if we are starting a few people that will earn their first starts for this season.

- Chris Megaloudis. He is from my neighborhood and is a footie legend there. He is electric, exciting and would add a great dimension to the attack if permitted to play.
- Mike Magee. Some people just need a shot to prove what they can do. Magee filled in so nobley for Guevara 2 seasons back. If he can recapture some of that magic and build on his game, we will have the playmaker we were looking for.

I would look for Eric Brunner to enter the game late as well.

Here is what could be the starting XI

———Altidore——–Megaloudis—
Van Den Bergh——Magee——–Sassano
———–Stammler—Reyna——-
Goldthwaite—–Parke————Leitch
————–Conway—————-

Look good to you? Give us your thoughts.

Put the noose back in the closet. And dont reach for the shotgun with the toe attachment. The season doesnt end on one bad game. I promise.

Lets put the game in some perspective

+ They are walking injured
+ Depth for this game was none existent
+ It was their first away fixture.

Here is another thing to consider – look at the starting lineup(s):

Borman—————-Altidore———–Echeverry
———————–Reyna————————
————-Stammler———Ubiparipovic————
Van Den Bergh–Goldthwaite—–Leitch———-Sassano
———————-Conway——————-

OR:

————Altidore————Echeverry————–
———————Reyna—————————-
Borman————————————-Sassano
————–Stammler——-Ubiparipovic———
Van Den Bergh——Goldthwaite—————Leitch
———————–Conway———————-

2 formations, 2 rookies, 1 sophmore, 1 new forward, 1 key missing forward, and a make shift backline. That is what Dallas beat.

Van Den Bergh having to play the backline shows you just how much havoc these injuries and a ridiculous red card are causing. Freeman, and Brunner are still weeks away. Parke is irreplacable at centerback (at least until they officially sign Innes). The midfield will continue to have a youthful look until the backline gets back into shape and Dane Richards returns from injuries.

But breathe folks.

Angel will be back.

Parke will be back.

And they will be that much more complete.

Heres this weeks game recap:

MAN OF THE MATCH

Kind of hard not to say Kenny Cooper. His mere presence creates an indominable distraction. And kudos to the big man for doing his homework and attacking the Red Bulls soft middle defense.

If there was one for the Red Bulls, you can make a strong argument for Jon Conway. Maybe even Woly for bringing some passion to the attack.

TURNING POINT OF THE MATCH

49 seconds in, Arturo Alvarez showed his form. Much like Cooper, he did his homework, aggressively attacking the middle of our defense for a beautiful slam into the net. The Bulls never recovered. How can you? A minute into a road fixture, and giving away a valuable goal spells 90 minutes of trouble.

WHAT THE?! MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Did you catch that beautiful Conway save one on one against Arturo Alvarez? I thought he would be cooked. Good job by our 6′6″ goliath for stopping that shot cold.

*Runner up – Reynas header in the box, which ricocheted to John Wolyniec, who took a shot straight on net, and somehow missed the entire frame.*

SPECIAL ED PLAYER OF THE MATCH

Though he played stronger than last season (for a second straight game), Chris Leitch got burned on both goals. And its tough to look past that, no matter how hard you play.

*Runner Up – Danleigh Borman – who showed us all he is just a rookie.*

Share your thoughts. And please, dont cry. There is alot of time left to do just that. But hopefully, it wont be necessary.

]]> http://redbulls.theoffside.com/players-red-bulls-news-rumors-opinions/red-bulls-0-2-dallas-chin-up-folks.html/feed 13 http://redbulls.theoffside.com/players-red-bulls-news-rumors-opinions/red-bulls-preview-and-hunter-freemans-blog.html http://redbulls.theoffside.com/players-red-bulls-news-rumors-opinions/red-bulls-preview-and-hunter-freemans-blog.html#comments Sat, 12 Apr 2008 14:37:16 +0000 Dave Martinez http://redbulls.theoffside.com/players-red-bulls-news-rumors-opinions/red-bulls-preview-and-hunter-freemans-blog.html

Hard News - boring, just the facts, no opinion writing (which I love to do believe it or not)

Blog – what I do best, right here on theoffside. Irreverent as always!

For those who dont know, I contribute hard news to AmericanSoccerReader.com. I have posted the Red Bulls Game Preview, and I would love your input on it.

I will be contributing previews weekly on their site, so read up, and let me know what you think. Overall, its an excellent news site, enhanced by this cool feature:

They have a blog with Red Bulls (highly missed) defenseman Hunter Freeman. This weeks blog discusses his injury and its progress. He also takes emails from fans, which is pretty cool too.

Well, go check it. And if its too dry for your tastes, just stay right here

Anyway, enjoy.

]]> http://redbulls.theoffside.com/players-red-bulls-news-rumors-opinions/red-bulls-preview-and-hunter-freemans-blog.html/feed 5 http://redbulls.theoffside.com/players-red-bulls-news-rumors-opinions/jorge-rojas-vinotinto-vet-and-chris-innes-trialists.html http://redbulls.theoffside.com/players-red-bulls-news-rumors-opinions/jorge-rojas-vinotinto-vet-and-chris-innes-trialists.html#comments Tue, 08 Apr 2008 15:37:45 +0000 Dave Martinez http://redbulls.theoffside.com/players-red-bulls-news-rumors-opinions/jorge-rojas-vinotinto-vet-and-chris-innes-trialists.html Who says we need to pilfer Chicago for all our acquisitions?

Jorge Rojas, 30, a Venezuelan National veteran with 78 caps to his name, and the infamous Chris Innes, former captain of the bankrupt and dying Gretna FC of SPL, are now on trial with the Red Bulls.

I knew there was a reason I waited till the 13th hour to put up my season preview . . .

Jorge Rojas, whom, if I recall correctly (should google this), assisted and scored a goal in 2 games against Haiti recently, is a left back or left wing – two positions we have coveted for quite some time. If everything falls into order, Rojas would be our starting left winger, moving Dave Van Den Bergh to the CAM role, and Claudio Reyna could join Seth Stammler for a devastating twosome in front of our defenders.

Now that is a step up!

As for Innes, he is actually participating in team training as I write this. He was a major reason for Gretna’s spell in the SPL from ‘05 – ‘08, being largely credited for the ascension into the big leagues of SPL, and being largely credited for their demotion (but only because he was injured during certain spells).

Though Goldie and Leitch played admirably against the Cows, a person of Innes reputation and credentials should be afforded the opportunity to see what he can do. Sure, people downplay the talent or talent level of the SPL, but how many do the same to the MLS? Who know – Chris Innes may be that missing piece to the puzzle that will create the formidable backline we have been dreaming of.

IMAGINE . . .

With these signings (cross those fingers!), they will have a team that could take them to the Cup.

——-Angel—-Altidore——–
———-Dave VDB————
Rojas——————–Richards
——–Reyna—Stammler——-
—-Innes—-Parke—-Freeman—
———-Conway—————

Appetizing no? DVB, as displayed Saturday, has no fear of taking a shot. He will be backed up by Magee. Reyna and Stammler will compliment a solid and experienced backline, which will make 1st year starter Jon Conways life much easier. The wing play, when healthy, will be some of the best in the league (backed by two solid rookies in Borman and Sassano). And with those starting three, we can have a bench with Goldthwaite, Leitch, Mendes and Brunner.

Not bad at all (especially in a league notorious for very little quality depth).

Looks like we may be flexing that allocation money-muscle after all!

]]> http://redbulls.theoffside.com/players-red-bulls-news-rumors-opinions/jorge-rojas-vinotinto-vet-and-chris-innes-trialists.html/feed 12 http://redbulls.theoffside.com/players-red-bulls-news-rumors-opinions/red-bulls-v-columbus-cows-game-preview.html http://redbulls.theoffside.com/players-red-bulls-news-rumors-opinions/red-bulls-v-columbus-cows-game-preview.html#comments Sat, 05 Apr 2008 16:17:38 +0000 Dave Martinez http://redbulls.theoffside.com/players-red-bulls-news-rumors-opinions/red-bulls-v-columbus-cows-game-preview.html OVERVIEW:

Welcome to game 1! We are dealing with some injuries, starting up to 2 rookies, and are beginning our season a week ahead of everyone else. Good times.

The Cows are in town, headed by Schelotto, Moreno and Gaven.

Let the Mini Clasico Begin!

CURRENT STANDING:

We havent even played a game yet.
But whatever. Here goes:

……………………….PTS
Chicago ……………..4
Columbus ……………3
Kansas City …………3
New England ………..3
New York …………..0
D.C. United …………0
Toronto FC …………0

INJURIES:

Jozy Altidore – Day to Day – Bruised Knee
Hunter Freeman – 6-8 weeks – MCL
Dane Richards – 3 months – MCL

PROJECTED LINEUP:

=======Angel====Echeverry=======
Borman=====Reyna=======Sassano
====Van Den Bergh==Stammler======
===Goldthwaite==Parke===Mendes===
==========Conway==============

BEHIND THE SCENES:

+ This game is referred to by many as the “Mini Clasico” with respect to the legendary River/Boca derby. This is based on the fact that Juan Pablo Angel was a River Plate player, and Schelotto, a Boca Legend.

+ Reports out of Montclair are that Jozy Altidore has hurt his knee. He is questionable for the season opener. This now makes three Red Bull players whom have succumbed to injury preseason, including Dane Richards and Hunter Freeman.

+ Red Bulls / Metrostars have never scored a complete three point opening game in their history.

KEY MATCHUPS:

Borman and Sassano v. Hejduk and Migliorenzi

The rookies take on a fierce tandem tonight. Hejduk is a stifling defender that will, as always, cause fits throughout the game. Migliorenzi has had a good preseason and is said to have matured greatly.

Borman will most likely be on a short leash if he shows a lack of pace – expect Dave Van Den Bergh to either move in, or Magee to come off the bench if this is the case.

Sassano has the tremendous task of replacing the speedy Dane Richards. Though he did show signs of brilliance this preseason, he must do it consistently against this tandem.

Echeverry and Angel v. O-Rourke and Marshall

With Altidore out, and two rookie wingers ready to start, Angel will have to rely on his creative skills more so than the ability of the wings crosses to net himself a goal. Former Metro O’Rourke and young stud Chad Marshall will be playing an extremely physical game with Angel for the full 90. The target will consistently be on him.

That is where Echeverry will be needed. Assuming he gets the nod over Wolyniec or Magee, Ech needs to create enough of an offensive distraction to free Angel from the assured abuse he will receive.

Schelotto v. Mendes

Nuff said. Schelotto is a crafty veteran with a deadly, pin point accurate cross. Mendes is a young defender learning his expanded responsibilities on the right side of a three man back line. It can be a recipe for disaster, or a proving ground for our young back. Cross your fingers.

PREDICTION:

Red Bulls end their winless home opener streak, taking the Cows to Pasture, 3-2.

Goals by:
+ Dave Van Den Bergh
+ Juan Pablo Angel (2)
+ Guillermo Barros Schelotto
+ Eddie Gaven

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