Exclusive David Roth Interview: Injury update, Life of a Draftee

By: Dave Martinez | April 21st, 2008

2008 Fourth Round Draft Pick, and Red Bull Midfielder David Roth sat down with us recently to discuss . . . well . . . life. Topics ranged from his preseason knee injury, surgery and its progress, to the life of a College kid moving up the ranks to the Pro Game. Roth is currently out indefinitely for the Bulls, whom are sorely missing another presence at midfield.

And for those who are in the know, David has a very heavy Pickles the Drummer of Dethklok kind of midwestern accent. So picture that, and read on . . .

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DM:Dave with the Offside here, and I am with Red Bulls Midfield rookie David Roth. How are you doing boss?

ROTH: Awesome. Happy to be here, happy to be here.

DM: First off, how is the knee?

ROTH: Its going good. I am 6 weeks in after surgery today (April 2nd). The trainer has been doing great with me. I am supposed to be back sometime in May, not sure exactly when, but I am trying to start jogging (April 7th). I guess once you start jogging its all down hill from there.

DM: David take me through the draft process and what it was like going through that whole ordeal coming out of college.

ROTH: I didn’t really know what to expect on draft day. I had some pretty good insights from some of the people that were there at the combine. Actually, my head coach, former coach, was at the combine and told me I had some pretty good feedback from some of the coaches, so I was decently confident I was going to be drafted. But on the day of, I had to wait for the fourth round, and I waited a little longer than I thought I would, started to get a little nervous, things started to get a little antsy, but once I finally heard my name, and I got drafted – a big sigh of relief. I was really hoping to go to New York to be honest. I was hoping to stay in either New York or Chicago, and I got picked to New York, and it was so awesome. Jeff Agoos called and I was so pumped to talk to him, my mom, my dad called, all my family . . . it was great. A great moment for me. I had a big party there, all my college buddies were there, the rest of my teammates, so it was a cool feeling for me, a very cool feeling . . .

DM: I can’t even imagine. Moving into your career, what was camp with a coach like Juan Carlos Osorio like, as opposed to what you went through in college?

ROTH: The biggest difference between the preseason between college and the one we went through here was that College is so jam packed. The preseason is two weeks and we start the games. Here, the preseason is more drawn out, and its a lot more enjoyable because you play a lot more soccer instead of just doing all this fitness, running and running and running, trying to get prepared and conditioned for soccer. It was definitely been an easy transition. Coach really knows what he is doing, and when guys are starting to get worn, and he has been there, he knows what to do.

DM: How would you compare the change in the level of coaching from the college to the pros?

ROTH: I would say that it’s a little bit more experienced. Like Coach Osorio has been coaching for a long time, has seen players at their highest level, and that is the biggest difference between the college level. The kids, the players aren’t as good in college so the coaches haven’t been around players of this (MLS) kind of caliber. And its obvious. Coach is very professional in the way he presents himself and it carries over into the game. We kind of emulate the way he carries himself, and it spreads throughout the team.

DM: What would you consider the best aspect of your game?

ROTH: I think I am a really smart player. I don’t try to play outside of my abilities, I read the game pretty well, so I feel like I am able to try to keep up with the Juan Pablo Angels, and the Claudio Reynas in the way I read the game, not exactly my athletic ability. The way I see the game makes me able to adjust.

DM: Wow, big words. Very well. And in your stay here, who has been the person to take you in, make friends with, on the team so far?

ROTH: I bond with my roommate Luke Sassano pretty good, he is a good guy, California – we have that same type of laid back mentality. So he is pretty cool. Ive been hanging out with Seth Stammler and Goldthwaite, those guys are pretty cool. We are mid westerners, so we kinda stick together. Big St. Louis fan and all . . .

DM: Really? What do you think of their prospects this year?

ROTH: The Cardinals?

DM: Yea

ROTH: I don’t think we are looking too good, but the whole NL Central isn’t looking so good, so we can hang. But we do have the best player in baseball - Albert Pujols.

DM: I think people in New York might argue that point. Speaking of which, how has the adjustment to New York been for you?

ROTH: Its been easy, not too bad. St Louis is certainly not a city like this. I was in Chicago, and that was kind of a transition city. But I am loving it man, I love the hustle and bustle and the people around here, I love the atmosphere, so its been pretty cool.

DM: Ok a couple of last questions for you . . . The Red Bulls will win the MLS Cup if . . .

ROTH: We will win the MLS Cup if . . . Juan Pablo Angel stays healthy, and is able to score. A LOT . . .

DM: Fair enough. The Red Bulls have no chance of making it to the MLS Cup if . . .

ROTH: Um. If we get a lot of bad luck. We have the team to do it this year, we’ve got the Coach to do it, and barring a lot of unfortunate circumstances, we should take the whole thing this year.

DM: Love the confidence. Thanks for taking the time with us today.

Roth was someone whom intrigued me. I love to hear unique tales of transition and change, and Roth embodies that. To go from College, to the pros, just to get injured at a time when he must be thinking “There is plenty of playing time to be had right now” has to be rough, but his infectious optimism and pride in his game seems to be taking him through this.

We await the first appearance of Roth with great anticipation. Ill be rooting for em.

EDITORS NOTE: I was fortunate enough to speak to Roth post game this Saturday after the Revs game, where he stated he is still about a month away. He did not look happy about it at all, but who can blame him? Hopefully, he can see some pitch time come late May/early June.