FCD offers Sealy a new chance to get back on track
FRISCO, Texas — It's been a rough road for Scott Sealy over the last five years.
The striker (pictured above, left) impressed in his first three seasons in MLS by netting 26 goals. However, a listless pair of season with San Jose, two uneventful years in Israel and two injury-riddled campaigns back at San Jose followed. Now, Sealy is looking for an opportunity to make a comeback, this time with FC Dallas, who brought him in a trial at the beginning of preseason training camp last week.
“There were other teams interested, but I think Dallas showed the most interest in bringing me in,” Sealy said after Friday’s training session. “I sat down with my agent and tried to analyze each situation, and it turned out that here would be a good fit.”
It’s no secret that the club is still searching for help at the forward position. After suffering a late-season goal drought in 2011, FCD acquired Panamanian forward Blas Pérez this offseason to be the lead guy up top. But manager Schellas Hyndman has made it clear that his side is still in need of a second proven goal scorer and well-rounded forward.
“[Sealy is] athletic, he strikes a very good ball, he’s courageous and holds the ball well, he works on defense,” Hyndman told MLSsoccer.com. “When you put all of those things together, that’s what you hope for in a striker.”
The native of Trinidad and Tobago has had little opportunity to prove himself since returning to MLS in 2010. Injuries in consecutive seasons have limited the forward to only 26 games in that span, without a single goal to show for his efforts.
“The past few seasons, I’ve missed the preseason,” said Sealy. “Last season, I had hernia surgery the day before we started preseason, which was a major setback. Without building that foundation, it’s hard to get going.”
The 30-year-old committed himself to the gym after last season and has yet to show signs of slowing thus far in camp. Hyndman has been impressed with his ball skills at times, but in other situations is looking for more from the veteran.
“I think he’s really looked good in the small setting games where we have a little bit of structure and space,” said Hyndman. “In the bigger games, he seems to kind of wander a little bit. We need a striker that can be a frontal player for us and make his runs going forward instead of sideways or backwards. Yesterday, he did much better at that.”
Sealy knows his fate is undecided heading into the team's first exhibition on Saturday, but he is sure of one thing: He knows how to score goals.
“I always think that anything in and around the 18-yard box, I’m pretty good at finishing,” said Sealy. “Watching this team for the past couple of years, they have guys on the wings that can get down the line and deliver crosses and really put teams under pressure. I just need to be in the box. If I can get decent service, I am very capable of scoring.”
While FC Dallas don’t need or expect Sealy to be a savior in 2012, the club hopes he can regain his form from years past and be a reliable scorer when called into action.
“I think this is a new opportunity for him coming from San Jose,” said Hyndman. “I think this is an opportunity for him to get back on the radar.”
