With just a little more than a month until their season opener against Chicago on April 1, FC Dallas look to have their roster pretty much worked out for the 2006 MLS campaign.
After the cuts made earlier in the week, Colin Clarke and his staff have just three more decisions to make to get within compliance of the 28-man roster limit to be imposed on March 1.
The two most notable moves of the offseason came recently as Clarke significantly changed the look of the team's strike force. First came the signing of youngster Kenny Cooper, then the Hoops dealt Eddie Johnson to Kansas City to get the club's salary cap issues under control.
One positive from the deal is moving Johnson to the Eastern Conference where he faces his old team just twice. In addition, the acquisition of Cooper from Manchester United made the loss of Johnson easier to swallow, but with Cooper an unknown having never suited up in MLS, the pressure will be on Carlos Ruiz to score goals early in the season.
"I think there is always excitement," said defender Clarence Goodson. "Especially with the new stadium -- finally we're in these locker rooms, it's a beautiful facility. And having more talent is always a plus offensively, defensively, wherever -- and anytime you're improving the team that's a plus, so I think everybody is really happy about that."
Earlier in the offseason FCD made a deal with Real Salt Lake, sending occasional starting 'keeper Scott Garlick and veteran midfielder Carey Talley to Utah. That trade was another move that had to be done with the signing of Argentinian 'keeper Dario Sala late in the 2005 season.
While there have been reports of a left-sided player from Argentina in the club's radar, Clarke said he was happy with his current group that came just a penalty shootout away from the Western Conference Championship match last season.
While the Hoops' boss hasn't yet settled on a left-sided midfielder in the team, FC Dallas took Dax McCarty with their first-round choice in the 2006 SuperDraft and the defensive midfielder has proven worthy of the distinction, seeing plenty of action in the preseason matches over the past month.
"Yeah, he has played well," said Clarke. "He has a bit of a groin strain, but he went through 45 minutes (Saturday against Houston) and I thought he showed some nice touches and combined well with the group, so he's doing well."
The Hoops have two scrimmages scheduled against local college teams in the next week before heading off to Spain and England for most of March, before their final warmup against Kansas City on March 25 in Oklahoma City in the inaugural Saturn Challenge Cup.
"It's going well. We've been able to play a lot of games which we've been really thankful for," said Goodson. "We've gotten the balls out a little earlier this year than the past couple years for the team so I've really enjoyed that."
Scott Joiner is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
