In last year's leading scorer for the club, FC Dallas already has one striker with a colorful nickname: Carlos "Fish" Ruiz. The next to join that list could be second-year forward Dominic Oduro, who could become better known as the Bird Man.
In a preseason game last weekend in Norman, Okla., Oduro scored the winning goal against the Chicago Fire and performed his "Bird Man" goal celebration soon after. Oduro, who now has three goals this preseason for the Hoops, first did that celebration in a February match at SMU in which he scored twice.
The Ghana native comes off a rookie season where he played in 16 games -- three of those starts -- and scored once for FCD. But he's already shown that he could be ready to make a major impact for the Hoops this season. In the opening match for FC Dallas in the Puerto Rico Challenge on Thursday, a 1-0 loss to host Puerto Rico Islanders, Oduro didn't find the back of the net, but caused some real problems for the back line of the USL First Division club with his pace with the ball at his feet -- something that could really cement his place in the FCD first team.
The former Virginia Commonwealth star and a second-round pick (22nd overall) by the Hoops in the 2006 MLS Super Draft is, hands down, the fastest player on the FCD roster. That speed was a big contributor to him being the only Hoops rookie to see significant playing time a year ago.
But as fast as Oduro is on the pitch, a major knock against him was a lack of touch and his apparent low comfort level with the ball. When Steve Morrow became FCD's new head coach last December, he challenged his young striker to improve those aspects of his game.
"I knew after last year that (my touch) was one of my weaknesses," Oduro said. "I worked very hard on that in the offseason. When I came in this year, I showed everyone how much improved I was in that area."
Morrow agrees. "Dominic is one who's impressed me since he's come back," he said. "He's matured a lot since last year. We told him that he had to work on his all-around game. He has obvious strengths with his skill and speed. We wanted him to build his whole game and he's showing signs of doing that.
"He's very comfortable on the ball, he's keeping the ball better and his movement is better. I think the way we're playing suits him and allows us to get the most out of him. He's enjoying it as well."
Oduro has plenty of competition for his place -- also in the mix are players such as Arturo Alvarez, Kenny Cooper, Ramon Nunez and Ecuador international Roberto Mina. But he has also noticed major improvements in his game compared to where he was just one year ago.
"I think that I am a better player now than I was last year," he said. "I think right now, I am doing the things well that I wasn't doing last year - things like my touches and my finishing. I see myself as really improving right now."
When asked about his unique goal celebration, the 21-year-old striker said: "I just wanted to show everybody that I could fly and had wings. Once I get out of the locker room, I am ready to fly on the field. That was something that I just wanted to put into my goal celebration."
For the most part, last year's FCD team spent much of the year playing in a traditional 4-4-2 formation under then-head coach Colin Clarke. Morrow has changed things up a bit and has employed a 4-2-3-1 setup on many occasions this preseason. Oduro has played behind lone striker Ruiz and with good results. The system allows for great freedom because the three attacking players in behind can move up alongside Ruiz or play behind him.
"The formation that we're playing right now is really good," Oduro said. "In the game of soccer, I can play well in this offense. We like it more (than the previous system). It will really help us in so many ways by allowing us to go forward and put pressure on other teams."
Steve Hunt is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
