It can certainly be argued that no player on the FC Dallas roster has more expected of him this season than fourth-year midfielder Ramon Nunez. The Dallas native, who played one year at local soccer power Southern Methodist University, was taken eighth overall by FCD in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft, and high expectations have followed him every step of the way.
And this year, they might be higher than ever before.
Last season, Nunez began the season sidelined through injury, but rebounded to score six goals and register four assists, both career-bests. However, his season ended on a down note when Nunez showed his displeasure with not being chosen as a second-half substitute in the second leg of the Western Conference Semifinals against Colorado and abruptly left the field.
Just days after that season-ending loss to the Rapids, Colin Clarke was relieved of his head coaching duties and in December, Steve Morrow was named his replacement. Morrow emphasized from the beginning that every player -- including Nunez -- would have a clean slate for 2007, and Nunez has made the most of the second chance.
Nunez entered preseason the most fit he has been in his four seasons and that has translated into solid performances on the field. In the preseason finale against Clube Atletico Parananese, he was easily one of the best players on the field, and followed that up with another solid showing in FCD's regular-season opener at Real Salt Lake last Saturday.
"It's a lot of responsibility but playing in that role, it's expected," he said. "I've always played with a lot of responsibility on my shoulders. I like it that way and am looking forward to it."
Morrow agrees that he likes what he has seen thus far from his young midfielder.
"He had a couple of great chances to score (on Saturday)," Morrow said. "He's getting in the right positions. He had five shots in the game, which was great. We're going to demand even more from him. We want him to stand up and get on the ball. When we're under pressure, we're looking for him to relieve that by getting on the ball and keeping it for us. He's done a lot of good stuff, but I think there's more to come."
For Nunez, his run of solid play boils down to one thing. "It's definitely a combination of everything," he said. "But I think fitness has been the most important thing for me. I've been able to stay fit and with that comes the confidence from your coaches and teammates. You put that all together and are able to play with confidence."
Morrow echoed Nunez's thoughts. "At this time last year, he had a couple of injuries in preseason," he said. "That set him back for the first half of the season. It took him a long while to find his rhythm. He had a good preseason and is as fit as I've ever seen him. I think that's good for him as well. I think he'll continue to get better and understand his role with the team better."
Along with many of his teammates, Nunez is still getting acclimated to Morrow's system, a 4-2-3-1 formation that emphasizes the attack more than the 4-4-2 that Clarke frequently employed in 2006.
"I feel very good (in the new system)," he said. "With the players that I have around me, I feel very comfortable. With (Juan) Toja, it is going to take him some time to get used to the style of play here (in MLS) but once he gets accustomed, we will have a great team going forward."
That FCD midfield is something that Nunez feels will get even stronger once the club is able to officially add Argentine international Pablo Richetti to the roster in the coming weeks.
"It's going to help a lot," Nunez said. "He's a world-class player. His touch is excellent and he's a great defender. He gets a lot of balls in the middle and plays simple. It's going to be great for us."
Steve Hunt is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
