At the end of each regular season, FC Dallas, like every other MLS club, hands out awards. The top contender to be named their top defender this season is center back Clarence Goodson, who has started all 19 regular season matches for FCD.
Last week, Goodson's worth to the Hoops back four became plainly evident. On Tuesday, with FCD facing the Los Angeles Galaxy with the SuperLiga semifinals on the line, the University of Maryland product woke up experiencing pain in his right knee. After a fitness test before the match, he was unable to start with what was ruled a sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee.
That night, the Galaxy burned FC Dallas for six goals, a defeat that eliminated the Hoops from SuperLiga as they allowed the most goals the club has conceded in six years.
Then on Saturday night, Goodson returned to the starting 11 and played the entire 90 minutes in a 1-0 victory against the Colorado Rapids, FCD's fifth shutout in their last seven league games.
"I thought he played very well," FCD head coach Steve Morrow said. "We were under pressure in the second half from a lot of set plays. We gave up a lot of free kicks to put us under pressure and Clarence got his head on the end of so many. He also made a lot of important tackles for us. He's been quite a steadying influence in the back for us as well."
Goodson was happy with having to miss only one match because of his injury. He came through the game fine and after training on Monday, said he feels at 100 percent.
"It felt great to be back. Missing the L.A. game was a huge blow. That was a big game and is something that's going to sting for a little while," he said. "Being back against Colorado and getting the shutout felt great. We're in a good position in this league with a lot of home games left and are sitting pretty close to the top. If we take care of business at home and keep it close on the road, I think we can win this league."
After training last Thursday, Morrow was asked how much Goodson's absence had impacted the FCD back line, which allowed four goals in the opening 18 minutes of play to the Galaxy in the SuperLiga match. The FCD boss replied that he felt Goodson's injury definitely left a big hole to fill in the Hoops rearguard -- something Goodson took as quite a compliment.
"Anytime your coach singles you out as doing well, it's a good thing," Goodson said. "He (Morrow) has definitely given me a lot of leadership and I think I've done well with it. I've really cherished it. It's good to hear that."
Goodson has come a long way this season. A year ago, he began the season as one of FCD's two starting center backs but on April 15 at Colorado, disaster struck. With the Hoops leading 2-0 just before the break, he was whistled for a hand ball inside the FCD penalty area and the Rapids converted a penalty kick to make it 2-1. Then, just minutes later, an own goal off Goodson's foot made it 2-2.
Colin Clarke, then FCD's head coach, moved Goodson to the substitutes' bench for three games, but on May 13, Goodson returned to the starting lineup when they faced Houston at Pizza Hut Park.
FCD was leading late in that game when a Dynamo corner in the 81st minute bounced off Goodson's head and into the back of his own net, forcing the Hoops to settle for a 1-1 draw. After that match, Goodson did not play again until July 15 at Chicago, and made just seven appearances in all over the final three-quarters of the season.
"Those are unlucky," Goodson said of his two own goals from 2006. "It's not like I went out there and deliberately sent a ball into the back of our net. It's not as big of a deal as everyone makes it out to be."
But when Morrow replaced Clarke as the FCD head coach in December, Goodson knew he had a clean slate and has made the most of a fresh start.
"I think that this year, I have a coach that believes in me," Goodson said. "Last year, a few things went wrong and I got dropped (from the lineup). I didn't think that was a good way to deal with things. My pride was definitely hurt and I thought it was a terrible way to do things.
"This is the first time that I have had a chance to say anything about it and I thought it was terrible," he said. "I thought I was playing well the entire time. But when you get dropped, the fans, media and everyone else feels like you played terribly. I know that I'm a good player and no one person can tell me that I'm not.
"I kept my confidence high and when I got back in, I feel like I did well," Goodson continued. "It's the same thing this year. Steve (Morrow) has confidence in me and I think I've done very well so far for the team."
Steve Hunt is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
