MONTCLAIR, N.J. - When Juan Carlos Osorio speaks about the San Jose Earthquakes, it sounds more like a squad that's been together for years rather than an expansion team.
"I think Nick Garcia and (Ryan) Cochrane bring a very solid defensive mind to the team. Ramiro (Corrales) and (Ned) Grabavoy, good distributors and good midfielders," Osorio said. "I would say that the biggest threat is the pace of the two strikers, especially (Kei) Kamara, and (Ronnie) O'Brien's service. He is one of the players in the league with better service, with a better passing range and shots from mid-distance."
In many ways, the Quakes are not the typical first-year team, not with the club's rich tradition, not with its veteran players, not with an experienced coach like Frank Yallop.
"He's a smart man and he knows that he needs to put together a squad that's strong up the gut and has some veteran players," Jon Conway said of Yallop.
Conway has fond memories of San Jose, having played there for the first five years of his MLS career, winning an MLS Cup in 2001 and 2003.
"It's a rich soccer area. It's great to have the team back in that area," Conway said. "I loved the Bay Area, I loved California and it's great to have the team back in the league."
On Sunday, the Red Bulls host the Quakes for the first time since 2005 and they'll do so with a host of injury concerns. Juan Pablo Angel is doubtful with a nerve-related back injury and fellow forward Oscar Echeverry is out for four weeks with a right LCL sprain.
But the Red Bulls received a measure of good news this week when Hunter Freeman and Dane Richards returned to full training. Freeman is recovering from a right ankle sprain suffered during an Olympic qualifier last month, while Richards tore his right MCL in a not-so-friendly friendly against sister club Red Bull Salzburg in March.
Freeman said he didn't want to rush to return to the field, as was the case when he sustained a serious left ankle sprain last year.
"Coming back, I definitely don't want to repeat what I did last year," he said. "I'm chomping at the bit to get back, but maybe we take the extra week even if I think I'm ready to play that week."
However, Freeman said he felt the best he has since the injury after Thursday's training session at Montclair State University.
"Today was the first day I felt I had some of my quickness back, I was reading the game better, I was breaking up passes and picking off balls," Freeman said. "The past few days I was that step slow and that was frustrating to me."
Richards was initially thought to be off the field until at least the All-Star Break, but the speedy midfielder has recovered ahead of schedule. Richards said he was surprised at well he felt following Thursday's training session.
"I thought it would be more sore because I haven't practiced for so long but actually yesterday and today, I'm feeling really good," Richards said. "I just need to ice when I go home and I will feel comfortable."
As far as when Freeman and Richards return to the field, Osorio said he is hoping to institute a policy of having players participate in a reserve match before playing for the first team. But that's unlikely in this case, with the Red Bulls playing two games in six days, with a reserve match following Thursday's game at Toronto FC.
"I strongly believe in rotating players because that's what we used to do in Manchester City," Osorio said.
Osorio's search for defensive help continued this week when former Toronto FC defender Andrew Boyens joined Argentine Guillermo Imhoff on trial. Boyens was released by Toronto April 14 and played in the Red Bulls' 1-0 reserve league win against New England Sunday.
"An opportunity is gone from Toronto for me at the moment and it opens new doors," Boyens said. "I was disappointed when it happened up there, but you've got to make the most of a bad situation."
The 6-foot-4 New Zealand native, who was picked 10th overall by Toronto in the 2007 MLS SuperDraft, appeared in 23 games for TFC, starting 21 times. It's that MLS experience that Osorio said is in Boyens favor.
"I think Andrew is a good player, very good in the air, good communicator," Osorio said. "And I think he's a lot better on the ball than people give him credit for. I am pleased with what we have seen so far."
Dylan Butler is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
