The New England Revolution will continue their breathless preseason this weekend in New Orleans, as they visit the Louisiana city for a six-day training camp, which will feature two matches -- one of which is a closed-door scrimmage -- against the champions of Honduras, Marathón.
For the Revs, such hectic preparation for a new season is nothing new. Winter weather in New England is unfavorable to outdoor activity and so in-between indoor sessions in the shadows of Gillette Stadium, Steve Nicol's side have been clocking up the air miles en route to and from camps in Bermuda, Mexico and New Orleans.
Last week, in the sunshine of Cancun, New England played two matches against local opposition. Having dispatched Pioneros de Cancun, 4-1, the Revs faced a tougher test in the shape of Atlante, reigning Mexican champions. The result went against his side, but despite the 1-0 score, Nicol was pleased with the overall outcome and believes that New England are shaping up well for the 2008 season -- though he admits that at this stage, nothing is certain.
"The game was perfect for us," said Nicol on Wednesday. "It was a real tough game; exactly what we wanted. I said earlier in the preseason that things seem kind of normal and it still seems that way but, as usual, we won't find out until after the first game exactly where we are really. We think we have an idea but you can never be 100 percent of that."
Perhaps the main reason for Nicol's cautiousness is due to the number of new faces in the Revolution squad this year. Familiar names such as Pat Noonan, Andy Dorman, Avery John and James Riley have moved on, meaning that the transition from one season to the next has been a little more challenging for the Revs this time around.
While the Revs wait for new signings, Mauricio Castro and Argenis Fernandez, to link up with the team, the club's 2008 rookie class is slowly making its mark on a squad that does retain much experience. One such veteran, Michael Parkhurst, is entering his fourth season and is well aware that his status requires him to show the leadership necessary to help the new additions.
"They have been getting acclimated into how different things are, especially in the games," said Parkhurst. "It's a change from college so we are trying to help those guys, see where they are at and how they can help the team."
Parkhurst had a busy offseason. After getting married, he was involved in the U.S. national team's camp in California, during which time he picked up his third cap against Sweden. Being involved with Bob Bradley's squad, the 24-year-old said, was the perfect preparation for preseason with his club.
"I do feel good and came in here feeling fit and strong. I'm ready to go, unlike past preseasons, which is nice because you want to be able to help out the team straight away and get in there with the guys," he said.
The past preseasons to which Parkhurst refers have seen the defender suffer freak injuries in each of the last two years. First, in 2006, an accidental training ground collision with Shalrie Joseph resulted in a thigh injury that caused him to miss the start of the MLS campaign. Last year, while relaxing in the ocean in Cancun during training camp, the Rhode Islander suffered a shoulder injury.
So it was that, last week, Parkhurst was not allowed near salt water in Cancun, much to the mirth of his wise-cracking teammates. Having returned to New England in one piece, the Revs defensive talisman knows he needs to hit the ground running in order to help ensure that the changes New England have made in the offseason have no negative connotations when the real games begin.
"We are trying to pick things up around here and get into full gear. Turnover is part of professional sports and everyone knows that," he said. "It's up to the older guys to lead the team and make sure everybody meshes together, especially at the start of the season. We probably aren't going to be perfect so we need to lead the team and get organized, battle hard and eventually get our style of play."
Andrew Hush is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
