For a player, year two in a career can conjure thoughts and fears of a sophomore slump. Gone is the element of surprise, as one is no longer an unknown. But for a coach, year two is one that brings a clearer vision of how to move a team forward. Gone is the "getting to know you" phase and present is a better grasp of the options a coach has.
Second-year Kansas City Wizards head coach Curt Onalfo finds himself in such a situation, and that fact is already paying dividends for his team
"Last year ... [the players] tried to find our way and make sure we were on the same page, and that was something we did on a weekly basis," team captain Jimmy Conrad said. "This preseason we've really gotten a great idea of where we want to be. We're so much farther along this year than we were at any point last year. That's a credit to the staff."
A nagging inconsistency, yet still progress forward, describes the 2007 season as the Wizards made the MLS Cup Playoffs after failing the previous two seasons -- but just barely. For the third season in a row, Kansas City's playoff fate went down to the last match of the regular season, this time a 2-0 win at FC Dallas.
That Oct. 20 triumph was atypical of much of the season. It was only the fifth shutout of the season, the first since July 14, and only the fifth win in 21 games since June 2, a stretch which included being shutout six times and scoring just one goal eight times.
A focused run to the Western Conference Championship followed and it, combined with the tepid regular season, served as a harbinger of what would occur in the offseason.
Rookie Michael Harrington's statement as a solid left back during the playoffs influenced the departure of former MLS Best XI back Jose Burciaga Jr. to Colorado. The struggle to finish chances signaled the additions of forwards Claudio Lopez and Ivan Trujillo after leading scorer Eddie Johnson left for Europe. And the desire for a stronger attacking force from width and the back was the catalyst for trading veteran center back Nick Garcia to San Jose in order to take UCLA product Chance Myers with the first pick of the 2008 MLS SuperDraft.
The roster moves by Onalfo and technical director Peter Vermes add variety in play and personality and introduce more competition for starting spots, thus avoiding any staleness or complacency that can undercut a second-year administration.
Specifically, the transformation of the frontline, although it took a big hit in losing Johnson, should be a significant step forward. Already there has been a tactical change as the forwards are more attuned to pressuring opposing defenses and channeling the opposition's play to make it easier for the midfielders and backs to snuff out attacks and then transition forward.
"We didn't do a great job of [pressuring up front] last year. Our focus was to get Eddie feeling good and Eddie playing well," Onalfo reflected. "There was a lot of time put into that and less time on tactics."
Still, the move to obtain the abilities of a world-class player in one-time Argentinean national team standout Lopez came as a surprise to many. What is a small market team that is moving into a smaller venue in CommunityAmerica Ballpark doing signing a designated player?
It's not like Lopez is breaking the bank (the Wizards were in a strong position salary-wise with veterans Garcia, Burciaga, and Johnson exiting), and the move was typical of the aggressiveness previously shown by Vermes and Onalfo to improve the side and mold it as one that plays an attractive, attacking style. But the move certainly wasn't done blindly.
"We want to be a team that keeps the ball a little bit better than we did last year and controls the rhythm so that helps us in the summer months when it gets warmer. We're a high-tempo team," said Onalfo. "My mentality is to go for the throat and be dangerous all the time, and we need to do that, but we also need to combine and control the tempo and be a team that can play good soccer all the way through."
Lopez's skill, Trujillo's abilities as a target forward, and the elevating of playmaker Carlos Marinelli's game in preseason after a year of reacquainting himself with professional soccer should improve the Wizards' possession game.
"We have enormous competition up front. We have four excellent forwards in Lopez, Trujillo, [Scott] Sealy, and [Eloy] Colombano. Assuming Lopez is fit and healthy, you have to expect him to be starting, which leaves [the other three] fighting for that [second] spot. You have to have a deep team up top to be successful," Onalfo said.
As for the rearguard, it is younger and more ball savvy than ever before with the additions of rookie Myers and third-year player Tyson Wahl and more agile with a slimmer Kevin Hartman in goal. The addition of the new players as well as the better understanding of those who returned have allowed Onalfo to adjust his tactics throughout the preseason.
"We've tinkered between both 3-5-2 and 4-4-2 in our preseason. It all depends on what we decide to go with," Onalfo said.
Still, there is certainly one aspect the Wizards will be focused on improving in 2008.
"As a group we want to be more dangerous on attacking set pieces and be more solid on defensive set pieces," said Onalfo. "Last year, we didn't score enough on those and we gave up too many, so if we can be a team who is a little better than we were last year, which I believe we will be, and then tighten ourselves up a little more defensively both in the run of play and set pieces, we're going to be a team that wins more games."
Onalfo is happy with what is more his team now than a year ago and feels that his team has what it needs to attain their lofty goals for the season.
"Right down the spine of team you have Hartman, Conrad, Zavagnin, Marinelli, and Lopez. Each one of those guys has at least 10 years of experience under his belt. We have other guys like Davy Arnaud who has shown a lot of leadership qualities, and you have younger guys like Chance Myers who is a rookie and has a good chance to play a lot and Michael Harrington who has had a very, very good preseason," said Onalfo. "You combine that with the other guys, like Jack Jewsbury who has played six seasons, and we have a good blend. ... If you have the right blend, that can be really successful."
The mix has already drawn rave reviews. Conrad, entering his sixth season with the Wizards, feels the potential is higher than ever.
"My first year here was Preki's MVP year, and we were very good that year," he said. "But as a team and everybody being on the same page and a good team spirit, as far as potential on that end, it's probably the best we've had since I've been here."
But is the mix good enough to leapfrog four teams for a finish in the top two in the challenging Eastern Conference populated by traditional powers like the New England Revolution and D.C. United?
"That's our goal. Last year just making the playoffs was enough. ... Now that has to be a given, and we have to raise the bar," said Onalfo. "We want to give ourselves the best possible chance to do well in the playoffs, and the way you do that is by getting home-field advantage. That also enables us to compete for these international tournaments, which we want to be able to play in a year from now.
"We feel like we are moving in the right direction; we have a lot of good things to be happy about," he continued. "We just have to stay the course."
Bob Rusert is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
