NEW YORK – Colorado Rapids technical director Paul Bravo does not beat around the bush when asked to identify the team’s goals for 2010 after the acquisitions of Macoumba Kandji and Brian Mullan earlier this week.
“Winning MLS Cup, very simply put,” Bravo told MLSsoccer.com over the phone. “We don’t want to just get to the playoffs. We want to be a team that has the ability to get deep into the playoffs and challenge for a cup.
“We want all the things that everybody else does. We want an MLS Cup, we want Champions League. We want to be able to show our fans that we’re committed to winning.”
Bravo says that the Rapids coaching staff has had their eyes on former Red Bulls forward Kandji for over 18 months, but Colorado were not ready to give up on Mehdi Ballouchy earlier this season. Then, at the roster freeze deadline, the two MLS clubs found a way to put the deal together.
The Rapids TD says the Mullan deal was more of a quick strike and the team was faced with a decision they had to make.
“Brian has always been a target of this club because of his roots to Colorado,” Bravo said. “For us to be able to get this done, especially at the death here, was a big, big move.
“Anytime you get to [Mullan's] age [32], and you start looking and thinking about life after soccer and where you want to be, him coming [to Colorado] was certainly something in the back of his mind.”
Another factor that could have influenced Mullan's decision was that Colorado are 11 points above his former team, Houston, and look bound for the playoffs.
Both Kandji and Mullan are likely to see action in their first game for the Rapids, as the Rocky Mountain team takes on the New England Revolution on Saturday.
