One of many strengths for Western Conference-leading FC Dallas this season has been the club's goalkeeping. Dario Sala, who is in his first full MLS season, claimed the starting job during preseason and has started all 12 games between the posts for the Hoops. The results have been solid as the Argentinean 'keeper is allowing an average of 1.25 goals per game so far this year and has one clean sheet.
The position was a real question mark in the offseason. Scott Garlick, who started the bulk of the games for FCD last season, was traded to Real Salt Lake and his primary backup, 10-year veteran Jeff Cassar, was coming off a shoulder injury last fall. Sala had just one league start under his belt after his arrival late in the season, and the third-string 'keeper was rookie Ray Burse, a third-round pick in the 2006 MLS SuperDraft.
One reason for the solid performance in goal for the Hoops has been the addition of goalkeeping coach Alan Knight to the staff. Nicknamed "The Legend" for his rock-solid career in goal in his native England, his tenure there spanned some four decades. Knight was a teammate of current FCD head coach Colin Clarke at Portsmouth in the English Premier League.
"He's a good goalkeeper coach," Clarke said. "He's been there and done it all. It's much easier for someone with his experience to be a goalkeeper coach than someone who hasn't had his experience."
Cassar was quick to label Knight's addition to the staff a great move.
"He's just been a fantastic addition to the coaching staff," he said. "He just brings so much knowledge. He knows when to push you, when to back off and knows you can't go 100 miles an hour every day.
"He's been there and done it. Not a lot of goalkeeping coaches have played at the highest level. He played 600 games in a row. That shows that he's tough, works hard and is honest. It's just a pleasure to have him here."
Sala's progress so far this season as FCD's starting goalkeeper is something Knight takes pride in.
"I think Dario has done very well," Knight said. "We're obviously a bit disappointed that we haven't gotten as many clean sheets as we would like. I think Dario's performances have been good. I think he's progressed and looks more assured with each game."
Knight has also been impressed with Cassar's work ethic even though he has spent the bulk of this season recovering from injuries.
"Jeff (Cassar) is another guy who will work his socks off," Knight said. "You have to drag him off the training field sometimes. He is a very good goalkeeper."
While he has yet to make his full MLS debut, the goalkeeper who could be most helped by working with Knight is Burse.
"It will be great for Ray," Clarke said. "He's a young kid who has only been in goal for three years. He's very athletic and very good at shot stoppers. He needs to learn more of the nuances of the game."
What does Knight think of Burse's potential?
"I was very impressed with Ray (Burse) when I first arrived here," he said. "He has a lot of natural ability. It's a bit strange that he didn't start goalkeeping until quite late on because I think he was a striker to start with. He's a pleasure to work with."
Clearly, the work with Knight is paying off as Burse has back-to-back clean sheets for the FCD reserves. In fact, in his three starts so far this season, he has surrendered just one goal.
"It has been awesome and has helped me out a lot in my development," Burse said. "The thing he's helped me most with my positioning. It's all about where to be at what time, completing saves, communicating with my defense and being an all-around complete 'keeper."
Besides working with one of his former teammates in Clarke, Knight knows how good he has it with the Hoops and is also quick to commend his fellow coaches.
"I've been impressed with the whole setup since I've been here," he said. "It's as good as the majority of setups that I've seen in England.
"Their (the FCD coaches) training programs are very good and enjoyable for the lads," Knight said. "Preseason training (here) was nearly 10 weeks long where back in England, it was five weeks max. It's very difficult to keep things fresh but I think they've managed to do that."
Steve Hunt is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
