KANSAS CITY, Kan. – As with all new players coming into Sporting Kansas City's demanding system – even those who have played in top European leagues – Toni Dovale has been a work in progress during his first MLS season.
The Spanish winger's skills have never been the issue. But as slightly built as Dovale was when he joined Sporting in March after five years with La Liga side Celta Vigo, he wasn't getting much chance to show off his deft passing and shooting touches in MLS's far more physical matches.
Now, after packing some muscle onto his still-lean frame, Dovale – who goes by “Toni” on his Sporting jersey – is finally getting to show his full range.
“For him, it's not the soccer,” manager Peter Vermes told reporters last week, after Dovale's second-half brace lifted Sporting to a 3-1 home victory over Costa Rican power Deportivo Saprissa in CONCACAF Champions League group play. “It's the speed of play, the physicality of the game.
“There was a game early on – I can't remember who it was – but I had to take him out, just because the game got very fast and he just wasn't ready for it from a physical perspective. Because in Spain, it's a different game.”
Dovale isn't playing that game any more.
“The place where I come from is for sure a great league,” the soft-spoken 24-year-old said after the Saprissa match. “Spain is one of the best leagues in the world, but it's different – not even better, not even worse from MLS. From the moment I was coming here, I was doing very hard work with the fitness coach and also with Peter and Kerry [assistant coach Kerry Zavagnin] I think it's all about time.
“Your body has to know that some things are changing in you, so the only thing is time.”
And as Dovale has put in the time in the weight room, his time and contributions on the pitch have gone up.
He turned in his first full-90 MLS outing in a 4-0 away thrashing of Chivas USA on Sept. 12, narrowly missing a goal when he hit the post with a ball that Benny Feilhaber eventually drove into the net, and followed that up with his big night against Saprissa.
Going into Tuesday night's home match against Nicaragua's Real Esteli (8 pm ET, Fox Sports 1), Dovale is Sporting's leading scorer in CCL action with three goals in two matches.
“Toni's been one of our better players for the last couple of weeks, and I'm very happy for him,” center back and captain Matt Besler told reporters after Thursday's match. “It's not easy coming into this league, especially a guy like him who isn't the biggest of guys. He's still not going to be a [6-foot-1, 185-pound] CJ Sapong out there, but I think everyone realizes that.
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“I think he understands what he can and can't do, but the great thing is that you see him battling still. You see him winning tackles. You see him using his body, even muscling guys off the ball. When he gets into open space, he always seems to make the right pass.”
Dovale's first goal against Saprissa showed just how far he has come, physically. He staked out a place near the top of the penalty area, held it while he waited for Igor Juliao's floated cross to arrive, and then drove home a perfectly-timed volley for the matchwinner.
And afterward, he spoke of his play as a debt of gratitude to Sporting's staff.
“I just have to say thank you, and the way to say that is not just here,” he said. “It's in the field – not trying to score goals, because that depends on so many factors, but trying to do my best.”
With Dovale's success this season, Sporting seem to be developing a cottage industry of bringing in skilled Spanish players and filling out their games as well as their physiques. That's what they did with midfielder Uri Rosell, who came in with a load of passing skills midway through the 2012 season and became a rugged, heady destroyer of opposing possessions before he was sold earlier this year to Sporting Clube de Portugal.
“It's a very similar story to Uri when he was here,” Vermes said. “Uri was here for six months, and it takes those guys a little bit to get to strength. But our fitness guys do a fantastic job with all the players, and especially the ones that come in. And part of that is also buying in, because a lot of guys don't believe in it. And once they start to see the dividends, then all of a sudden they really start to go after it.”
Dovale has bought into the “Sporting Fit” program from the outset, head fitness coach Mateus Manoel said.
“To get used to a different rhythm, to get used to a different regimen, it's not easy,” Manoel said. “It's not easy for a player of his caliber. It's not easy for any player. But he's worked hard, and in the little time that he's had between games, he's tried to get one or two days in. But that's going to be a progressive effort, and hopefully in the offseason we'll get more time to boost him up.
“He's got a great work ethic. He's got a great attitude. It's all about work, and he's just a great guy to work with.”
Even if he's not much fun for opponents to play against these days.
Steve Brisendine covers Sporting Kansas City for MLSsoccer.com.
