A youth movement is fully underway with FC Dallas. The Hoops currently have a whopping six Generation adidas players on their roster. Two of those, forward Abdus Ibrahim and defender Anthony Wallace, are now in their second year in MLS and both have impressed thus far in preseason despite seeing just 69 minutes of first-team action between them.
Only 16, Ibrahim didn't join FCD until last September and appeared in a pair of reserve division games for the Hoops, scoring once. He appeared in all four matches for the United States at the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in South Korea last summer. So far in preseason, Ibrahim has played in three of four matches to date with one start and has performed solidly.
"Ibee has impressed all of us. He did really well in the early part of preseason but had a tough time in Mexico against Tigres up against a very good player. But I think it was a great learning experience for him down there," FCD head coach Steve Morrow said. "He's come back looking very mature and has made a lot of progress from where he was last year. We're very happy with him."
As for Wallace, he just turned 19 and last year made one appearance with the first team, playing 69 minutes in his league debut on Sept. 15 at New England. He did start 10 reserve division games for FCD and also started four of five games for the U.S. team at last summer's FIFA U-20 World Cup in Canada.
Like Ibrahim, Morrow has been impressed with what he has seen from Wallace thus far in preseason. "He (Wallace) has looked very mature and like a different player," Morrow said. "He looks more mature, more accomplished and had a great second half down in Tigres. He's impressed all of us as well."
This is Wallace's second preseason with the Hoops but Ibrahim's first and he admits it's great to be with the team for the entire year.
"It's been nice starting with the team for preseason," Ibrahim said. "We have a few new faces here and it's good to get to know them. I also know some of the new guys here. It's been good so far. In the offseason, I was with the U-20s down in Argentina. After that, I was working out by myself. That's pretty much all I did in the offseason."
Wallace, on the other hand, is now experiencing his second preseason and admits that his preparation has changed a bit since his rookie campaign. "I would say that now, I tend to work out more than I did a year ago," he said. "That's really the only thing that has changed."
Both enter the 2008 season with high expectations for themselves. "My expectations for this year are to just work hard and earn playing time," Ibrahim said. "I want to make the 18-man playing roster for a lot of trips and get some playing time."
Added Wallace: "My expectations for myself are pretty high. I'm looking to at least make it into the starting lineup and to make it into more games this year."
Veterans of the U.S. Soccer residency program in Bradenton, Fla., Ibrahim and Wallace both were happy to see FCD take some familiar faces in January's SuperDraft in Eric Avila, Josh Lambo and Brek Shea.
"It's been nice because Brek (Shea), Josh (Lambo) and I were on the U-17s together last year," Ibrahim said. "Having them as teammates again has been nice."
Said Wallace: "Basically, they are all guys that I used to play with back in Bradenton," he said. "So, it's good to see some old faces and have some friends around."
Steve Hunt is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
