FCdallas.net had the opportunity to sit down with defender Carey Talley between a training session and the squad's scrimmage versus Molde on Monday evening. We talked to him about Richard Mulrooney, his role for this season and the "Survivor" contest the whole team is playing once again in Spain.
FCdallas.net:
Now that you have been here one full year and are starting your second year, who do you feel are the closest friends to you on the team?
Carey Talley:
"Richard Mulrooney is the guy I am the closest to since we grew up together back in Tennessee. I also enjoy hanging out with Eric Quill, Jeff Cassar and Bobby Rhine. I like all my teammates, but those are the guys I tend to hang around when we are on trips like this."
FCdallas.net:
Speaking of Richard Mulrooney, you guys never seem to be apart at home or on the road. How excited were you when you found out FC Dallas had acquired him?
Talley:
"I was very excited because I knew what he brought to the team. It's always fun when you know a player well, both on and off the field. Sometimes it's funny on the field because I get a flashback to grade school."
FCdallas.net:
What do you see your role on this team being this season?
Talley:
"Right now I don't know what my role will entail with regards to my position on the field. I think the team will look to me for leadership with both the younger and older players. I enjoy doing that and hope that my leadership helps our team. On the field, I'm ready to help out in anyway I can. Wherever Colin needs me, I'll play. If the season were to start today, I think it would be right back."
FCdallas.net:
It seems as though Colin Clarke has trusted you to become more of a vocal leader this season. Did you do anything in the offseason to help you prepare for 2005?
Talley:
"I don't know if I did anything in particular during the offseason. My leadership was there last season, but with me being a new guy it was a little tougher. Also, the team looked at Jason (Kreis) and Oscar (Pareja) to fill those roles because they had been around with the team for so long. My main focus this offseason was to be healthy coming in. Last year I didn't even have a preseason with my ankle injury and felt like I was chasing the season all year long. With that in my mind, I wanted to come in healthy and fit and I think that has definitely happened."
FCdallas.net:
I know it's only been two days since the team has arrived in Spain, but has anything funny happened in that time period that you can share with our fans?
Talley:
"Scott (Garlick) had to wear a dress and a pink cowboy hat today at lunch and that was good enough for me."
FCdallas.net:
Why did Garlick have to wear a dress and pink cowboy hat? Are you guys holding another "Survivor" competition like you did last year?
Talley:
"It's exactly like last season where we have guys put money in at the beginning and have a 'Survivor'-like competition at the end of the day. Today at lunch we split everybody into two teams as you picked from a hat either an 'A' or a 'B.' If you are a loser in an event, the captain of the losing team will pick three other people from his team to come into the board room with Colin (Clarke). It will be in the board room that the dress and the pink cowboy hat are awarded to one of the guys. You can plead your case, but Colin will have the final say."
FCdallas.net:
In your opinion, who is the funniest guy you have ever played with? Who is the most professional guy you have ever played with?
Talley:
"The funniest guy, excluding myself of course, would probably be Jaime Moreno. The most professional guy I've ever played with is by far Simo Valakari because you can't ever get him off the field."
