For the 62 participants of the adidas MLS Player Combine, their professional future lay before them Friday on the clean-cut field of one of south Florida's finest soccer venues.
Before the coaching staffs of the 13 MLS clubs, the hand-picked athletes had 90 minutes to level a lasting impression, while competing against some of the nation's best. But with so much on the line, jitters were understandably the main theme of the first day of play, with both games littered by broken-up passes and missed opportunities.
"I thought that today's action was average. To be fair, I believe that the kids were very nervous and it was tough for them to come in here and showcase their talents and skills when they know their future will be determined by this weekend's results and performance," said Toronto FC head coach Mo Johnston. "They have a lot to prove in the next few days so they just need to be able to show up each day and prove themselves."
"It was a typical game for people who haven't played a match in a long time. I thought it was a very sloppy game, both from a soccer standpoint and a technical standpoint," said Brown University head coach Mike Noonan, who is in charge of the adidas Teamgeist team. "As we go from here though, I think that they will start to understand each other better and communicate a bit more."
The first game saw adidas Tricolore defeat adidas Teamgeist 1-0. In the second game, adidas Tango defeated adidas Azteca 2-1.
"I think the players are getting used to each other and I think the coaches are sorting out what they think about the players' qualities, so I think it was a very good day from a learning standpoint for everybody," said John Rennie, the Duke University head coach who is in charge of the adidas Azteca team. "What we are trying to figure out as coaches is, how do we put the players on the field where they are going to show the best? I thought today was a very good day from that standpoint."
OPENING GAMES: The jitters really showed in the opening game, where adidas Tricolore and adidas Teamgeist battled to a scoreless draw through the opening 45 minutes.
But adidas Tricolore broke the stalemate in the 47th minute as Aaron Holbein (University of Wisconsin) slipped a deflected cross under a diving Justin Hughes (University of North Carolina) to take the 1-0 lead.
As both teams started to get more comfortable on the field, the attacks on both ends became more organized and more frequent. However, neither team was able to convert and adidas Tricolore claimed the victory.
"I thought we played pretty well, all things considered. We are still trying to feel who can play what position. I was pleased for the guys, because they looked good individually and as a team," said Tricolore head coach John Trask (University of Illinois-Chicago). "They also came away with the win, which is why we play the game. Hopefully throughout the weekend we will be even better."
From the outset, the second game between adidas Tango and adidas Azteca provided more excitement. Twenty minutes in, Tango lit up the scoreboard as Robbie Findley (Oregon State University) took a pass from John Cunliffe (Fort Lewis College), dribbled between two defenders and drilled a shot past a diving Phil Marfuggi (Clemson University) for the 1-0 lead.
"The goal scored by Robbie was just terrific. He just hit a rocket and had a great moment of individual brilliance. The coaching staff thought he was one of our standout players above and beyond the goal he scored for us tonight," said Tango head coach Greg Andrulis (George Mason University). "He was able to link in with the midfielders quite well and help out on both ends of the field. He was really a sparkplug for us out there."
Just 17 minutes later, Tango found the back of the net again as an unmarked Nate Norman (University of Notre Dame) headed a pass from Cunliffe into the bottom right corner of the net.
The final goal of the match came in the 55th minute as Azteca got on the board with a volley from forward Tommy Krizanovic (Jacksonville University).
"I think the kids played well and showed well to the coaches who were watching, and that was the ultimate goal of this combine. I thought everybody I expected to do well did very well today. I am thinking that after this weekend, we will have a better idea of who the standout people are," Rennie said. "I was very happy with the way the players came in from a fitness standpoint. From a quality standpoint, I think they played very well."
KEEPING IT TIGHT: In the opening game, Trask asked Greg Dalby (University of Notre Dame) to begin the game in the back. Dalby was named to the adidas/NSCAA All-America first team as a midfielder, and was also selected as the Big East Conference Midfielder of the Year.
"I've known Greg for a while and I asked him if he would be willing to play in the back to just start us off to make sure we were organized," Trask said. "The quality that he brings to the midfield is nice to have."
Dalby was one of two Irish players named as first team All-Americas, along with junior Joseph Lapira, the winner of the M.A.C. Hermann Trophy. Dalby is expected to go early in next Friday's MLS SuperDraft at the Indianapolis Convention Center.
"I think he will do very well in the draft. He is one that a lot of people have asked me about because my college team played him this year and I just have a lot of respect for him," Trask said. "He is very solid and he rarely puts a foot wrong. He is going to be a great pro."
Nicole Dupes is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
