TUKWILA, Wash. – Mike Fucito is finally feeling good. Hampered by injuries for his first two years in the professional game, Seattle’s third-year striker is expecting big things for himself in 2011.
His two personal goals are simple: Score more goals and stay healthy. If his dedication in the offseason is any indication, he’s primed to achieve both.
The 24-year-old New England native says this winter has been “all business,” as he was one of the many Sounders FC players who stayed in the Pacific Northwest over the holiday season to work out with fitness coach Dave Tenney. Fucito barely took any vacation and spent most days in the gym, building strength for the upcoming season.
When training camp started, Fucito was already in tremendous shape. He looked active and dangerous in some 11-v-11 scrimmages last Friday.
“I feel great coming into preseason, much more ahead of where I’ve been in the past," Fucito said. “I want to be in the starting lineup. I want to be contributing regularly. I’m trying to do everything I can at my end to make sure that can happen.”
Many predicted more playing time for the energetic striker after his goal against Kansas City gave Seattle a 1-0 win in April. However, a knee injury suffered in the same match kept him out of action for the next three months.
The injury initially baffled the medical staff. Despite efforts to minimize the stress on the joint, fluid was continually building up in the youngster’s knee. Eventually, doctors went to drastic measures to stop the swelling, using 100 internal stitches to bind soft tissue together and hopefully prevent the intense swelling from returning.
The procedure held up and Fucito was able to return for the stretch run. He was arguably Seattle’s best player during the Champions League group stage. Fucito notched three goals in four starts in the competition, earning extended playing time as Seattle’s chances of advancing faded.
At the end of the 2010 season, Seattle protected Fucito from the Expansion Draft, a strong statement about his role in the club’s future plans.
“We saw that he was continuing to work hard, continuing to improve,” said head coach Sigi Schmid. “He's like a big sponge. Whatever you say to him he sort of absorbs and takes with him and moves on to the next step. We saw that in him. We felt he could continue to grow and he's shown that here.”
This season, Fucito will attempt to transfer his Champions League success to Major League Soccer, where he has only one goal to his credit after two seasons.
A healthy Fucito gives Schmid more attacking options. Fucito, who played alongside Charlie Davies in high school, says he prefers to play up top as a striker, but he also showed as an outside midfielder at times in 2010. He’s not sure where he’ll end up in 2011.
“Probably still up top, maybe a little bit out wide,” Fucito said. “I think my thing is I’m good at putting the ball in the back of the net. If I keep doing that, it doesn’t matter where I am.”
