FRISCO, Texas — Brek Shea’s return from competition with the US Under-23 team was supposed to be marked with joy and celebration. But those feelings were quickly replaced by devastation and flat out frustration after the team failed to qualify for the 2012 Olympics.
“I don’t think I have the vocabulary big enough to express your disappointments and your frustrations, so I won’t,” FC Dallas head coach Schellas Hyndman told reporters on a Wednesday conference call of what he told his star midfielder. “Just understand I feel for you, but I’m here if you ever need anyone to talk to.”
Dejected and disappointed, Shea must now get his mind back on his club, which has not won since he left. FCD visit D.C. United on Friday (7:30 pm ET, NBC Sports Network, LIVE CHAT on MLSsoccer.com).
“I’m glad to be back on the team,” Shea told reporters on Thursday. “It’s obviously bittersweet, but I’m excited to get be back with the guys and get going this season. I’m excited for Friday.”
Hyndman concurs that “bittersweet” cannot be a more correct description of the situation.
“If we just talk about him, it’s all bitter," the coach said. "This is what he’s been focusing on. This is what he’s been wanting to do is play for his country. It’s not just him; it’s everybody on the team including his coaches. In our country, we always have high expectations for our athletes in every sport. To not qualify has been a disappointment that we must now evaluate.
“He’s a goal scorer, but we also want him back at his best,” Hyndman added. “We’ll just let it play out to see how Brek responds.”
There is no doubt that Shea’s presence on the left side was severely missed. Factor in injuries and Hyndman will tell you that Shea needs to adjust quickly and eventually put the feelings of defeat behind him in order for FC Dallas to come away with three points.
“I’m just going to come out and try to play,” Shea said. “Obviously, it’s different players and different systems. I’ve been studying this team for a while. I know how they play, and hopefully, we can get a win on Friday.”
