A little Total-MLS.com preview for Sporting Kansas City, but first:
The offseason can be a brutal place for MLS fans. The EPL, UEFA, FA, Carling, et al are all humming along and there is the occasional USMNT friendly on the schedule. The MLS goes dormant before Thanksgiving and settles in for a winter of hibernation and swirling internet rumor-mongering.
It makes sense, though, considering the landscape of American Sports. The MLS isn’t trying to compete with the NFL playoffs, or college bowl season. It’s even trying to politely get out of the NBA’s and NHL’s way, before the regular season really gets cooking. Its a happy stretch of calendar that pretty much mirrors MLB, but is much less of a grind on the fans, than their 162 game schedule.
But it certainly can lead to a case of the winter blues. As a Sporting supporter, our front office is about as transparent and social-media active as any in the league; and there is still a lingering sense of boredom throughout those cold months. The expansion draft netted us here in KC a few active days of player back-and-forth’s, but overall, it was looking like “just another winter, c’mon First Kick, hurry up!”
Enter: January 12th, 2012. Let me start by getting this out of the way: If any of you MLS fans out there have a chance to attend a SuperDraft, especially when it is held in the hometown of your chosen team, GO! I drove the two hours to KC from where I co-run our supporters group (@CoMoCauldron on Twitter) to attend, through ice and snow (and there were uphills both ways…) and I could not have asked for a better start to my year. I am better connected with the Cauldron, I met CEO Robb Heineman briefly, I talked to 1st round draft pick Dom Dwyer’s parents, and the MLS bought me breakfast. A pretty full 24 hours I spent in KC.
Now, about these Sporting Wizards.
As I mentioned previously, I live about 2 hours away from KC, so when I wear my SKC gear around, it usually generates some looks and initiates some conversations. And the offseason question I get most often from my bar patrons and others: “They did alright last year, right? How are they gonna be this year?”
No pressure there! I wish there was an easy answer. But I do know that, for KC, in Vermes we trust. He has positioned this team on the cusp of being in the MLS elite for a run of years. There are tons of roster breakdowns, and position-by-position crystal balls out there, so let me talk about KC by addressing some areas of note, and answering a few questions.
Where is SKC strongest?
Striker depth. Sporting may not have a Golden Boot type forward; that single guy who can just turn and make space and make chances for himself on a whim, but right now, there are 7 forwards on the roster that would probably make ANY 18 in the league. Teal Bunbury certainly has “it” but it took awhile for him to get going last year and really show what he is capable of. 2011 Rookie of the Year C.J. Sapong, Kei Kamara, new addition Bobby Convey, birthday-goal-scorer Soony Saad and 1st round draft pick Dom Dwyer will all keep the pressure on opposing defences, and with national team callups (USMNT, and Sierra Leone for Kamara) this depth is certainly needed.
Runner up: Defensive starters. The “4” in Vermes’ 4-3-3 is pretty much locked in stone. The draft added some depth at center back, but this is the very definition of “core group”. A second year of all working together will only add cohesiveness and communication between this bunch.
Where is SKC weakest?
Defensive depth (and I’m including the holding midfielder in this). Age, unknowns, injury concerns and more dot this area of the roster. If there were to be injuries or if Chance were to get the call-up to a USMNT camp, this could really put a damper on SKC’s ceiling. There are lots of names here, guys who are rebounding from injuries (Nagamura), from time away (Cyrus, Diop), international players we just haven’t seen pressed into action (Aiyegbusi), 2nd and 4th round draft picks… You get the idea. They could easily all solidify into a serviceable group with no gaping holes, or it could all teeter out of control and be a disaster.
Runner up: Your mom. Just kidding.
SKC reminds me of the old Nintendo sports games that didn’t have the professional league license they needed. There would be made up teams and there was always a super good offensive team that sucked defensively. A super defensive team that was limited offensively. And the boringly better than average across the board team that no one ever picked. THAT’S Sporting. No glaring holes, just solid players at every turn.
If you don’t follow SKC, who should you “hipster-know”?
“You’ve probably never heard of them…”
So you want to impress your friends, and let them in on a couple little SKC secrets while your team is playing SKC? Here’s a couple phrases you should know:
“Watch Matt Besler on this throw-in. It’s just like an extra corner kick… “
“Uh-oh. Graham Zusi can certainly score from THIS distance on this free kick…”
Runner up: And, seriously, if Zusi gets another call-up, or there is a depth issue in the midfield, then Konrad Warzycha is a name you should know. Listed as an attacking midfielder, the guy just knows how to put the biscuit in the basket, and get himself involved in the offensive half.
Where does this team go this year?
Otherwise known as the “Expectations Battle”. Anything less than the Eastern Conference Title (and/or) an appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals will probably seem like a letdown of a season. With now-departed Omar Bravo having not played down the stretch-run and into the Rapids playoff matches; that Starting XI all return, and 10 of them (+ Convey on the left wing) will probably start. Barring a bad stretch of call-ups/injuries it appears that Final 4 Four is about the right placement for this team. The questions becomes, “Can SKC take the next step?”
Runner up: Open Cup hardware. This is something that the front office and the die-hard fans all want, badly. An extended Open Cup run, might drain the team and its depth moving into the MLS Playoffs, but its definitely a focal point for 2012 SKC.
(image courtesy of sportingkc.com)
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