Freddymania has been the biggest story in American soccer since the stirring 2002 World Cup run. But the MetroStars are far less concerned with 14-year-old prodigy Freddy Adu and far more interested in earning the first silverware of their nine-year history.
At 4 p.m. Saturday, with a crowd of 30,000 expected for their home opener, the MetroStars host Adu and archrival D.C. United with arguably the most entertaining and clearly the deepest squad in team history.
Despite losing Clint Mathis – who went scoreless in his final nine games – to a European club, coach Bob Bradley retooled the roster and now has five quality strikers and nine players who have been capped internationally.
“I said last year key players needed to take more responsibility,” Bradley said. “It needed to be their team. You help with the framework, but once the frame is built, it’s got to be that the [players] take over.
“This team can be very good. There’s more ability, more skill, more flair, a good attitude. It comes down to making plays where everything’s on the line. Last year when we got to the end . . . I didn’t think we were good enough to make plays when it counted. But anybody who’s followed Clint at Hannover 96 [his team in Germany] should realize that a couple of those plays could’ve happened in the Open Cup final or against New England.”
The MetroStars added three forwards, with Jamaican international Fabian Taylor joining holdovers Mike Magee and John Wolyniec. Trinidadian international Cornell Glen should arrive tonight and Argentine Sergio Galvan Rey tomorrow night, and be available Saturday.
“They’re a very talented bunch here,” Taylor said. “As the league goes by, I think we’re going to do very well.”
That will rely on the health of all-star defender Eddie Pope. After a fainting spell this offseason, then missing the last month and opener with a torn thigh muscle, he’s ready to play. They allowed just 16 goals in his 20 games last year, but 30 in the 10 he missed.
“I’ve been on teams that had more talent and didn’t do anything,” said Pope, who won an MLS Cup with the ’97 D.C. team that had nine players capped that year and is considered the best in league history.
“I know one thing: A team that has a lot of national team players is only a good thing. Guys are sharp, it raises the level of practice. That’s usually a direct correlation [to winning].”
