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| Friday, September 14, 2001 24:18 EST |
2000 New York/New Jersey MetroStars at a glance
[SportsTicker]
Division: Eastern
Stadium: Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J.
Soccer capacity: 25,576
Investors/Operators: John Kluge and Stuart Subotnick
Head coach: Octavio Zambrano
1999 record and finish: 7-25 (15 points), sixth place in East
1999 offensive ranking: 12 (32 goals, 1.00 per game)
1999 defensive ranking: 12 (64 goals, 2.00 per game)
Top returning scorer: Mark Chung (3 goals + 7 assists = 13 points)
Key returning players: Tab Ramos, Mike Petke, Mark Chung
New players of note: Lothar Matthaeus, Thomas Dooley, Steve Shak, Alex Comas,
Adolfo Valencia
Key departed players: Eduardo Hurtado, Henry Zambrano, Mohammed Khakpour
Outlook
With six coaches and nearly 80 players donning MetroStars
colors during the organization's history, the team's obvious chemistry
problems have plagued this squad throughout the years. However, major
changes took place within the MetroStars during the offseason, including
the hirings of head coach Octavio Zambrano, whose .684 winning percentage
with Los Angeles is the best in league history, and general manager
Nick Sakiewicz, the 1999 MLS Executive of the Year with Tampa Bay.
Scoring, or the lack thereof, was the most pressing issue for the
MetroStars in 1999. While no team in MLS' first three seasons failed
to score at least 40 goals, the MetroStars struggled to find the
back of the net, scoring just 32 goals to average a goal per
game. Defensively, the Metros allowed two goals per game, the worst
rate in the 12-team league.
However, hope springs eternal for 2000. The most recent German Bundesliga
Player of the Year, the legendary Lothar Matthaeus, will bring a championship
mentality to the club. Matthaeus will most likely play in the midfield with
veterans Tab Ramos (healthy after playing just five games in 1999),and Mark
Chung (the first MLS player to play in 100 games and one of just a handful
to log 10,000 minutes). Former Columbus Crew captain Thomas Dooley will
anchor the defense with Mark Semioli.
With Eduardo Hurtado now in New England and Henry Zambrano traded to
Colorado, the MetroStars will have Colombian stars Adolfo "El Tren" Valencia
and Alex Comas starting at the two forward spots. Valencia has scored in
World Cup action and was a teammate of Matthaeus' at Bayern Munich, while
Comas was a prolific scorer in the Colombian first division.
A core of young players who were thrown into the MLS fire should also
return, as Brian Kelly, Mike Petke and Miles Joseph will look to follow
Matthaeus' lead. Billy Walsh, who spent time at central defender and as
a defensive midfielder, is out three to six months with a knee injury.
First-round draft pick Steve Shak from UCLA should add some depth,
especially in Walsh's absence.
Players to watch
German superstar Lothar Matthaeus will bring a
level of professionalism and intensity that should impact the club's
on-field performance. Colombian forwards Adolfo Valencia and Alex
Comas have the potential to rank among the top goal scorers in MLS,
especially if proper service comes from the likes of Mark Chung
and American soccer icon Tab Ramos. 1997 MLS Defender of the Year
Thomas Dooley will team with Mark Semioli and Mike Petke to lead the
defense. In goal, Mike Ammann had a rough 1999 season, but is expected
to return as the starter. Tim Howard, a young standout on the U.S. U-23
National Team who saw limited time, could push Ammann.
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