When did Colorado Rush decide to field a W-League team?

We confirmed our intentions to the league in November 2009.

Why?

It is important to us that we have a full-range club and complete pyramid. Our W-League team currently represents the top of the pyramid for all of Rush Soccer (representing almost 40,000 players worldwide). We also believe on a local level that this is an excellent move for our youngest youth players to encourage them to emulate great players and for our elite senior youth athletes that this, playing for our W-League team, is a goal for them to aspire to achieve as well as being a wonderful outlet for them to utilize their talents potentially. We also have numerous elite players at college programs throughout the country as well as college graduates who are continuing to strive toward playing the game at the highest level.

Who is the chief talent scout?

This is a collective effort between our directors of coaching.

What were/are you looking for in players?

Character and talent.

OK, so you have an idea of the profile of a player for the Colorado Rush W-League team. How do you find that player?

We have helped develop many such players. Therefore we look in house first. We look at Rush players. We then utilize the many player and coaching connections that we have been fortunate enough to develop over the years.

How do you approach these players? What’s the benefit for them?

The initial core of the team is made up of the ’89-90 group that was two-time national champions. Beyond that we are contacting players and college coaches from around the country. The benefits? Quality training in a competitive, driven and educational environment. We want to provide an opportunity for players to win at a very meaningful level while at the same time helping them to develop into the very best players they can become.

Do you have a roster yet?

Not a complete roster, no. We are building as we speak.

Where will your games be?

We are close to confirming this, but for now I must say TBD.

What goes into choosing a home site?

Much is going into this … location for our membership, quality pitch to encourage quality soccer and the ability to put on a good show, to provide quality entertainment.

Are you reaching out to players who were with Real Colorado last season?

Yes.

John Spencer was made the fourth member of Colorado Rapids’ Gallery of Honor on Sunday at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. The 38-year-old assistant coach for the Houston Dynamo was in town for a fixture between the two teams, and the Rapids honored him at halftime. He took some time to talk to ColoradoSoccerNow.com during halftime of an exhibition between the University of Denver and Stanford on Saturday at the practice pitch at Dick’s. While Houston head coach Dominic Kinnear, also a former Rapids player, was attending to team business, Spencer and some of the Dynamo assistants were watching the friendly. Spencer sat in the grass on the east sideline with Rapids technical director Paul Bravo.

Are you actually out here scouting DU and Stanford?
We actually just arrived about 25 minutes before kickoff, and we knew the game was on. So we just thought we’d come along. … It’s always good to keep your eye in and see the players. We’ve actually got a couple of young kids from Houston out here playing from Denver. It’s always good to keep your eye on them.

Do you see anyone you like?
I can’t tell you. I don’t want Bravo stealing them for the Rapids.

It looks like you and he are doing some catching up. …
Me and Paul were roommates when we played together here in Colorado, so there’s a long history between him and myself. We played together on the Rapids team up front a few times. I’ve known him for a long time, so it was nice to catch up with an old friend.

Do you maintain a strong connection with the Rapids?
I’ve got a lot of friends who still live in this area. Paul works in Colorado. Dave Kramer is the goalie coach that I played with. I look at this time, the time I spent here in Colorado as a player, as on par with Chelsea when I played there for the five, six years that I was there, as enjoyment. I really, really enjoyed my football here. I didn’t have a good spell at Motherwell in Scotland before I came to Colorado, but after being here two or three weeks, the fans were so … It was a great atmosphere in the old Mile High to play. I got my love and my passion for the game back, and the rest is history. I love this place, and I always say that when I’m going to retire this will be the place I retire for the rest of my days.

How big is this honor for you?
Speaking to family and friends, it’s probably the nicest thing that anybody’s done for my in my whole career. I feel very, very honored to be up on the wall with some good players. It’s an individual award, but when you get individual awards you only get them because the people around you helped you achieved the, teammates, family, friends and the fans. The biggest thank-you is always going to the fans for me because, as I said, they gave me that love and that passion back. I’m very, very honored to receive it. It will be nice to come back and see my name up on that wall.

What is your commitment to Major League Soccer?
As a player I was here, and I worked hard. I didn’t play well every week. But I think people who had seen me will walk away and say, “At least he tried hard.” Coming back here, as a coach, I’ve always been loyal to the Houston Dynamo; they’ve showed me great loyalty, as well. And Dominic has been fantastic, great coach to work under. So they’ve been great to me. I think my commitment to Major League Soccer is undeniable. Am I looking to go anywhere else, to coach in another country? Not at the moment, not for the foreseeable future. I’m very, very happy where I am.

How far do you want to go in this league?
I think it’s like anything: If you’re going to do it, you’re going to do it properly. You want to be the best. I’m no different from anybody else, any other assistant or head coach in the league. You want to be the best coach in American soccer. But it takes time. You’ve got to get the opportunity, and when the right opportunity comes, no doubt, I’ll have a look at it. And if it’s the right move for myself and my family, I’ll go for it.

What types of things have you learned as a coach in Houston?
I think the first thing that was so apparent to me when I walked through the door was, after a week of practice, the intensity level on the practice field. It never ever wavers or changes. It never changes from the Monday to the game on the Saturday. We practice at the same level, the same intensity that we play with. And I think it shows in the results, the consistent results. Touch wood, you look back at my three and a half years at Houston, and I don’t think we’ve ever been really involved in one blowout game where we’ve been beat four or five. We’ve been beat a couple times 2-nil or 3-1, but we’ve always been in the game. Players never let their heads get down because they’re so honest. And that obviously comes from the foundations that Frank Yallop installed down to Dominic. And it continues. It’s a continuation.

And I would expect that from a team that you helped coach.
Yeah, for sure, I think that’s why myself and Dominic got on so well. We have the same philosophies, same mentality to working hard. Maybe it’s because we came from a similar type upbringing. His father was Scottish. Dominic was born in Glasgow and moved to California when he was 2. So I don’t imagine his household would be any different an upbringing from what I grew up in in Glasglow, Scotland. So I think we have the same philosophies. And he has the championship rings as a head coach, and I wouldn’t mind getting a couple of them myself.

Are you ready to be a head coach?
I think time will tell. I can stand here and stay, “Yeah, I’m the best assistant coach in the world.” It’s up to someone who pays the checks and pays the wages and decides this guy may be good enough to run my franchise. I’m not in a massive rush. We’re just over halfway through this season, and I really feel we can go on and win another championship in Houston. I think it would be really unfair to look at other avenues until the end of the season.

Do you have ambitions beyond MLS?
Not at the moment, no. I’m very happy here in the country. I broke my neck to try and get back. Mark Chung put in a recommendation to Dominic, former Rapid, to get me this assistant’s job, and I took it. I wouldn’t have wanted to come back so bad just to jump over the pond and do something else. I don’t feel that it’s so much better over there, to coach there. You know, I’ve got a lot of respect for the league. I think the players here are fantastic. There are a lot of fantastic young American players coming through in the game. And I’m happy to be a part of this path of Major League Soccer for a long time to come.

A few Colorado fans might recognize goalkeeper Chris Sharpe, but the Rapids players certainly did on Saturday night. With Sharpe suited up for Chivas USA at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, many of the Rapids bumped fists or shook hands or patted him on the back as they passed the Goats’ bench.

Sharpe’s rights are owned by the Rapids, and he trains with the Rapids. He pitched a shutout against a local college team in a training match Wednesday with the Rapids’ reserves.

But Sharpe has a contract with Major League Soccer, and he’s used as an emergency backup whenever there’s a need around the league. After Zach Thornton hurt himself at the MLS All-Star Game, Chivas had a need. On Saturday, Sharpe rode the bench as the Rapids shelled Chivas starter Lance Parker with four first-half goals. But Chivas head coach Preki kept Parker in the game (and Sharpe on the bench), using all three of his substitutions for fresh field players at the start of the second half.

Sharpe is originally from Australia. He played for three years with Viborg FF in the Danish Superliga, was sold to Koge Boldklub in the Danish first division in 2007 then came to America. Sharpe lives in Denver now and was the goalkeeping coach for the Colorado Force of the W-League this year.

I caught up with him after Saturday’s Rapids game and during training on Wednesday.

How did you find out you’d be with Chivas USA on Saturday?

The team administrator rang me up Thursday to let me know that Zach was out injured and that I’d be coming in.

When was the first time you met anybody from Chivas USA?

I was here last year for a little bit. I was called in for the SuperLiga last year, so I knew quite a few of the boys and the coaches and stuff. Leo (Percovich, the Rapids’ goalkeeping coach in 2006 and 2007, who is with Chivas USA now) was obviously here.

What about this week? When did you first meet with the team before the game?

Today (Saturday). Saw the boys this morning for the first time today. They were at the hotel at 9:30 this morning. They got in last night.

Did you get any training time with them?

No. Just warmed up today, and that was it.

It looks like they had a jersey and warmups all ready for you.

They knew quite well ahead of time that I was coming in and coordinated with Kevin (Esparza), the team administrator, and Raul (Guerrero), the kit manager here, to have it ready for me.

What about next week?

I don’t know. They’ll tell me. I guess I go back home and see how Zach’s doing. It depends on how he’s doing. I’m sure if he’s not doing well I’ll be with them next week as well.

How does the MLS contract work for you?

The Rapids’ve got my rights. If I’m not on the squad in the weekend, then any other team can come in and put my name in the mix in the MLS. And if they say yes, then I can go.

How often does this happen?

This is my fourth time this year. Last year quite a bit, actually. Spent quite a bit of time away. Spent a couple of weeks here (with Chivas) last year. But all of last year I was here because it was Bouna (Coundoul) and I last year. So I spent half the season here on the bench. Columbus and Chivas this year.

How did everybody on the Rapids treat you this week?

The boys knew yesterday, so they were great. I got to training yesterday morning and the boys were doing set plays and stuff like that, and the boys were telling me to go back to the dressing room so I don’t go in here and tell everybody (with Chivas) what’s going in.

When the score became 4-0 in the first half, did you think you might be getting into the game?

I don’t know. Lance pulled up a little sore in his warmup, and I thought practicing before the game I was going in. The goalkeeping coach came to me and said, “Look, just get yourself ready. You might be going in. He’s hurt his hammy a little bit.” At any given point, I just had to be ready to go in for him if he didn’t feel comfortable.

Were you disappointed when Preki used all three subs at halftime?

Yeah, I mean all the boys on the bench were quite disappointed. It would’ve made it very nice, I’ll tell you that, to play against the boys.

What is your long-term goal?

Get that roster spot. It’s just hard now, with that 24-man roster. I felt I’ve done quite well this year, especially around training. I’d love to get a spot on that roster in the next few years.

George Tanner is a former writer and editor for the Rocky Mountain News; the Greeley Tribune; The Daily Independent of Ridgecrest, Calif.; the Durango Herald; and the Boulder Daily Camera. He is a graduate of the University of Colorado and an associate professor at Metropolitan State College of Denver. E-mail him at ColoradoSoccerNow@gmail.com.

To advertise on Colorado Soccer Now, e-mail George at ColoradoSoccerNow@gmail.com.

It was a good first cap and a good first camp with the national team. You get to see what it’s like and experience it firsthand and get to know the coaching staff pretty well.

Was one game (in the 2-2 tie against Haiti) enough playing time for you?

No, it was a little frustrating for me to only play in one. But it was a good experience, and I got to see what the level is like and what I need to do to get back there.

How much would’ve been enough for you?

Ha, playing in every game, starting all of them. But you know the way things go, it’s up to the coaches. Anybody’s going to want to go in and play every game. Coach has his gameplan and sticks to it. Unfortunately I wasn’t a part of that and didn’t do enough to pressure him to play me more. … The games came quick, so training was limited. There wasn’t a lot of time for me to prove, to show what I can provide the team with. So that was a little frustrating. So I have the rest of the year to let (coach Bob Bradley) see what I can do and hopefully get a call-back.

What is that level like, training, the coaches … ? How is that different from being with the Rapids?

The pace is a little bit quicker. Instead of taking three touches you’ve got to take two, sometimes one. But really, that’s about it. Speed of play.

Would you have liked to have played in the final, the 5-0 loss to Mexico? Is that somewhere you want to be, or is that something a player doesn’t want any part of?

Of course. You want to play every game. We just had a difficult start to the second half. I felt we outplayed … the team played better the latter 30 minutes of the first half. And I think we just came out a little sluggish in the second half, and we were punished by a very good team. You know, it’s something that anyone involved in the national team, the players who were there, the players on the field, the players who were on the bench, I think that’s something they’re going to keep in the back of their mind the next time they play Mexico.

What was the locker room like after that loss.

It was a good tournament. The team played well. We got where we wanted to be. We wanted to qualify out of our group in first place, and we wanted to win the final. We were just one step short. We accomplished a lot. And for a lot of players it was their first time in a national-team camp, so I think we did very well for ourselves. Just another game. We came away with a lot, so no reason to hang your head. … To frown upon it would not be the way to go out.

What was it playing with Kyle Beckerman again?

He’s good. I’ve always been a fan of his. Good player. Great guy. It was good to see him again.

What would Bob Bracley’s scouting report on Colin Clark say today?

(pause) (big exhale) (pause) I guess, “Likes to run at players and likes to serve the ball. But needs to work on his speed of play.”

Where do you see yourself fitting in with the national team from this point forward?

I’ve got a lot to prove, a lot of work the rest of the year. Hopefully we’ll get a chance to get a call-back for the January camp, and I’ll have to perform there to get a seriously look from coach.

You wore No. 13. How’d that come about?

It’s what I was given.

When you were in high school in Fort Collins, did you ever dream you’d be representing the United States and playing Mexico in the final of a tournament?

No, to be fair. But as my career has gone on, I’ve gotten more and more eager to get that shot to play for the national team.

And now you’re back with the Rapids for the regular season.

I’m looking forward to being back, to getting home, to getting settled in, to getting accustomed to the team again. We’ve got a tough game on Saturday, and hopefully we can continue our run of form at home.

Does it feel odd not having Terry Cooke here?

I came home and he wasn’t here. He’s a good player, and I wish him all the best. But it’s a business, and there’s nothing I can do about it.

Have you spoken to him?

No, I haven’t.

Will there be more pressure on you offensively without him in the lineup?

No. We have a very, very good roster, full of depth. We’ve great players up top, out wide. Anybody who comes into the game is capable of changing the game, scoring a goal. I need to focus on what I can provide the team with.

George Tanner is a former writer and editor for the Rocky Mountain News; the Greeley Tribune; The Daily Independent of Ridgecrest, Calif.; the Durango Herald; and the Boulder Daily Camera. He is a graduate of the University of Colorado and an associate professor at Metropolitan State College of Denver. E-mail him at ColoradoSoccerNow@gmail.com.

Photo by Jonathan Ingraham/ColoradoSoccerNow.com. E-mail Jonathan here.

The Red Bulls are 2-15-4 with 10 points. How is this season weighing on your organization?

I think everybody’s incredibly frustrated by the lack of results, the amount of individual errors that we make. … I think it’s one of the toughest seasons I’ve had to go through; I know it’s probably that way for everyone in our organization.

Is there anything you take from this game?

I don’t think so. I really don’t think there’s a silver lining. (Editor’s note: Another reporter asked the same question to Red Bulls coach Juan Carlos Osorio outside the locker room. His answer was yes, there are things to be learned from the loss. But, as he continued, he spoke in vague terms and offered no examples of what those lessons might be. His response made me appreciated Agoos’ candid answer.)

Rapids fans know goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul well. How does he fit into your team’s plans?

We had Jon Conway and Danny Cepero prior to signing Bouna. We thought we needed a more athletic goalkeeper, and certainly Bouna is in that mold. I think he, like most goalkeepers here in the league, still needs to develop and work, and we think there will be some positive things that Bouna gives us in years to come.

You were on nine MLS All-Star teams, and Rapids striker Conor Casey was just named to his first. How big an honor is that?

I think it’s a huge honor to be recognized by the media, by your peers as one of the best. Certainly Conor has deserved it. He’s had a very good year. He’s been one of the reasons why this team has done as well as it has. Players like him and Omar (Cummings) have done a tremendous job for this organization.

Can being called up to the national team and playing in an All-Star Game be a distraction?

The national team for sure. You’ve got times where players are going in and out. You’ve got injuries. Any time you can’t keep a consistent lineup, it affects you. You’ve just got to have enough depth to be able to deal with that. That’s one of the difficulties of this league is creating depth through your roster.

How important is the Gold Cup final against Mexico?

I think it’s a big game, but I don’t think it’s as big as this (World Cup qualifier) against Mexico in Mexico. We want to win the Gold Cup final. We take a lot of pride in that tournament. I think we want to, with the reduced roster we have, show that we can compete with the most of the best players of the Mexican team. But in saying that, the World Cup qualifiers are always more important than these types of tournaments because that’s really where you want to put your emphasis.

Has anyone in particular on the U.S. team impressed you during the Gold Cup?

One thing I like about the U.S. team is that they play well together. (Coach Bob Bradley’s) stamp on the team is that there are no individuals, that the team plays well, that they’re a very hard team to play against. I think that’s what you see. I wouldn’t say there are one or two players; they all work incredibly hard for each other.

A lot of people don’t like watching the national team when it has a “reduced roster.” But players like the ones on this Gold Cup team can turn into the future of the national team, can’t they?

It’s incredibly important for their experience because on a national team you need depth. You need to be able to have different players in different positions. When I was with the national team, it was one or two players at each position. And now there are literally five or six that can step in and do the job. And I think that’s what this league has been able to create.

George Tanner is a former writer and editor for the Rocky Mountain News; the Greeley Tribune; The Daily Independent of Ridgecrest, Calif.; the Durango Herald; and the Boulder Daily Camera. He is a graduate of the University of Colorado and an associate professor at Metropolitan State College of Denver. E-mail him at ColoradoSoccerNow@gmail.com.

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Sunday’s Real Colorado season finale marked the end of a busy stretch for Real Colorado Cougars midfielder Beth West. The 19-year-old had spent the previous week training with the U.S. U-20 team in Boulder. The Yanks played two games against Canada, winning 8-0 and 2-1, then finished up with a 3-0 loss against her W-League team. When West is not representing her country or playing with the Cougars, who finished their season 4-5-3 and a tie for third place in the Western Conference, she plays for Texas A&M University. She took some time after Sunday’s 4-1 Cougars victory over Vancouver to talk. …

How was it playing against Real Colorado for a change?
It was interesting, but it was fun. There were a lot of girls I know, but we had a lot of guest players, too.

Where do you fit in to the national team?
I’m actually playing defense for the national team. I play left back and right back. I prefer midfield because I’ve played there my whole life. But wherever they need me, I’ll play there. We have the World Cup coming up next July, and that’s what we’re working toward right now. We’ll see where we go from there.

What are your chances of playing in that World Cup?
I think they’re actually pretty good right now. The World Cup is going to be in Germany, and I was just there. We played England and Germany. We beat England, and we tied Germany.

How do the Cougars fit into your busy schedule?
I love playing with the Cougars. It’s great soccer, played in the summer, and you keep in shape with the college season coming up. I love all the girls. Hopefully I’ll still be around next summer. However long the team keeps playing, I’ll play with them, probably all throughout college.

Is it beneficial for you?
It’s just good touches on the ball, getting to play with other collegiate athletes who are playing at a high level. It’s fun traveling with the girls and just hanging out. And I love the coaching staff, too. All around, it’s a really good thing. We have a lot of good teams in this league, and all the teams are pretty even. It’s a good league.

Are you happy with the W-League season?
Obviously we’re disappointed we didn’t make it to the playoffs. Overall I think we did pretty well. I think we could’ve done better earlier on in the season. We could’ve capitalized on some games we needed to win. But overall it was a fairly good season.

How important was Saturday’s victory?

On some occasions we’ve come away from less than full points. We’re getting to the point in the season, in the second half, where points are the most important thing. I think on the back of two defeats there is some doubt, whatever you think, about what you’re doing. You lose a little bit of confidence. And to get back on track again is vital.

The defense was strong against Dallas. …

Listen, all the credit goes to the players. There’s no two ways about that. We were very disappointed last week with how we performed in the first period (in Colorado’s 2-1 loss to Chicago at home on July 4). And we lost the game against a good opponent because of a lack of drive and passion. On many an occasion here, we’ve showed at home that we’re difficult to beat. And last week we came in and we were all very, very disappointed at conceding two goals in 45 minutes. And the majority of (last) week, the majority of players were driven by that inept display in the first half. I thought in the first period (against Dallas) they turned the scales upside down. The amount of possession we won in their half … We forced them into errors. We kept a very high line. There was commitment. I thought the players really set this thought out: ‘Whatever else happens tonight, it’s not going to be easy.’ And it wasn’t easy. I think the stats show that Dallas didn’t have one shot on goal, albeit they had two or three opportunities to make a little bit more of the situation than they did. But so did we. We squandered a number of situations with a poor final pass or choice, bad touch, misplaced shot. … It was one of those situations where we had to find a goal, somehow, some way, to keep some pressure on the sides above us, who have started to pull away a little bit.

What about your decision to start Terry Cooke and Jacob Peterson? That was different from last week.

I felt we finished the game well last week. We finished strongly. It gives the group a little bit more clarity about their jobs when we play a 4-3-3. I was hoping for a little bit more service from the wide areas than we probably got in the first half. But what we did get was good pressure. The three midfield players (Nick LaBrocca, Mehdi Ballouchy and Pablo Mastroeni), I always felt, would be stronger and more aggressive than (Dallas’) three, although we were all mindful of their quality and creativity. And I think that energy, drive and aggression overpowered a very creative midfield for them. A big pat in the back to those three in midfield. There’s a lot of unsung work going on in there, Nicky and Mehdi. And I thought Pablo, for a majority of the game, showed a real edge, a real passion to lead the team on. He’s a terrific captain, and he set an example.”

What else went on to turn around the level of possession so much?

What has happened over a little period of time is, with a lot of home games coming up, is you tend to change your focus slightly from what might be a more secure and difficult group to beat to the creativity and possession and movement. And I think some of the players just lost sight of what has gotten them in the position they’re in. Their energy and determination has got them where they are. We are not the most creative and talented team in the league; there is no two ways about that. I will never, ever say that we are. But … what I do think we are is one of the more disciplined and hard-working groups within this league. And we may fall short in front of goal on the odd occasion through lack of creativity, but we should never fall short through lack of effort. And we did (against Chicago). And it’s one of very, very occasion I could ever level that criticism against the group. Second half last week we turned it around. But the main focus (against Dallas) was that the main qualities that we all feel we’re capable of come to the fore. And (laughing) the thing that let us down was our creativity when we won the ball back. We’re a side that are lacking a couple of players (midfielder Colin Clark and striker Omar Cummings were at the Gold Cup, representing the United States and Jamaica, respectively) that make a big difference to us. There are teams within this league that can cope with players missing. At the moment, we can’t. In the future, I hope we can. We’re working toward that. And what I do know that the players we bring in will not only make us stronger but will give us a little more of an edge and certainly more depth. And the players at the moment who are on the pitch, the 11 that start and the subs that come in, we should almost be able to rubber-stamp that they are going to give us every single vein of energy that they have in their body. We’re two players short, two creative players, two very explosive players. That may be, at the moment, what we’re missing, that little bit of an edge. We have to, along with a lot of other groups, grind out some results when it would be easy to sulk and, maybe, curl up in a corner and say we haven’t got the players we need.

Was Saturday’s victory more vital considering that you have to travel to D.C. this week?

We were on a two-game loss, so we have to snap that somehow. The players are not fools. They know what has gone on in the past. It’s indicative of the group that they’ve gone through a long period of ineptitude. To get a win when probably a draw was very likely is huge. It’s massive at this stage of the season.

Did you feel that Conor Casey was still getting acclimated after playing for the U.S. in the Confederations Cup?

The point is this: He’s playing up there on his own. When he’s got Omar with him, who’s stretching defenses and opening people up, he can flourish a little bit more. He’s playing against two players. Those players read the game and know they can commit themselves. I thought he was terrific. He held up better. There was a yard sharper within his game, his quality on the ball. He got into aggressive areas. And hopefully as time moves on, we can get that shape back again. … That 4-3-3 offered us the best opportunity to get a result. It’s not necessarily how I want to play, but the reality is that we need to stay in that playoff hunt and we need to get back on a winning trail. And, like you said, going away (to D.C.), it was vital that we got something out of the game.

For the Rapids franchise, having players on national teams is a proud achievement. But what’s it like for you as a coach?

It’s very difficult. It’s something that doesn’t happen anywhere else in the world, I believe, not in major competition leagues, as the MLS is and is striving toward. In Europe, it happens in the summer (off-season) because of the way the season runs. And I know other clubs have to deal with it as well. But it does two things. It takes away your best players, so you lose some continuity. The second thing it does is it actually takes away your best players for the fans. So now those people who are coming to watch certain individuals, Conor Casey, Omar Cummings and Colin Clark, are out of luck. They are our most productive players. They’re not playing. Kenny Cooper’s not playing. He’s scored a truckload of goals for Dallas, but he’s not here. So why are the fans going to turn up. The likelihood is that the game’s going to be 1-nil or nil-nil because of the players who are missing. I know it’s difficult. It’s something I have to deal with. It’s new to me. The more-experienced managers in the league have seen this time and time again. Their squads have had more time to build and to deal with it. At the moment, we’re struggling to cope with that because I want the right players in for the long term. We could’ve brought in players that we turn over inside six months, but I’m not sure that gives us stability or structure. It is difficult. But for them, for the country, for the franchise, it’s great. There’s some mixed emotions, that’s for sure.

What kind of team are we going to see Wednesday night against Club America?

We’ve got some players within the group who need games. We’ll have a bit of a mixed group out there. We’ve got certain areas where we’re obviously stronger than others, namely along the back four. So don’t be some surprised if you see a lot of changes within that back four. Julien Baudet, who’s our latest signing, is available to play. So, all things being equal, we’ll see him for the first time. Then we start to move into an area where we don’t have a lot of room to maneuver. So we’ll assess the bodies. … What I do think is that we’ll still be very competitive. We’ll see some faces that are going to get some minutes.

Do you scout Club America?

I don’t know anything about them. I don’t know how they’re going to play. I don’t know what the players are like. … (laughing) I only found out the other day they’re from Mexico. … It’s a very good opportunity for some of our squad players to show what they’re about, to play against good opposition. Of course we want to be competitive, and we want to show what we’re about. But our focus surely has to be league football and getting the best we can out of that with a very small group. The squads have been reduced. And we need to make sure that all of those squad players, who’ve had limited opportunities with no reserve league, get some football against a very competitive group.

Is that your responsibility? To attack from the right side of the defense?

Nowadays, you’ve got to attack as a defender, especially right, left back. That’s a strength, you know? No defenders defends all the time. If you go to the European countries, better teams over there in the European countries, you see right back and left back, they attack all the time. That gives the team strength, constant attacking, more depth. And it makes confusion for them. That’s why I’ve been watching some of the good players from the European countries and learning all the time to be aggressive all the time. If you attack all the time, say like (against Dallas), they have to go back and defend me all the time, their left wing. They lose their energy when they go up against me. That’s my mentality, and Gary (Smith, Rapids coach) knows that. And especially at home, we’ve got to get going. This is our game, and the altitude helps us, too. We’ve got to use that.

There was a highlight play in the first half where you came up through the midfield and juked Dax McCarty …

Yeah, I was going to take a shot, but I saw Nick making a run, and i just … I don’t know. I lost control and just passed it.

But the crowd liked that. I see Colin Clark working on moves like that all the time in training. Are you doing that?

Me and Jake (Peterson) … most of the young guys … Omar (Cummings) and me, Mehdi (Ballouchy), Nick (LaBrocca), Jake, Colin, we do that all the time to get confident on the ball. Attack and attack. That’s where the goal comes from. You have to be aggressive. You cannot stay and be passive and move the ball side to side. You’ve got to break the defender beyond that. That’s how you attack. Otherwise, the goal never comes.

The defense is getting a little bit crowded with the signing of Julien Baudet. Will you find yourself with less playing time soon?

I don’t know. That’s a good question. We have really, really high competition. We have some good defenders, and we’ve got a new guy from France who’s a great player, too. No matter who plays, I have faith in everybody on this team. And coach has faith in everybody. All I’ve got to do is keep working hard.

Have they spoken to you about playing more in midfield?

Maybe when the time comes. When I score, I play right wing. Coach may switch it up. “Hey, Kosuke, go play right wing.” I’ll just keep working hard and take the chance when it comes.

When your play brings such cheering from the fans, how does that affect you as a player?

Oh, it feels great. I get pumped up easy. I get so excited so quick, so that’s great. I like that. It’s what you play for, right?

I saw you shaking your head and slapping the wall. What did you see that you didn’t like?

I think we were getting a little bit abused on our left side defensively, and it’s a little bit frustrating. I’m not sure the energy is out there tonight, and losing Osvaldo Alonso (a midfielder who left the game with an injury) in the first minute was a big blow to our team. He’s a big part of the motor in the midfielder. It’s frustrating, but we got a good goal from Fredy (Montero).

Might the heads be down a bit because the other Freddie (Ljungberg) is not here?

The other Freddie helps us. Brad Evans helps us. Zach Scott helps us. We’re definitely a club that’s a little banged up right now. And Freddie Ljungberg also brings that calm and experience to the pitch and can keep the guys on task. Not having all the pieces to the puzzle hurts.

Everybody knows about the success story that is the Sounders this year. What is something soccer fans don’t know about this team?

Maybe how well the team has come together in terms of chemistry and the heart of the team. There have been very few instances where the character, the heart, the passion would ever be in questions. Sometimes it’s hard to get that together quickly, where a team’s willing to run into a brick wall for each other. I think that part came together relatively quickly for us. We know we have good players, but that piece of it has been a bit surprising. 

What do you see about the Rapids that you like?

It’s a good team, balanced. I like the pace on the flanks. Having Conor (Casey) up there is phenomenal. He’s a great presence up there. Omar (Cummings) has done well. It’s a good, balanced team. That’s part of what’s causing us fits out there. But I think we need to focus on ourselves and come out in the second half and do a good job of challenging for the three points.

What difficulties does it present for the Sounders having to play the same team in just a few days in the U.S. Open Cu?

It presents difficulties for both sids. As our numbers dwindle, maybe depth becomes an issue. Aside from that, I think both teams have the same advantages or disadvantages.

You were an NASL fan growing up. Any favorite NASL story you want to share?

I don’t know if i have a favorite NASL story, but those years were what cemented my love for the game. I was a kid, I guess I was a 5-, 6-, 7-, 8-year-old who started going to those NASL games and going to their soccer camps and going to their gatherings after the game collecting autographs and having those guys be my heroes and role models, that’s what created my passion for the game and my passion to try to do my small part to continue the process for the kids and fans of Seattle and bring a Major League Soccer team to Seattle and having it become a real meaningful part of the community’s lives, the way it was for me.  I think I was probably so young that I was in awe of … but I do get a sense of the vibe and the love affair that the fans have for the team. So everything we’ve been doing is to try to make sure that we rekindle that. Sort of in the back of my mind I’ve got that feeling that I had as a kid and seeing the relationship between the fans and the players. We focus hard on keeping that alive.