Wednesday, January 28, 2009

KCsoccer.com Interview: Alan Blinzler

Photo: KSYSA President and KC Brass founder Alan Blinzler talks with KCsoccer.com

Today KCsoccer.com profiles: Alan Blinzler

Team(s) you are affiliated with:Kansas City United Soccer Club (formerly the Attack Soccer Club) - formed with Emilio John and Jim Schwab in 1993, Kansas City Brass - founded with Emilio John in 1997, Kansas State Youth Soccer Assocaition, President from 2005 to the present, Member of the Board of Directors from 2001 to the present.

How did you begin playing/coaching?I started playing in high school gym class. That was in the 1960’s. Everything I was told then about the game was wrong. Started to play seriously in college and then in amateur leagues in Kansas City, Kansas and at Jackson County. I still play on occassion with a group of coaches from my club in an indoor league. I started coaching in the early 1980's with my nephew and niece and later my son and daughters. All had successful careers playing and earned many honors. All of the credit for their success belongs to them and the other coaches they had. I was mostly along for the ride.

Name some of your biggest wins as a player/coach:The biggest win for me was not as a coach or a player, but when my older daughter won the State Championship in High School her senior year. It came down to kicks from the mark. She was the third shooter and she nailed side netting. Watching those girls celebrate after the winning goal was something I will not forget.

Name some players you have played/coached against that have impressed you (and why?):Diego Ramon Tau. I had the opportunity to play for a number of years with Ramon. A true gentleman and the most skilled player to ever grace a field in Kansas City. In his prime there was no one who could compare. Over the years, I had the opportunity to know many truly skilled players, from Pato Margetic to Preki. Each thought Ramon was simply incredible.

Compare the game now compared to when you first started playing/coaching:When I started I was perhaps one of ten players who grew up in the US playing in the local leagues. In the early seventies there were a few players who grew up here, a few who played for the Kansas City Spurs, but most of the teams had strong ethnic ties. There were the Internationals who were mostly Germans, Santos was Brazilian, Academy was Argentinean, Peruvian and a few Central Americans, Pumas and Chivas were mainly Mexican, and so on. Shortly afterwards, there began a slow, but steady influx of American players. Today there is a whole generation of very skilled American born players at all levels, many of whom grew up in Kansas City.

What factors have helped you be a successful player/coach?A love of the game and an overly analytical bent.If you were to improve one thing about the game/competition/regulations about the level of the game you're associated with what would it be?Make the Premier Development League, which the Kansas City Brass plays in, follow the Olympic Rules on the number of allowed over age players (3). Today the PDL allows eight over age players. Many teams start all eight and only sub the underage players. The current rule defeats the concept of a “Development” League. Name your top 11 players you have played with or coached:Manny Schwartz – goal
Craig Kasten – defense
Jim Schwab – defense
Kim Roentved - defense
Adam Blinzler (my son) or Josh Duffy – defense (coached and played with both, maybe some bias here)
Preki – mid
Will John - mid
Diego Ramon Tau – mid
Ermund Ragova - forward
Emilio John – forward
Pato Margetic - forward

There are many others who I had the chance to play with including Victor Petroni, Charlie Carrie, Robi Goff, Fatai Ayoade and a couple of so-so players named Jefferson and Lincoln Roblee who should be on that list somewhere.

Name your top 11 players of all time (no restrictions):

Lev Yashin – goal
Franz Beckenbauer – defense
Roberto Carlos – defense
Paolo Maldini – defense
Alessandro Nesta - defense
Socrates – mid
Pele – mid
Messi -mid
Lothar Mattheus - mid
Michel Platini – forward
Diego Maradona - forward

This interview was completed on: (date) January 8, 2008.

2009 KC Brass (PDL) Schedule



2009 Kansas City Brass (PDL) schedule

DATE (DAY) VISITOR at HOME TEAM STADIUM KICKOFF
May 9 (Sat) KC Brass at Real Colorado Foxes Shea Stadium 6:30pm
*May 10 (Sun) KC Brass at Real Colorado Foxes Shea Stadium 1:00pm
*May 17 (Sun) St. Louis Lions at KC Brass William Jewell College 7:00pm
*May 20 (Wed) Sprgfld Demize at KC Brass William Jewell College 7:00pm
*May 23 (Sat) KC Brass at Rochester Thunder Rchstr Comm Tech 7:00pm
June 4 (Thu) Des Moines Menace at KC Brass William Jewell College 7:00pm
June 6 (Sat) KC Brass at Springfield Demize Cooper Sports Complex 7:30pm
June 11 (Thu) KC Brass at Springfield Demize Cooper Sports Complex 7:30pm
June 13 (Sat) KC Brass at St. Louis Lions Tony Glavin Complex 5:00pm
June 14 (Sun) Rochester Thunder at KC Brass Wiliam Jewell College 5:00pm
June 20 (Sat) KC Brass at Des Moines Menace Valley View Stadium 7:30pm
July 2 (Thu) Thunder Bay Chill at KC Brass William Jewell College 7:00pm
July 5 (Sun) KC Brass at St. Louis Lions Tony Glavin Complex 5:00pm
July 9 (Thu) Springfield Demize at KC Brass William Jewell College 7:00pm
July 16 (Thu) Des Moines Menace at KC Brass William Jewell College 7:00pm
July 18 (Sat) Colorado Real Foxes at KC Brass William Jewell College 7:00pm

*Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Qualifying Matches

Article first appeared on http://www.therobleereport.com/ .

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

KCsoccer.com Interview: Nate Houser

Photo: Baker University men's and women's soccer head coach Nate Houser talks with KCsoccer.com

Today KCsoccer.com profiles : Nate Houser

Team(s) you are affiliated with: Baker University Men and Women; Rush u19 boys

How did you begin playing/coaching? Playing- drove by rec sign-ups one day when I was 4, and said why not. Coaching- started with camps in college and then was a camp director with the Comets. I did some volunteer ODP work in-between. From there I applied for the head women’s job at Baker.Name some of your biggest wins as a player/coach: Player- u17 Cal South State Cup, San Diego CIF Championship in high school. U19 Kansas State Cup. NPSL Championship 1997. Coaching- Heart of America Conference Championship 2008.

Name some players you have played/coached against that have impressed you (and why?): Played with/ against- Milos Bursac, Red Star European Champion 1991, the most complete player I have been on the field with. Carlos Valderama, big, fit, strong and no mistakes-ever! Kevin Koetters, KC Wizards & Attack, one of the best American players I played with or against. He could do everything and anything. John Limniatis, Canadian National Team Captain, very smart, intense and no nonsense. Hakan Suker, Galatasary, Best Striker I have been 2 yards from. Different in everyway.

Compare the game now compared to when you first started playing/coaching: When I started the game was built around sweepers, and not very organized. Now every good team is very well organized defensively, and many players are my size, 6’3”, but they are much better athletes. The game has also gotten much faster.
What factors have helped you be a successful player/coach? As a player I took the role of the underdog. Not very many rated me, so I used that as motivation to arrive early and stay late at training. I forced myself to play a simple game because I wasn’t very technical.
As a coach, it has been same. Many people don’t think players can be coaches, so I have tried to learn as much as I can from as many resources as possible and be a student of the game. I work hard, but maybe what works for me is the desire and ability to see the game from a players point of view. I try to use my experiences to help my players tackle their problems on the field.

If you were to improve one thing about the game/competition/regulations about the level of the game you're associated with what would it be? I would make the season 6 months long with a break in the middle so we could see more development of players and teams at he college level. That would be a great challenge.

Name your top 11 players you have played with or coached: GK Dan Popik, LA Galaxy/ Milwaukee Rampage, D Ian Fraser, Canada/ Attack, D John Limniatis, Canada/ Attack, D Sammy Ekeme, Cameroon, Wizards, Attack, D Carlos Zavala, Toluca, Rochester Rhinos, MF, Kevin Koetters, Wizards/ Rochester Rhinos/ Attack, MF Goran Hunjak, Tampa Bay Mutiny, Attack, MF Mark Waite, Hampton Roads Mariners, MF Lenin Steenkamp, Rochester Rhinos, F Clovis Simas, Brazil Futsal World Champion, F Jon Wolniec, New York Red Bulls/ Milwaukee Rampage.

Name your top 11 players of all time (no restrictions): Zinadine Zidane, Diego Maradona, Ruud Gullit, Frank Rikgaard, Theirry Henry, Socrates, Patrick Viera, Franz Beckenbaur, Franco Baresi, Ronaldinho, Pele. This isn’t fair. I left off Maldini, Cruyff, George Best, Eric Cantona, Lev Yashin, Eusebio, etc.

This interview was completed on: (date) 1/20/08

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Wizards #1 Draft Pick: Matt Besler

Matt Besler is the Wizards 1st Round Draft Pick in the 2009 MLS SuperDraft. Photo by http://www.kcwizards.com/ .

KC native Matt Besler (BV West, KCFC Alliance, Kansas 87 ODP, Notre Dame) was selected in the 1st Round (8th overall) by the Kansas City Wizards in the Major League Soccer SuperDraft. Big congratulations to Matt and the Kansas City Wizards organization. KCsoccer.com and the Kansas City soccer community is proud of our local players and MLS team. Go Matt and go Wizards! In the second round the Wizards selected Michigan State forward Doug DeMartin (22nd overall) and Maryland midfielder Graham Zusi (23rd overall). In the fourth round the Wizards drafted St. John's goalkeeper Neal Kitson (42nd overall) and in the fifth round selected UConn midfielder Akeem Priestley (50th overall).

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Predicting the 2009 MLS SuperDraft

Photo: California's Stephan Frei will be the first goalkeeper taken in the 2009 MLS SuperDraft.

There are a few things you must know before we start discussing the upcoming MLS Draft. First, 70 players just competed in the MLS Combine in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Second, there will be 60 players selected in this year's MLS Draft (15 teams and four rounds). Third, probably every team will select at least one player in the MLS Draft that did not attend the MLS Combine. Therefore no more than and probably less than 45 of the 70 players who attended the MLS Combine will be selected in the MLS Draft. So who will be taken and what round will they go? Well without attending this year's combine or having any inside information I have a decent idea of how it's going to look. I know that may sound crazy, but performance and/or participation in the MLS combine has never been the best indicator of draft projection. I've followed MLS and the MLS Draft every year and I've coached or coached against approximatley 100 players that were eventuallly drafted by a MLS team. I was at the MLS Combine in Los Angeles in 2006 and saw first hand the relation between combine performance and selection. I am very familair with many of the top MLS prospects this year. The following list is not a list of who I think is necessarily the best 40 players from the combine but instead a list of who I believe the MLS coaches and technical directors will pick. I am listing the players by who will get drafted and what round they will be drafted. I'm not going say who is going to be picked by what team because which team has what pick is going to change a lot between now and 5 seconds before the very first overall selection will be made. A team could have two first round picks and trade both picks away for an already proven player. And the needs of those two teams immediately change. Expect as many as five of my projected 1st rounders to be selected in the second round and as many as five of my second round projections to move into the first round. Goalkeeper Stephan Frei will be a first round pick but with reduced rosters (28 in 2008 to 24 in 2009) goalkeepers probably will not be in demand. None of my opinion is based on inside information other than some personal experience coaching with or against some current MLS prospects at a youth, ODP, college or PDL level.
Projected Selections 1-15 (1st Round Picks in alpha order):
Kevin Alston (Indiana)
Matt Besler (Notre Dame)
Sam Cronin (Wake Forest)
Daniel Cruz (UNLV)
Stefan Frei (California)
Omar Gonzalez (Maryland)
Jeremy Hall (Maryland)
Baggio Husidic (U-Illinois-Chicago)
Peri Marosevic (Michigan)
Yohance Marshall (South Florida)
Kyle Patterson (Saint Louis)
Chris Pontius (UCSB)
Brad Ring (Indiana)
Rodney Wallace (Maryland)
Steve Zakuani (Akron)
Projected Selections 16-30 (2nd Round Picks in alpha order):
Lyle Adams (Wake Forest)
Quincy Amarikwa (U California Davis)
Calum Angus (Saint Louis U)
Darius Barnes (Duke)
Josh Boeteng (Liberty)
A.J. DeLaGarza (Maryland)
Jokull Elisabetarson (UNC-Greensboro)
Andrei Gotsmanov (Creighton)
David Hertl (Michigan State)
George John (Washington)
Michael Lahoud (Wake Forest)
Babajide Ogunjihi (Santa Clara)
Jordan Seabrook (South Florida)
O'Brien White (UConn)
Graham Zusi (Maryland)
Selections 31-45 (3rd Round Picks in alpha order):
Trevor Banks (Old Dominion)
Brandon Barklage (Saint Louis)
Evan Brown (Wake Forest)
Doug DeMartin (Michigan State)
Jack Traynor (Notre Dame)
OK, I know you want me to list some more players from the MLS combine to be picked...but I'm not feeling it. I think around 25 players who were not in the combine, players MLS teams wanted to hide or have known about for a few years or come recommended by very trusted sources will be picked in the final 25 picks. How accurate are the predictions? We'll soon find out.
Article first appeared on www.TheRobleeReport.com .

Monday, January 12, 2009

KCsoccer.com Interview: Mike Saif


Photo: KC Dynamos coach and WORLD CLASS COACHING president Mike Saif talks with KCsoccer.com


Today's KCsoccer.com profiles: Mike Saif


Team(s) you are affiliated with: KC Dynamos U10 Boys


How did you begin playing/coaching? Played as a kid in England like all kids did and got into coaching because my Dad coached professional teamsName some of your biggest wins as a player/coach: 12 KS State Championships, Region Two Championship and a USYS National Championship


Name some players you have played/coached against that have impressed you (and why?): I have coached lots of players that have impressed me...too many to mention. Some for how they improved their technical ability and some for how they compete and some for their special leadership abilities.


Compare the game now compared to when you first started playing/coaching: It is as different as night and day compared to when I played over 30 years ago. The game is so much more physical and faster now. Even if you look at games on TV from 15 years ago you can see a big difference. The youth game has also improved in KC over the 17 years I have coached here. The talent pool is deeper, which makes for more competitive teams in each age group.
What factors have helped you be a successful player/coach? My Dad was a pro player and coached pro teams in England. My brother coached at the Academies of pro teams so we were pretty much a soccer family and I learned to look at games through the eyes of a coach and not a player or fan. I definitely learned more from discussions at home than I have by attending any coaching licensing course. Also, as the president of WORLD CLASS COACHING, I am interacting on a daily basis with coaches all over the world. I also have daily exposure to training sessions, methods and ideas from these coaches. This not only improves my coaching knowledge but keeps me on the cutting edge.

If you were to improve one thing about the game/competition/regulations about the level of the game you're associated with what would it be? Where do I begin? The culture of youth soccer in the U.S. has some great strengths but also has some strong negatives. Three issues that hold back player development are:
1. Coaching and player development decisions being made by inexperienced volunteers who see things from admin perspective and not a technical perspective.2. A desire to win and collect trophies, especially at a young age. This is inbred in our soccer culture and is part of the players, coaches and parents. This can lead to situations where development takes a back seat to attempting to win.3. Overplaying and not enough quality training. Our young players play too many games that don't help development. They play outdoor league, tournaments, indoors, 3v3, guest play, ODP, etc. Not only does this wear the players out and set them up for injuries as they get older, but the games don't mean anything to them...at least not the right thing. As mentioned earlier, their purpose is to win games, so they don't get a chance to try out new skills, etc.Things are beginning to change for the better and this is a good sign. US Soccer has taken the lead with the older players and cut this down so players have to train three times a week, don't participate in ODP and participate in a national type league.

Name your top 11 players you have played with or coached: As I said earlier, I have coached too many good players that it would be unfair to try and find 11 to put in a list.


Name your top 11 players of all time (no restrictions): Here are some in order - George Best (without question). Pele, Maradonna, Tony Currie, Zidane, Cruyff, Beckenbauer,


This interview was completed on: (date) Jan 8, 2009.

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Coach Tenney to Seattle Sounders FC; John Pascarella to be Wizards New GK/Conditioning Coach

John Pascarella-KC Wizards new Goalkeeper/Conditioning Coach

Goalkeeper/conditioning coach David Tenney is moving from the Kansas City Wizards to the new expansion MLS team Seattle Sounders FC.

John Pascarella will take over David Tenney's responsibilities as Goalkeeper/conditioning Coach. Pascarella had been the Head Coach of the Northern Virginia Royals (PDL) since 2007 and has additional experience coaching premier youth, Virginia ODP and Region I (East) ODP.

Thursday, January 8, 2009

KCsoccer.com Interview: Huw Williams

Photo: KCFC Technical Director Huw Williams talks with KCsoccer.com

Today KCsoccer.com profiles: Huw Williams

Team(s) you are affiliated with: KCFC Technical Director and coach of KCFC Intensity (U16G); KCFC Impact (U18G); KCFC Strikers (U17B)

How did you begin playing/coaching? Started playing at a very young age (can’t remember not playing)– I am from North Wales and if you did not play soccer in North Wales then you did not participate in any sport. I attended my 1st coaching certification course at the age of 15 (FA Prelim). I then held weekly clinics for the local grade-schoolers every Saturday morning for the FAW (Football Association of Wales).

Name some of your biggest wins as a player/coach: Biggest win as a player – Wales U19 2 v England U19 0. Biggest wins as a coach – U13G and U15G Regional II Championship matches. The u13 final was very exciting. We tied the game in the last minute of regulation and scored the winning goal the 1st minute of overtime.

Name some players you have played/coached against that have impressed you (and why?): Biggest name played with – Ian Rush who went on to be one of the best goalscorers of all time. However the best player at that time was Kevin Ratcliff who went on to captain Wales and Everton FC but as a youth player Kevin was head and shoulders better than the rest of us. He was stronger, faster and simply way better than all of us. (Later in life – Kevin claimed that he challenged Linford Christie to a race in the streets shortly after the 1992 Barcelona Olympics in which Christie had just won the gold medal – Kevin also claims that he won the race!!). Best player played against – Bernhard Schuster, German international player who also played for Barcelona and Real Madrid. He captained Germany U19s v Wales U19s – we lost 3-2.

Compare the game now compared to when you first started playing/coaching: The game in Kansas City is WAY different from when I first came over here in 1985. In those days there were very few clubs and very few premier level teams. (I remember talking with Emilio John after his team – Club America(?) had won an out of town tournament and that was considered to be a huge deal at the time). Kansas City soccer has since developed into one of the major soccer communities in the country. The depth of the talent level has improved dramatically.
What factors have helped you be a successful player/coach? Biggest influence on my coaching – Stuart Griffiths, my college coach. I had played for various pro clubs prior to attending college so I had been subjected to a certain coaching style – which was basically ‘win games and take no prisoners’ – foul or be fouled. Stuart Griffiths was just as competitive and had the same desire to succeed as these pro coaches but believed in doing so in the right manner. I hope his method was the biggest influence on my coaching.

Name your top 11 players of all time (no restrictions):
Spot the common denominator?
Neville Southall
John Charles (the gentle giant)
Kevin Ratcliff (the Rat)
Joey Jones
Ryan Giggs
Leighton James
Terry Yorath
Ivor Allchurch
Mark Hughes
John Toshack
Ian Rush
Subs
Trevor Ford
Cliff Jones
Brian Flynn
Billy Meredith
Gil Reece
Gary Sprake
Mickey Thomas

Formation – 3-4-1-2. Tactics: John Charles and Joey Jones marking tight at the back. Charles winning all of the headers and Ratcliff covering both players. Lots of speed and skill out wide with James and Giggs. Yorath winning lose balls and Allchurch spraying passes and attacking from midfield. Hughes would be a link between the forwards. Tosh would win all the high balls and Rush would feed off of his touches.

This interview was completed on: (date) January 8, 2009
Kansas City's soccer leaders will be regularly featured on KCsoccer.com . Look for more interviews, ratings, lists and news at KCsoccer.com .

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

2009 MLS COMBINE UPDATE


Photo: KC native Matt Besler at MLS Combine this weekend.


Matt Besler (BV West HS, KCFC Alliance, Notre Dame) has been invited to and will participate in the 2009 MLS Combine that begins Saturday at Lockhart Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The MLS Combine participants are divided into four teams and play a round robin schedule (Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday). Matt's combine team is adidas adiPure. Coaching Matt's team (college coach and youth coach) will be his own college coach, Bobby Clark (Notre Dame) and youth coach Jeremy Alumbaugh (Springfield SC) from Springfield, Missouri.

Seth Sinovic (Rockhurst HS, KCFC Alliance, Creighton) was on the original 2009 MLS combine list but he withdrew from the combine after the Missouri Valley Conference and NCAA recently granted Seth a retroactive red-shirt season from his freshman year. The red-shirt gives Seth another year of eligibilty that he plans to use.
Article first appeared on www.TheRobleeReport.com .

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! To honor 2009 and center forwards everywhere here is a video of a #9.