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| Friday, September 14, 2001 24:14 EST |
Dallas Burn: 2001 Outlook
[ESPN.com news services]
Former Chicago Fire assistant coach Mike Jeffries takes over at the helm in Dallas, one of only two MLS clubs to make the postseason in each of the league's first five seasons. Jeffries' challenge will be to take the perennial playoff side and mold into an MLS Cup caliber team.
Matt Jordan: An imposing force in the nets. |
All the pieces appear to be in place, starting with arguably the top forward duo in the league. 1999 Honda MVP Jason Kreis and Ecuadorian international Ariel Graziani offer an impressive combination of power, speed and skill up front. Kreis will drop back into midfield and make runs, work combinations and set up teammates. Graziani is the classic inside-the-box finisher.
Feeding the potent duo is a group of dependable midfielders. Colombian Oscar Pareja has proven to be a capable distributor, while veterans Chad Deering and Ted Eck are tenacious defensive players. A host of young players may make an impact in 2001, led by Lazo Alavanja, Antonio "Chivas" Martinez and Paul Broome. The best of the bunch may eventually turn out to be Bolivian Joselito Vaca, a first-round pick in the 2001 SuperDraft, who has been earmarked as the successor to MLS great Marco Etcheverry with the Bolivian National Team.
An offseason trade with Chicago brought Lubos Kubik to the Burn, a player Jeffries is very familiar with. Kubik will lend stability to the Burn's back line, which was inconsistent at times in 2000. Expect Kubik to make his usual forays into the attack, leaving the bulk of the defensive work to veterans Jorge Rodriguez, and Richard Farrer.
Rookie defender Ryan Suarez, another Burn first-round SuperDraft choice, figures to see significant playing time right off the bat.
Key Additions:
D Lubos Kubik, M Joselito Vaca, D Ryan Suarez.
Key Departures:
M Sergi Daniv, M Mark Santel.
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2000 Burn Leaders
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Goals
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15, Ariel Graziani
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Assists
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13, Jason Kreis
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Points
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35, Jason Kreis
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GAA
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1.69 Matt Jordan
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Keep an eye on:
GK Matt Jordan (13 wins, 1.69 GAA, 7 SO) had another impressive season a year ago. He may be able to elevate his game even higher with a better defense in front of him. F Jason Kreis (11 goals, 13 assists) has been one of the league's most consistent players over MLS five seasons. F Aleksey Korol (five goals in 21 games) has found it hard to find playing time behind Kreis and F Ariel Graziani (15 goals), but may fight his way on the field after a solid rookie campaign.
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