What did I see at D.C. United’s first practice? I could tell you, but then head coach Tom Soehn would kill me.
I’m going to hold off reciting the best overheard of the day — seriously, i’d be banned from watching practice for the rest of the year — but let’s just put it this way, even amid the extra layers of clothing, which made it hard at times to distinguish between players, some rookies looked like rookies. Others did not.
Rodney Wallace looked just fine.
A number of other players looked surprisingly sharp. Soehn: “We pushed our guys to make sure that they did a good job in the offseason, and the first impression is that everybody’s done a good job. We have testing next week, but on the first day I can tell that everybody’s taken care of themselves this offseason.”
Absences:
Marcelo Gallardo — still in Argentina, back next week, finishing up some rehab and dealing with some personal issues. United general manager Dave Kasper: “His starting points won’t be great. He’s got to get healthy, get fit. Now it’s a matter of just finishing the final rehab and what he can bring in training….Initially he expressed that he may have had an interest in going back to Argentina. But it really never went anywhere. That was early in December.”
Fred — still in Brazil, getting his visa renewed. Back next week.
Zach Wells — four weeks from getting back fully following toe surgery
Gonzalo Martinez — could re-sign with DCU, could remain in Colombia, could end up with another MLS team
Ivan Guerrero — with Honduran national team
Lyle Adams — in Austria on trial
Jaime Moreno — NOT playing on FieldTurf following knee surgery; hernia surgery rehab complete
Trialist Kyle Veris — Big, very big
Not invited, at least for now: Pat Carroll, Ryan Cordeiro, Quavas Kirk, Ibrahim Koroma, Craig Thompson. Seriously, is anyone surprised? No.
Not included, at least for now: Honduran Walter Martinez. Kasper: “As of today, I would say it’s difficult because of the number.”
Not signed yet: Milos Kocic, Adams, Brandon Barklage (glorified trialist)
Other recent press releases: Francis Doe re-signed, Gonzalo Peralta out — er, loaned out. Out.
Second-most welcome-to-see player on the field besides Ben Olsen: Domenic Mediate.
What was the breakthrough in his rehab from last year’s concussion?
“I think it was just all the rest over the last six months,” said Mediate, who came very close to calling it quits for good. “I could gradually feel everything start to settle down. I just waited as long as I could without doing anything, hoping everything would settle. I actually started doing stuff in mid-December, and I didn’t really have any problems…Right now, it’s looking good.”
Mediate said he knows all too well about Josh Gros, Alecko Eskandarian, and Ross Paule, that it isn’t worth risking his health down the line. At the same time, he’s also come back from serious injury before — remember his horrendous leg break a couple years back? The former Terp is out of contract, however, essentially has until March 1 or so to earn a roster spot.
“Just being out for six months, it’s hard to get back into shape,” said Mediate. “You gotta start slow, and build your way up, otherwise your body is just going to tank. I was sucking wind out there today. But hopefully in the next couple days, with all the fitness and throughout the last couple weeks, I’ll get into form and be alright through preseason.”
