Seasons change, so do MLS teams

Over the course of this summer, FC Dallas has gone through as much turnover as any team in Major League Soccer, firing its head coach and shipping off three of its top six scorers.

Not that they’re deserving of any sympathy. Aside from the coaching change, things are no different for Dallas (6-9-8) than they are for D.C. United (10-11-2).

“They’re still a team that has some dangerous players,” said United head coach Tom Soehn. “Again, we’ll see how we pan out as far as getting guys back. We’re still trying to get our own identity because our team changes weekly.”

D.C.’s latest casualty could be playmaker Marcelo Gallardo, who made his first start in three months last weekend but this week has been sidelined by the flu. Gallardo missed practice Wednesday and Thursday, putting his status in doubt for the weekend.

But additions to the United roster are also being made. Close on the heels of the acquisition of Liberian goalkeeper Louis Crayton, two more Africans are on the verge of coming to Washington. Soweto-born midfielder/forward Thabiso “Boyzzz” Khumalo said last week he is coming on loan from USL-2’s Pittsburgh Riverhounds, and there are reports that the signing of Sierra Leone defender Ibrahim “Marcel” Koroma will also be announced soon.

With 13 games in the next seven weeks, the fresh bodies are crucial to United’s push for the MLS playoffs, which Soehn said after the U.S. Open Cup final was the team’s priority, ahead of the CONCACAF Champions League.

“I’m hearing a lot of coaches complain about how many games they have, and all the injuries they have,” said Soehn. “We’ve been doing it for a few years now. It’s kind of a normal train of thought.”

The busy schedule also is keeping United’s rookies enticed and should help them avoid the late-season drop-off that often hits first-year players.

“I think your enthusiasm has a lot to do with it,” said midfielder Ryan Cordeiro. “If you’re not enthusiastic and don’t really want to be here, I can see somebody hitting the wall. But I’m feeling good, feeling happy about where I am.”