United Notebook
Captain Dwayne De Rosario is ready for the eight-team pre-season tournament.
Just arrived into Orlando for #disney showcase tournament starting Sat. @dcunited
— Dwayne De Rosario (@dwaynederosario) February 7, 2013
Midfielder Marcelo Saragosa takes a selfie from the plane, with a photobomb by fellow Brazilian Raphael Augusto.
Eu e o Mlkii rphaugusto...#Florida# #Orlando# Here we go Again# #PreSeason# @ Ronald Reagan Washington… instagr.am/p/Vbm_1xvsVk/
—M.Saragosa (@MarceloSaragosa) February 7, 2013
First round SuperDraft pick and Colorado native Taylor Kemp is excited to escape to warmer climates.
Back to florida tomorrow, can't say I'm upset to hit the warm weather again #lifeisgood
— Taylor Kemp (@Tkemp02) February 7, 2013
Goalkeeper Bill Hamid made it safe and sound.
Landed in Orlando
— Bill Hamid (@BillHamid28) February 7, 2013
Defender Daniel Woolard is ready to train down south.
Back in FL for the last trip of preseason.
— Daniel Woolard (@Woolard21) February 7, 2013
Defender Ethan White spent time with family before departing again.
Dinner date my momma before I depart for preseason trip number 2 to Orlando.
— Ethan White (@EthanWhite15) February 7, 2013
Trialist Henry Kalungi is excited for his opportunity in Orlando.
Just landed in Orlando for preseason with Dc United:)
— Henry Kalungi (@HenryKalungi) February 7, 2013
United captain Dwayne De Rosario is catching both fútbol and football today.
Got my tele on @futbol @mancity vs @liverpool & got to squeeze in @fcbarcelonafl then @superbowlsunday couch potato today and not moving!
— Dwayne De Rosario (@dwaynederosario) February 3, 2013
DeRo also wonders where all the Baltimore fans are in his feed.
Damn a lot of #49ers fans! We're all my #Ravens peeps at...
— Dwayne De Rosario (@dwaynederosario) February 3, 2013
Midfielder Perry Kitchen is taking predictions.
SuperSunday! Who ya got?? #SuperBowlSunday
— Perry Kitchen (@PerryKitchen23) February 3, 2013
Defender Brandon McDonald's loyalties are split.
Win win for me today! 9rs all day long, but to see Ray Lewis go out on top, wouldn't mind that either!! #PureBeast #LivingLegend #BayArea
— Brandon McDonald (@BMcDonald4) February 3, 2013
Defender Ethan White hopes to make it back to D.C. in time.
A lot to do today before the Super Bowl and heading back to DC tonight. Starting off with brunch.
— Ethan White (@EthanWhite15) February 3, 2013
With the news that Homegrown Player Andy Najar has been transferred to R.S.C. Anderlecht, D.C. United players tweeted their well-wishes.
United captain Dwayne De Rosario:
Wishing my boy @andynajar all the best in his move to Belgian side @r.S.C.Anderlecht. I know he will do well...
— Dwayne De Rosario (@dwaynederosario) January 30, 2013
2012 MLS Best XI selection Chris Pontius:
As much as is sucks to lose Andy, I'm genuinely happy for the kid. Great player, unreal potential, awesome person. Good luck Andy
— Chris Pontius (@ChrisPontius13) January 30, 2013
Fellow United Homegrown products Bill Hamid...:
Big ups to Najar.. Couldn't be more happier for him. Well deserved. Go show the world what u can do playa!!! Congrats kid
— Bill Hamid (@BillHamid28) January 30, 2013
...and Ethan White:
Good luck to Andy Najar at Anderlecht. Bittersweet feeling but I couldn't be more proud. Big things to come for him. #dcu #academyboys
— Ethan White (@EthanWhite15) January 30, 2013
Midfielder Perry Kitchen:
Good luck to Andy! What a great opportunity. He is going to kill it!
— Perry Kitchen (@PerryKitchen23) January 30, 2013
Defender Brandon McDonald:
Our team is really goin 2 miss @andy_najar !!! Truly happy for him & his family w this opportunity 2 fulfill his dreams! Hes goin 2 kill it!
— Brandon McDonald (@BMcDonald4) January 30, 2013
Defender Dejan Jakovic:
Big move for @andy_najar wish you all the best in Belgium with Anderlecht
— Dejan Jakovic (@DejanJakovic) January 30, 2013
And fellow former MLSer and Anderlecht teammate Sacha Kljestan:
Happy that we signed Andy Najar from DC United. Nice to have another former MLS player here at RSCA.
— Sacha Kljestan (@SachaKljestan) January 30, 2013
In a recent series, MLSsoccer.com has been taking us back in time to highlight some of the biggest stars in the early days of Major League Soccer, and then explores where they are now. One of those stars is none other than D.C. United's first true number 10, Marco "El Diablo" Etcheverry.
Etcheverry spent 8 season with the Black-and-Red and led the team to four MLS Cup appearances, three MLS Cups (1996, ’97 and ’99), one US Open Cup (’96), one CONCACAF Champions’ Cup and a Copa Interamericana (’98). He was named MLS MVP in 1998, and became part of the MLS All-Time XI. He tallied 32 goals and racked up 101 assists during his time with the squad.
But where is he now? Find out on MLSsoccer.com.
Today, Jeff Carlisle of ESPN.com rated the top 10 U.S. Soccer players under 21 and placed D.C. United midfielder Perry Kitchen at #3 on the list.
Said Carlisle:
Every year in MLS, first-year players hit the dreaded rookie wall, when legs and the mind get heavy thanks to the increased workload of games and travel. According to D.C. United coach Ben Olsen, there has been one exception. “The guy who really didn't go through it was Perry Kitchen,” Olsen said during last year's playoffs. "He went through it for like an hour one day." When Olsen made that statement, Kitchen was well into his second season with the Black-and-Red, but the comment is telling. While the midfielder's skill on the ball, heading ability, and tackling are all excellent, Kitchen's consistency, presence, and leadership are what coaches around MLS talk about most often. It's what allowed him to make the holding midfield spot his own last season, one that looks to remain in his hands for the foreseeable future. Not bad for a guy who is still only 20. “For me, he's been fantastic," Philadelphia Union coach John Hackworth. "As a young player, establishing himself, he's so mature for his age. He's always been that way.”
Kitchen, a 2011 MLS Rookie of the Year runner-up, eluded the rookie wall and experienced no sophomore slump during his first two seasons in the League. In his inaugural MLS campaign, Kitchen became the only first-year player in United history to lead the team in minutes played (2, 726). And in 2012, the University of Akron product came up one minute shy of tying the club’s previous single-season record for minutes (2,805), held by Jeff Agoos in 1996.
Beach, fishing, movies and rest were the highlights of the Black-and-Red’s off-day.
While pre-season is in full swing, D.C. United was given a rare day off on Sunday. Some took the day to rest, while others took full advantage of the local beaches and attractions.
Daniel Woolard took a cruise up to St. Petersburg to go fishing with former D.C. United Strength Coach Pete Calabrese. While Woolard reeled in a few fish, he told me that he didn’t land any worth taking photos of.
Others, like Nick DeLeon, Joe Willis, Marcelo Saragosa, John Thorrington and Lionard Pajoy took the time to visit one of the most picturesque beaches in the world, Siesta Key Beach.
Siesta Key Beach Florida!!!Enjoying the day Off!!! @ Siesta Key Beach instagr.am/p/U_isgiPsUH/
—M.Saragosa (@MarceloSaragosa) January 27, 2013
Chris Pontius and newcomer Casey Townsend relaxed before going to see Django Unchained at a nearby theatre last night.
Lakers win and now seeing Django Unchained. @ethanwhite15 @bmcdonald4
— Chris Pontius (@ChrisPontius13) January 28, 2013
While players were all over the map in terms of what they did on their off day, one thing was consistent, they all enjoyed a bit of rest and relaxation after an already long pre-season camp in Bradenton, Florida.
D.C. United midfielder Nick DeLeon has declined Trinidad & Tobago’s invitation to participate in a friendly against Peru on February 6. The 2012 MLS Rookie of the Year finalist was born in Phoenix, Ariz., but is also eligible to play for the island nation due to his father’s ties to the country.
In his inaugural MLS season, DeLeon appeared in 28 games (25 starts), tallying four assists and breaking D.C. United’s rookie goal-scoring record (6) during the regular season. The University of Louisville product also added two goals in the MLS Cup playoffs, including an 88th minute game-winner in Leg 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the New York Red Bulls.
D.C. United captain Dwayne De Rosario, who is currently at January camp with the Canadian National team, sits down for a quick Q&A to discuss his injury last fall and his future with the National team. De Rosario has made 72 appearances (59 starts) for the nation.
Related: De Rosario, Jakovic called up
Dwayne De Rosario and Dejan Jakovic were both in the starting XI for Canada in a 4-0 loss against Denmark today in Tucson, Arizona. Jakovic went the full 90 minutes in the backline while De Rosario - entering his first international match since suffering an MCL injury on Sept. 11, 2012 against Panama - was subbed out in the 60th minute. This was De Rosario's 72nd international cap and Jakovic's 13th.
Canada next faces the U.S. Men's National Team on Jan. 29 at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston, TX. United teammate Bill Hamid is currently with the U.S. squad, and the friendly against Canada is the only game preceding the opening match in the Hexagonal round of 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying on Feb. 6.
Five former Black-and-Red players - Raúl Díaz Arce, Marco Etcheverry, Roy Lassiter, Ben Olsen and Tony Sanneh – were nominated yesterday for the National Soccer Hall of Fame Class of 2013 elections. Olsen, United’s current head coach, and Sanneh are two of five players in the group of 22 nominated in their first year of eligibility.
Voting will continue through February 22, and players who appear on at least 66.7% of ballots will earn election into the Hall of Fame.
Raúl Díaz Arce
Díaz Arce featured for the Black-and-Red for four seasons (1996, 1997, 2000, 2001). The Salvadoran international finished as the Golden Boot runner-up in 1996 with 23 goals en route to helping the club capture the inaugural MLS Cup. United also claimed the 1996 U.S. Open Cup and 1997 Supporters’ Shield with Díaz Arce.
Marco Etcheverry
A three-time MLS Cup winner and one-time MLS Cup MVP, Etcheverry appeared in 191 games (180 starts) for the Black-and-Red for 1996-2003, tallying 34 goals and 101 assists. Etcheverry still holds the club record for his marks in games played and assists.
Roy Lassiter
Lassiter is regarded as one the all-time greats in MLS, with a single-season goal-scoring record set in the 1996 inaugural season to support this claim. Lassiter joined the Black-and-Red for the 1998 and 1999 seasons (and returned in 2002), helping the team to its third MLS Cup in four seasons. The striker suited up for United 67 times (55 starts), tallying 36 goals and 17 assists in the process.
Ben Olsen
Olsen, United’s current head coach, joined the club as a player in 1998 and spent his entire 11-year professional career with the Black-and-Red. The midfielder appeared in 221 games (200 starts), adding 29 goals and 49 assists. The Pennsylvania native is second on the club’s all-time lists for games played (221) and minutes (17,098). Olsen also led the team to two MLS Cup titles (1999, 2004) during his on-field tenure at RFK Stadium.
Tony Sanneh
Sanneh guided D.C. United to two MLS Cups in three seasons, helping the club win titles in 1996 and again in 1997, but falling just short in the final to the Chicago Fire in 1998. The midfielder/defender became the first MLS player to score in back-to-back Cup finals. In total, Sanneh played 71 games (69 starts), collecting 14 goals and 25 assists for the Black-and-Red.