After the long and grueling eight months that is the Major League Soccer season, the offseason is much-needed for players to relax, refuel and regenerate before another year. And while the offseason unfortunately came early for the Black-and-Red in 2016 in a loss that will sting for a while, the players’ time off in the months to come is a chance to reflect and work on different aspects of their game.
For Lloyd Sam, the main objective is “to come back explosive next season.” The English-born Ghanaian said that “when I come into the season firing, I normally tend to have a good year, so my goal is to build some strength and explosiveness this offseason.”
United’s other midseason acquisition, Patrick Mullins, agreed, reiterating the importance of offseason workouts and the physical work that can be done during the winter months. “For me, I want to get in the gym and improve my strength but also get on the field and improve some technical aspects as well,” Mullins said. “This is definitely a big time for players to key in on intricacies in their game and improve upon them."
Sean Franklin, a nine-year veteran of the league, knows how critical this time is when it comes to regeneration. After dealing with nagging injuries near the end of the season, the California native’s primary objective is “to get healthy. My main priority is to get healthy and get ready for preseason.”
Other players, like Steve Birnbaum and Marcelo, utilize the time to get away from soccer for a short while and spend time with family before refocusing on their preparations for the new season. “I try to forget about soccer for a little bit, enjoy family time and spend some time in Brazil,” Marcelo said. “It is enough of a break to come back missing soccer with a new hope and new expectations for next year. I always want to improve and come back better than the previous year."
Birnbaum, who is with the United States Men’s National Team preparing for their World cup Qualifiers against Mexico and Costa Rica, feels similarly, but is already focused on next season. “For me, [I will] take some time off for sure and get my mind away from soccer,” the 2016 All-Star defender said. “But come next season, we’re ready to make a serious push for the MLS Cup. There shouldn’t be anything less than that as a goal for us since we know what we can accomplish now. I think we’re going to have a great team next year and can’t wait to get going.”
