Men's Soccer: Previewing the 2008 Midfielders
August 12, 2008 04:41 PM | General
By Ira Green for MSNsportsNET.com
August 12, 2008
 |
||
| Gift Maworere earned All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention last season.
|
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (August 12, 2008) – Peaking just around the corner is the 2008 season for the West Virginia University men’s soccer team. With the success from last season in the rearview mirror, Head Coach Marlon LeBlanc has spent the past few months gearing up for the present.
Today, MSNsportsNET.com will preview the 2008 Mountaineers’ midfield.
Midfielders
The names Mike Anoia, Dan Stratford and Andy Wright mean something to the West Virginia soccer program, and the three were a vital part of last year’s success. Combined, they totaled 13 goals and 18 assists in 2007 and by graduating, leave behind what would seem to be an empty midfield. However, the Mountaineers return junior Gift Maworere and bring in a promising, young midfield.
Maworere, who is expected to anchor the midfield, also was named co-captain of this year’s squad. With Maworere’s desire to continue playing soccer beyond the collegiate level, LeBlanc sees both opportunities as positives for the Mountaineers and Maworere.
“For him [Maworere] and part of his development as a player who wants to go to the next level, giving him the responsibility of captain will hopefully benefit him, not only our team, but his development as a player and a leader,” LeBlanc says. “I want him to take on a little bit more of that role of needing to be that man every single game because that’s one of the things we’re going to ask of him.”
Maworere caught the eye of many last season, garnering All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention honors at the conclusion of 2007. Even with the honor, it’s Maworere’s contributions that never make the statistics sheet that impress LeBlanc.
“Gift has the great ability to be a disruptor at midfield. He destroys other teams’ attacks because he’s such a hard tackler, he’s good in the air, he’s strong and fit and covers so much ground,” LeBlanc says. “He’s one of those players that a lot of times is undervalued because you don’t see him doing a lot of things (that show in the box score).
“He takes up good spaces on the field, he covers the forwards and other midfielders very well and he protects the back four so well. His ability to disrupt and destroy opposing teams’ attacks is what makes him so valuable.”
The Mountaineers also have quality options to surround Maworere, with senior Sean Brooks and junior Chase Dewese returning to the team.
The two saw an ample amount of playing time last season, and were able to play in a majority of the spring matches, ultimately helping strengthen their candidacy for starting roles.
“Sean Brooks and Chase Dewese worked very hard this past spring and they’re both going to be competing for spots immediately,” LeBlanc says. “Both have played a good amount of minutes for us. Brooks played quite a bit last year as well, but I think those two are going to make it difficult for somebody else to take their position on the field and that’s a good problem to have.”
The Mountaineers also have three freshmen who will be competing for midfield jobs, one being Elkhart, Ind., native Ruben Garrido.
Labeled as one of the top players from Indiana, Garrido was named the Northern Indiana Player of the Year and also earned all-area Soccer Star and all-district honors. He also started every game in his four-year high school career.
The two other freshmen, Declan Coll and Alex Silva, are both highly-touted international players.
Coll, a product from Northern Ireland, served as a starting forward for six seasons at St. Columb’s College and is expected to add invaluable overseas experience. Coll’s talents earned him one of 17 spots on the Derry City Academy club team and he was also named to play in the 2007 Foyle Cup (which included teams such as Manchester United and Nottingham Forest) for Derry County.
A Brazilian, Silva is another player expected to help shape the midfield immediately. Back in his hometown of Rio De Janeiro, he played with the Fluminense Youth Academy from 1999-01 and with Flamengo Youth Academy in 2003.
LeBlanc sees both Coll and Silva as being immediate midfield impacts, and despite the new formation the Mountaineers will be playing with this year, feels the duo’s knowledge of the game will allow them to catch on quickly.
“I think one of the toughest formations for a midfielder to play the three-man midfield because they have to be able to cover a lot of ground and be technically-sound on the ball,” LeBlanc says. “I think their [Coll and Silva] growing up in the game and understanding of it are going to help them be better adapted to make that change immediately. Both are technically sound and very good on the ball and that’s two of their best attributes. The two of them, as freshmen, will have the knowledge and ability to quickly adjust to it. They’re both athletic kids and very fit kids and they’re savvy enough as internationals to direct other people what to do and where to go and that’s going to be a big benefit to us.”
Between the three returnees and three newcomers, LeBlanc’s decision will be tough, but he doesn’t mind. The mix of veteran leadership and ripe talent have the potential for another lethal midfield.
