With FC Dallas at the halfway point of their 2015 preseason, plenty of questions exist as they head into the ATX Pro Soccer Challenge in Austin, Texas.
Head coach Oscar Pareja is hoping the chance to play in matches with increasing implications will provide some answers. The brief, four-team tournament includes USL PRO side Austin Aztecs, Columbus Crew and D.C. United, with FCD facing Crew SC on Friday in the opener of the inaugural event.
The two winners face off in the Sunday championship game, while the losers play in the consolation the same day.
“The big game always evolves, and the players need to train with that idea,” Pareja said. “Somebody is preparing to beat you so now you have to create some different options, to polish the things that you do good, and improve the other things you’re not as good as.”
One of the biggest question marks is the status of playmaker Maruo Diaz. The Argentine burst onto the scene last year in his second season in MLS with two goals and three assists in his first five games but battled injury problems throughout the campaign and finished with just three goals and three assists in 17 appearances (nine starts).
“Mauro is good, strong,” Pareja said. “He took care of himself in the offseason. With him, it is just trying to control the load. He is a player who can make the difference in our team. He has the quality to do it.”
Pareja will also be looking to integrate a few new pieces, including the interesting offseason addition of Canadian Kyle Bekker, a central midfielder who had played 29 games for Toronto FC over the last two seasons. He comes to the team with a reputation of a two-way midfielder who has some skill and vision to make passes into the attacking third.
“Bekker has been well,” Pareja said. “A kid who has excellent technique and a vision of the field that will help the group. Obviously we need a little bit of time until he understands all what it takes to be an FC Dallas player, but I have no doubt that he will get there. He is a great kid. Professional, coachable, he is adapting with his teammates.”
But there are unquestionably holes to fill, as Pareja and the FCD front office said goodbye to 11 players – including key pieces in goalkeeper Raul Fernandez, midfielder Hendry Thomas, forward Andres Escobar and defenders Jair Benitez and winger Andres Escobar – while only bringing in four, including rookie defender Otis Earle, to the team that was bounced by the LA Galaxy in the Western Conference semifinals of the MLS Cup Playoffs.
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The absence Escobar, who returned to Dynamo Kiev after FC Dallas declined his option following a one-year loan, leaves a particularly glaring hole on the right wing – not to mention an open DP slot.
“I’m trying to find someone to help us,” Pareja said. “Someone to occupy the space that we left for Andres.”
Former fan favorite Juan Toja, an attacking midfielder who hasn’t played professionally since a 2013 stint with the New England Revolution, is in camp as a trialist, but Pareja made it clear that there are no plans in place at the moment to bring him aboard.
“He wanted us to see him,” Pareja said. “He wants us to explore the possibility. What I want to see is how healthy he is, where is he at today. I have not seen him for a couple of years.”
Overall, Pareja said he senses a high degree of excitement about this year from the locker room.
“The expectations are high,” Pareja said. “They want to win. They know already that they left the playoffs against a team that was named champion, and we outplayed them. We have a big task and a big responsibility. We’re going to continue with the idea to win championships.”
