NY RED BULLS LATEST NEWS - Page 4 - TalkSoccer

**Frank Cunha** · 12-11-2003, 12:43 PM

MetroStars: Mathis a goner, but won't say it

Wednesday, November 12, 2003

BY COLIN STEPHENSON
Star-Ledger Staff

Clint Mathis addressed his MetroStars teammates at the team's final meeting of 2003 yesterday, but the out-of-contract forward had one major point of emphasis to make.

"I didn't say goodbye," Mathis said at the team's year-end luncheon, in which he was recognized for being the club's leading scorer on the season. "A lot of them probably didn't know I was finished. I just said, 'I want to get a chance to let all of you guys know. Hopefully, I'll see you soon.'

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"But at the end of the year, it's tough to say, 'See you next year,' or say, 'Goodbye,' to anyone, because you don't know who's going to be where. A few of the players always change, no matter who you are, or what team you're on. So you just kind of leave it at that."

Mathis, who turns 27 this month, seems certain to leave Major League Soccer for Europe. This is likely his last chance to hook up with a big-money team overseas.

And though he has suffered through two straight sub-par seasons -- four goals in 2002, nine in 2003 -- Mathis is still a U.S. national team player who is available to European clubs for free, and therefore probably worth a gamble for some middle or lower-third team in one of the bigger leagues -- in England, perhaps Scotland, or Germany.

In the meantime, MetroStars coach Bob Bradley has some decisions to make in rebuilding his team, which finished 11-10-9 in the regular season and was eliminated by New England in the first round of the playoffs. Whether or not Mathis returns, acquiring some proven veteran goalscorers will be his first priority for the 2004 team.

The Metros were hurt by the back injury suffered by Jaime Moreno that derailed his season. Moreno ended up having back surgery and finished with just two goals in just 11 games.

Like Mathis, Moreno's contract is up, and the 29-year-old's future is up in the air. While Bradley said Moreno's future is to be determined, other people within the organization said the former D.C. United star is welcome to come back in '04 -- if he takes a drastic pay cut from his MLS maximum salary.

Bradley said a decision has not been made as to whether to bring back Polish striker Adrzej Juskowiak, who signed late in the season to replace Moreno. But Juskowiak showed little in his five league games, getting just one goal. And he did not even make the 16-man travel roster to go to New England for the season's final game last Sunday.

The two Argentine players who joined the team on loan from Boca Juniors will likely not be back, but Bradley doesn't think the cooperation agreement the Metros had with Boca was a wasted effort.

"It's something that can pay off," he said. "If we get the right guy, who, all of a sudden, (blossoms because) he gets an opportunity that he wasn't getting in his own country, then you might have a special player.

"It was it was a good faith effort on both sides. Hopefully, we can continue to work with Boca. The people there are very good."

Honduran midfielder Amado Guevara, who scored their only goal in the two-game playoffs, was named the team's Most Valuable Player; Eddie Pope was the team's Defender of the Year, and rookie Tim Regan was the team's Humanitarian of the Year.

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**Frank Cunha** · 13-11-2003, 01:36 AM

Grade Bradley first season

http://www.msgnetwork.com/metrostars.jsp

**Frank Cunha** · 02-01-2004, 03:58 PM

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more_sports/story/149111p-131473c.html

**Frank Cunha** · 04-01-2004, 12:09 AM

Metrostars, Dallas and San Jose to participat in La Manga tournament in Spain

LA MANGA CUP 2004
21.02-06.03

Group A Group B Group C
Bodø/Glimt, N Odd Grenland, N Stabæk, N
Metro Star, USA Dallas Burn, USA San Jose, USA
Viking, N Rubin Kazan, R GIF Sundsvall, S

Match schedule
Mon 23.02 A1 B/Glimt-Viking B1 Odd G-Rubin C1 Stabæk-GIF Sundsvall
Wed 25.02 A2 Viking-Metro Star B2 Rubin-Dallas C2 GIF Sundsvall-San Jose
Sat 28.02 A3 Metro Star-B/Glimt B3 Dallas-Odd G. C3 San Jose-Stabæk

The matches will be played at 12.00 (pitch A and G), and at 18.00 (pitch A).
The winner of each group and the best No. 2 will play the semifinals.
The other teams will all play two matches in their second week.

Mon 01.03 matches between those teams which do not qualify for the semifinals – five teams
In all, together with Lillestrøm or Lyn or Kalmar. Matches between teams from the same nation will be avoided. Matches will be played at 12.00, and at 18.00.

Tue 02.03 semifinals – if possible, between teams from different nations.
A draw – Saturday evening. The first team drawn out is the home team. The matches will be played at 12.00 and at 18.00.

Thu 04.03 matches between those teams which did not qualify for the semifinals. The matches will be played at 12.00 and at 18.00.

Fri 05.03 Match between loosers in the semifinals – at 12.00. The Final at 18.00 – pitch A.

**Frank Cunha** · 13-01-2004, 09:39 PM

http://www.nj.com/metrostars/ledger/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/10739767398251.xml

**Frank Cunha** · 13-01-2004, 10:13 PM

MetroStars Expand Development Program 13/01/04

The MetroStars announced today the formation of an Under-15 developmental team. With the addition of this team to the already existing Under-19 team (formerly the Under-17 squad in 2003), the MetroStars take a step closer to their objective of forming a vertically integrated player development system.

"The addition of the Under 15's to our Player Development System allows us to identify players at a key age of their development process. The MetroStars Under 15 team is just another step in the organizations quest to complete a vertically integrated player development system," stated MetroStars Chief Operating Officer Tom Neale.

In 2003, the MetroStars implemented an Under-17 team that competed in the Super Y-League. After a very successful regular season in which they lost only one game, the U-17's went on to place second in the Super Y-League National Championships in Rockford Illinois.

Resumes are currently being accepted for players interested in trying out for the Metros U-15 squad. Once applicants are reviewed, tryouts for the Under 15's are scheduled for Tuesday January 20th at 6 P.M. in the Bubble at Giants Stadium. Players interested in trying out should e-mail their resumes to kprimerano@metrostars.com <mailto:kprimerano@metrostars.com> prior to the tryout date.

The U-15 team will be coached by Kearny, N.J. native and current U-19 Assistant, Paul O'Donnell. O'Donnell will be assisted by current U-19 Head Coach Stan Lembryk.

"We are looking for young players that have something special and want to take their game to the next level," said O'Donnell. "This is a highly disciplined and focused developmental program which, in addition to being a winning team, will hopefully will be the catalyst for producing the next Eddie Gaven, Mike Magee or Ricardo Clarke."

**Frank Cunha** · 14-01-2004, 10:19 PM

http://www.nj.com/sportsflash/metrostars/index.ssf?/newsflash/get_story.ssf?/cgi-free/getstory_ssf.cgi?s0398_BC_SOC--MLS-FireDraftPic&&sports&njometros

BethlehemFC · 15-01-2004, 02:14 AM

:thumbsup:

**Frank Cunha** · 16-01-2004, 05:16 PM

not a bad pick by the Metrostars, we got the UCLA keeper, we lost Grafer and Tim Howard

We got our keeper.

Zach Wells of UCLA goes #21 to the Metros.

**Frank Cunha** · 16-01-2004, 05:27 PM

So we have two new players in the fold:
we got #18 pick from Chicago

#18 Seth Stammler, D-Maryland
#21 Zach Wells, GK-UCLA

Our next pick is #26.

**Frank Cunha** · 16-01-2004, 05:54 PM

don't know much about our #26 pick
Olivier Occean, a forward from Quebec via Southern Connecticut (Petke's alma mater) goes #26 to the Metros.

**Frank Cunha** · 16-01-2004, 06:27 PM

As pointed out above, we picked little Mikey at #36.

Our draft so far:

Stammler
Wells
Occean
Bradley

**Frank Cunha** · 16-01-2004, 06:52 PM

We take Johnny David, a portuguese american 5-foot-9 midfielder from Fairleigh Dickinson with our pick.

**Frank Cunha** · 16-01-2004, 07:26 PM

You see? Aren't you glad we stayed with it?

The Metros traded something for the last pick in the draft. With it we took Jeff Parke, Defender from Drexel. 6-foot-1, 180 pounds.

**Frank Cunha** · 18-01-2004, 12:59 AM

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» More From The Star-Ledger

Metros pick Bradley's son, FDU midfielder David

Saturday, January 17, 2004

BY COLIN STEPHENSON
Star-Ledger Staff

Long after 14-year-old Freddy Adu was officially selected by D.C. United with the first pick in the 2004 Major League Soccer SuperDraft, the MetroStars took several young players to help strengthen their future.

The most familiar name among the six chosen in the six-round draft was Michael Bradley, the 16-year-old son of Metros' coach Bob Bradley, taken with the sixth pick of the fourth round, 46th overall.

"It was an unbelievable thrill," Bradley said of being drafted by the MetroStars. "For me, I have no expectations of coming in and starting or anything like that. Entering the draft was all about making the decision that was going to help me become a better soccer player."

Bradley had been with the U.S. Under-17 residency program in Bradenton, Fla., the program that produced Eddie Gaven last year and Adu this year. Bob Bradley admitted it was "strange" to draft his own son, but he is looking forward to coaching him full-time.

Among the players the MetroStars drafted was Johnny David, the Northeast Conference Player of the Year out of Fairleigh Dickinson.

"It's very exciting to be selected by the MetroStars," said David, a midfielder. "A lot of players dream of playing for big teams, and I'm looking forward to have that chance with one of the biggest, right here in New Jersey."

The other players the MetroStars selected were: Seth Stammler, a defender from the University of Maryland; goalkeeper Zack Wells, from UCLA; forward Olivier Occean, a Canadian U-23 player who played at Division 2 Southern Connecticut State; and defender Jeff Parke of Drexel, the final pick.

The Metros began the day without a pick in the first or second rounds but traded next year's second-rounder to Chicago for the No. 18 selection this year to take Stammler.

Rutgers midfielder Josh Gros was taken with the fourth pick of the fourth round, by D.C. United, while Seton Hall midfielders Luke Vercollone and Ryan McGowan were taken by Columbus (with the second pick of the fifth round), and by Chicago (with the first pick of the sixth round), respectively.

Gros scored 15 goals as a senior to earn Big East Offensive Player of the Year honors.

"We have had a number of players go on to be successful in the MLS and I think Josh will do the same," Rutgers coach Bob Reasso said. "I am excited that he gets to stay close to home in the Northeast with D.C. United. It is a perfect fit."

Vercollone, a First Team All-Big East selection, led Seton Hall in scoring in 2003 with five goals and 11 assists. McGowan, a four-year starter, was a Second Team