OBETZ, Ohio – Columbus Crew SC training is an “odd” place this week.
With nine players on international duty, the rest of the team has been joined by members of Crew SC’s academy for practice sessions ahead of Sunday's nationally televised match against FC Dallas (7 pm ET, FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes). The first-team players who are eligible for selection on Sunday say there’s a little extra motivation to show what they can do.
“Everyone is training hard every day,” said forward Jack McInerney, who currently sits behind MLS leading scorer Kei Kamara in the depth chart. “It’s part of the business that if you’re not playing, when your name is called, you have to be ready. Everyone is prepared like they would be normally.”
Head coach Gregg Berhalter says he doesn’t feel his players are thinking too much about the pressure of replacing the internationals.
“We haven’t focused on that at all,” he said. “We’re focused on the guys who are here, and the guys who have been here all year working their butts off to get opportunities, whether it’s Sunday or next week or the week after that.”
Berhalter has stressed depth and competition throughout the season. He doesn’t like players to feel that they have a guaranteed spot in the starting XI on any week, so he says his team is accustomed to feeling like they can make the team with a solid week in training.
“The way we do things, there should always be spots up for grabs,” Berhalter said. “I hope the guys always feel that way; that’s important. You see how we’ve been changing lineups sometimes and giving different guys chances, there’s always opportunity for guys if they’re performing.”
Sunday’s match against FC Dallas is just one of three nationally televised games for Crew SC this season and Berhalter is keen on providing entertaining play with his team's attack-happy style regardless of personnel.
“We’re going to try to play; we’re going to try to entertain, that’s the way we play,” he said. “Hopefully on national television it’s going to look nice.”
And when those national TV cameras start rolling, the talk will quickly go back to those on the field.
“It’s normal,” Saeid said. “Once you get playing, everybody will be quiet again.”
Andrew King covers Columbus Crew SC for MLSsoccer.com.
