Last Update|Detail Update|Jan-10 9:00 am

Senior Team

FC Dallas has some promotions

As the beginning of the season comes closer and closer, there are been some coaching promotions and a new Director of Soccer Operations. Luchi Gonzalez has chosen academy coaches Peter Luccin and Mikey Varas along with Drew Keshan (goalkeeping coach) to form his coaching team for this upcoming team. Additionally, former assistant coach and FC Dallas longtime member Marco Ferruzi has been promoted to Director of Soccer Operations.

I think that the new coaches are great additions to the team as Peter Luccin is touted as a new and up and coming coach. By the end of the season last year, he was practically an assistant coach. The same can be said for Mikey Varas who has been helping the team day in and out.

Marco Ferruzi has been a large part of the scouting network for FC Dallas for quite some time. He would be the most logical and continuation for the position that has been vacated by Fernando Clavijo and Luiz Muzzi.

FC Dallas Signs Bryan Acosta

So this rumor gained momentum very early in the FC Dallas offseason and has been on and off. It was said that the move would be done early in the offseason but Tenerife looked to keep their player. When many signs pointed that Acosta would stay at Tenerife, things changed showing that Acosta would leave but he would not go to FCD due to a ~$5 million price tag. Then FCD was back in the running when the price now has dropped to ~$2 million and multiple sources saying that he is an FC Dallas player.

I think that he would be a great addition to the club as he could grow as a player. He is also more of the box-to-box player that we were missing since the departure of Kellyn Acosta. If Bryan Acosta is indeed our new player, it does beg two questions: does it possibly hint at a Gruezo move or what happens with Jacori and Brandon? Jacori and Brandon would find plenty of time with the USL team though I feel that both are MLS ready and need that challenge of the MLS to really grow as players.

First Episode of The Burning Bull

Thursday was the release of the first episode of the Burning Bull. Ismael and I had fun doing it and please give it a listen and we are open to any feedback. It is available on SoundCloud, Stitcher, Spotify, and Castbox. iTunes and Google Music is in the works.

Carlos Gruezo to Brazil?

This rumor broke out on Thursday with reports saying that Gruezo could possibly make a 1-year loan move to Brazil side Vasco da Gama.

This comes a bit of a surprise but it does make sense with the continued rumor of Bryan Acosta coming to the club. While many would like for Acosta to line up next to each other, this would build a formidable midfield for the club. I would love to see Gruezo and Acosta line up next to each other but we do have a good pipeline in Servania, Roberts, & Hayes.

North Texas SC

Ronaldo Damus & Brecc Evans are the second and third players signed

Thursday afternoon, North Texas SC signed two academy products the team: Ronaldo Damus (forward age 19) and Brecc Evans (defender age 19). Damus is signed for 1-years with an option in 2020 and Evans is signed for 2-years with an option in 2020.

Damus is a Haitian U-20 regular that has also made a World Cup Qualifier appearance against Costa Rica in 2016. Brecc won a U-16 National Championship in 2016 and the Dallas Cup Super Group title in 2017 and spent a year at Cal Poly.

Our USL team is starting to take shape with it’s second and third players. I would expect the MLS Super Draft to help supplement the squad.

Dallas Sidekicks

Sidekicks down the Coyotes

The Dallas Sidekicks took on the El Paso Coyotes this past Saturday in a very lively match that ended 10-7. Dallas took the lead in the first period 4-1. There were moments where play could be slow but it would pick up with a quick turnover and counter-attack. El Paso appeared to find their rhythm in the second half (3rd and 4th periods) though the Sidekicks shut them down with a couple of goals of their own to maintain the lead.

The Sidekicks improve to 3-3 on for the year and sit in second in the Southwest Division behind the Monterrey Flash. The next Sidekicks game is a rematch with El Paso here in Allen, TX on Saturday, January 5th, @ 7:00 pm.

Fan Question

Question: (@hgrant6088) With Figs leaving would that mean they bring in another signing or is that more of a testament to Richards coming back?

So at first, I thought that I had an answer for you Grant, but then I really started to think about it and needed more time to play with some thoughts. Here are some of them:

With Maynor Figueroa at 35 years old, I think that his play time would be even further limited with the MLS side and even North Texas SC. With Figueroa gone, it does beg the question: who will be the back-up? FC Dallas appears to have answered that question by the most recent signing, Bressan, who does have quite the pedigree from South America and who can play anywhere along the back line.

I think that the Chris Richards situation is separate from Figueroa leaving. All signs point to Richards leaving the club for $1.25 million as his loan with Bayern ends with the close of 2018. While Dan Hunt has been adamant that Richards isn’t being sold, the amount of publicity that Bayern has done with Richards shows that they really like him. Interestingly, Chris Richards no longer has a page under the FC Dallas roster web page.

Whether this means anything would be a very fun discussion. Only time will tell.