Rider Insider

A Manager’s Job Never Stops

It certainly has been way too long since the Revs last played. I actually had to see my family this past weekend. Thankfully, that won’t happen again anytime soon as the Revs are about to embark on an incredible stretch of matches. A portion of the schedule that would put even the deepest European sides in a tough place, never mind a team constrained by the salary cap among many other league mandated roster rulings.

Steve Nicol doesn't rest, he scouts!

The Revs could potentially play 10 matches over the next four weeks. Including, as I wrote a few postings ago, a stretch where they will be in three countries (Canada, Trinidad & Tobago, and the U.S.) within 7 days. Coach Steve Nicol, however, will have one more stamp on his passport than the rest of the squad when this wild ride is all wrapped up. He spent the past weekend in Honduras scouting a potential signing. No word on who or what team he was checking out but the fact that Nicol is still out there scouring the globe for talent is a very promising development.

The easy rumor is that he was out there in some capacity to lure George Welcome back to the Revs who claimed him with a discovery pick. The chances of the Revs signing Welcome, in my opinion, are very slim. With Taylor Twellman and Adam Cristman not too far off from full recovery and the youngsters Kheli Dube and Kenny Mansally already on board, the Revs do not really have a need at forward. Hopefully, Nicol is attempting to sign a defender or two to make up for the loss of Michael Parkhurst to the Olympics. If the player turns out to be Gabriel Badilla I would be very happy. Badilla is the versatile defender the Revs were linked to earlier in the season.

The hole in the back

Parkhurst will be doning a different Red, White, and Blue.

Speaking of Parkhurst, when I wrote a few weeks ago that Nicol wouldn’t allow Parkhurst to leave for Beijing I was not completely wrong. Apparently the USSF made no attempt to reach out to Nicol to request if the club would allow the player to leave for the Olympics. The organization just went ahead and made the announcement which left Nicol and the Revs in a tough situation. If they then decided to block the move it would be a very public affront to one of their star players who is also coming to the end of his deal. If he was not allowed to leave the squad the possibility of Parkhurst signing with the Revs would have taken a severe blow.

I’m still not happy Parkhurst is there but I do wish him the best in Olympics and I hope he shows the world what he can do. In his absence there is really only so much Nicol can do. If he sticks with a 3-5-2, who is the sweeper? I don’t see anyone who can do the job that Parkhurst does. The last time someone else tried to play his role was when James Riley filled in on a few occaisions at the beginning of last season. Those performances were certainly not memorable ones. I also could not see Heaps or Albright stepping into that role. The only person I could envision enjoying any success would be Igwe but he is still to raw and apt to give up a foul.

So with out further ado, let me give my best guess on the line up that will go out against Atlante on Wednesday:

———————Reis——————–

—–Albright—Heaps——Igwe——Tierny—–

—————Joseph–Larentowicz————-
—–Nyassi———Ralston———-Smith—–
——————–Dube——————–

The 4-5-1 is probably a little shocking but I think the more conservative approach is what needs to be taken in a one-leg playoff match up. Tierny played well in his only other match at left back and I feel that he is far more ready to play in such a big game than Valentino or Brill at center back.