Report card: Men’s Soccer

By Tanya DeLyzer and Amanda VanSteelandt

Talent

Short answer: the talent is raw. With a plethora of rookies suiting up this season, the Dinos had many guys who could do a lot with the ball–just not at this level quite yet. Flashes of brilliance from youngsters like keeper Rick Urbanczyk and co-captain Adam MacDonald, among others, offer promise for the future, but not quite enough talent for success in the present.


Effort

It seemed to depend on the day. This squad made the best teams look mediocre and the worst teams look dominant, depending on what they decided to bring on any given weekend. They had a problem with inconsistency all year, and seemed, at times, to let up when things weren’t going their way.


Coaching

An interesting category, indeed. Is Andy Gibbs a good coach? Definitely. His knowledge of the game is incredible. Is Andy Gibbs the right coach for this team? Less clear.


Gibbs is not a “player’s coach” by any stretch of the imagination. He is notorious for being inconsistent, quick to anger and stubborn. With a young squad like this one, it rubbed more than a few players the wrong way.


Achievement

The Dinos showed promise early, which is surprising for such a young team. However, a lack of leadership and a general lack of character did the squad in and they played very poorly to close out the season, particularly on their season-ending West Coast road trip. A disappointing year to be sure, but one with definite bright spots to look to in the future.


Overall: C+

Country: Russia. There’s a youthful enthusiasm and a lot of talent here, but the citizens are nervous about the seemingly indifferent strong man at the helm.