‘08 Previews Galore + My Faith in Fernando (Highly Relevant)

By: Jeff | March 12th, 2008

Yes, friends, it’s ‘08 season preview season! The things are popping up like mushrooms damp grass…but mind you don’t pick the wrong ones. Anyway, while I’m harassing the management for materials necessary to producing a preview of my own (and, yes, I lost said materials), I’ll pass on the previews I have found by way of whetting the appetite.

And I’ll wrap up the post by sharing my faith in Fernando Clavijo, an important angle to mention because it definitely colors what I write about the team.

Steve Davis’ Rapids preview for ESPN.com makes for the highest profile entry. He raises the expected issues - e.g. can anyone make the Rapids offense function - but he also picks on one I rate fairly highly on the roster of Rapids’ woes: “is there an overall plan?” Just sad how fair a question that is. In a very-related post, FC Rocky responded to Davis’ preview, raising questions about what does and does not constitute a “key loss” as well as defending the Christian Gomez signing.

Back to pure previews, WVHooligan is busily posting away a series of season previews, apparently going alphabetically. As such, his Rapids preview came early. The familiar striker/supplier issues crop up here as well, but WV also opens the Clavijo Job Watch (formally, as well as in the preview). My favorite angle in this one, though, is what happened to the Rapids once-formidable home-field advantage.

Rounding out the field is USSoccerplayers.com’s somewhat quirky pre-season offering. These essentially answer the question, if I became a Rapids’ fan, what should I expect?

Now, my faith in Fernando. I suppose one could say it’s negative. To clarify, I have faith that Fernando will contrive to ruin the most promising of situations. To give an example, I’d lay even money that Clavijo could coach Barcelona - yes, that Barcelona; and as currently comprised - into a mid-table position in the United Soccer Leagues Division 1. That may read harshly, but I suffered through the man’s New England years as well. Honestly, I have yet to see him achieve anything to recommend him as a coach, never mind a head coach.

So, yeah, I’d call that a bias. All for now.