After two practices with their Interim Head Coach Brian Bliss, Columbus Crew players are starting to get a sense of what to expect in their first match without Robert Warzych at the helm, and it seems that the look of the team may not be too different than in the old regime.
“I'm going to change a couple guys, but not guys that nobody's ever seen before; maybe guys that you haven't seen as of late,” Bliss said after training Tuesday. “Any time you make a change you're going to get freshness, it's an automatic. It's whether you can turn that freshness into playing and some results and confidence. In any sport, the mental part of the game is ultra important, and hopefully this can help us in that area.”
For veteran Danny O'Rourke, who is suspended for Wednesday's match for against the Houston Dynamo, the team's consistency will be a positive.
“I don't think Bliss is coming here trying to reinvent the wheel,” he said. “He may see things a little differently, but we have the same players. We've had a couple of training sessions, and there are some good things and some things we're going to take some time to get used to. I think some new blood for the Houston game tomorrow is going to be a good thing.”
In his introductory press conference Monday, Bliss told reporters that while his style might not deviate too much from Warzycha, he coaches in a different manner while on the field.
“I might be a bit louder, more encouraging, maybe,” he said. “I like to coach from a positive standpoint. I don't want to use the word cheerleading, but I'm very supportive of what goes on out on the field, but also fair but critical. I like to coach from a positive standpoint, and kind of use my words for that.”
For midfielder Wil Trapp, the changes thus far all seem mental, and the young international also mentioned the freshness that Bliss discussed.
“I think it's going to be pretty consistent with what we were doing before,” he said. “There's obviously going to be changes with a new coach, maybe different training techniques, but I think guys are refocusing, and I wouldn't expect too much difference in lineup or anything like that.”
Part of the reason for the lack of sweeping changes is the team's quick turn around. The team announced the firing of Warzycha Monday, and the Crew host Houston just two days later in a match that is a must-win to keep the team's slim playoff hopes alive.
“It's nice that we have this quick turnaround to kind of test ourselves,” Trapp said. “It's definitely not ideal. But I think it's going to be good for us; we're just excited to play, really.”
Veteran O'Rourke echoed Trapp's sentiments, and said that it would be good to keep the team's mind on training and preparation for the game, not their departed coach.
“When it comes down to the game, we didn't have a long week to think about it,” he said. “I'm suspended, but for these guys they've been really focused, so it's been a good two days.”
One change that Bliss will try to implement by Wednesday's match is a focus on making dangerous plays, rather than relying on long spells of passing.
“You get into the offensive end and I use the phrase, 'action of consequence,” he said. “Whether it's a shot, a combination, a cross, something has to happen of consequence at the attacking end, and has to happen quicker than 15, 18, 20 passes. I love that too, but in the modern game anymore, things have to happen quickly.”
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