23. Omar Salgado
Pos: M/F | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | Age: 19 (Today, September 10, is his birthday!)
Who knows how high Salgado could have finished had he not suffered a fracture in his foot while on US Under-20 duty in June? He seemed to be taking well to the new position on the wing assigned to him by Vancouver manager Martin Rennie. His powerful runs and solid crossing in wide areas made him a new weapon for the then-upstart Whitecaps. After three months on the shelf, it won’t be long before we see whether he can get his large frame back into that midseason form.
What TDs and coaches like: "He made some strides toward the end of last year and into the beginning of this year playing with more confidence ... Last year, he was a kid, he played like a kid and, I thought toward the end of the year, maybe coming into this year, he showed a lot more confidence ... He’s a tall, left-footed player with good pace ... I think it’s pretty hard when at 17 years old, people are talking about you like you’re going to be as good as Landon Donovan. Right now, I think it’s a hard position to be in."
Where TDs and coaches want improvement:“Obviously Omar has to do it with the team in training to put himself in a position to be a first-choice selection … He’ll be a good player, but he’s not in the same class as some of the other young talents, not at the moment."
Opta Says: Only two players under 24 have created more big chances per 90 minutes this season in MLS than Omar Salgado (0.94).
<span style="font-size: 12px;">Tale of the Tape</span> |
Last Year in 24U24: #19 |
Fan Ranking: #34 |
Castrol Index (as of 9/10/12): #357 |
<span style="font-size: 12px;">2012 Stats</span> |
Matches played: 6 |
Matches started: 5 |
Goals: 0 |
Assists: 1 |
<span style="font-size: 12px;">Related Content</span> |
<ul><li><strong>WATCH:</strong><a href="//www.whitecapsfc.com/news/2012/08/omar-salgado-update" target="_blank">Salgado hopes to return to pitch soon</a></li><li><strong>READ:</strong><a href="http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2012/06/13/vancouvers-salgado-miss-2-4-months-broken-foot" target="_blank">Broken foot sidelines Salgado</a></li><li><strong>READ:</strong><a href="http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2012/05/15/salgado-impressing-caps-despite-uncharacteristic-display" target="_blank">New Salgado impresses 'Caps</a></li><li><strong>WATCH:</strong><a href="http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2012/04/19/salgado-makes-2012-debut-stresses-newfound-patience" target="_blank">Salgado stresses patience in 2012</a></li></ul> |
What do you think of Omar Salgado? Tell us in the comments below.
Vancouver Whitecaps FC are preparing to launch a special offer for fans on 2013 Season Tickets. To thank fans for their continued support, those who purchase Season Tickets from Saturday, September 22 to Wednesday, October 3 will receive a special signing bonus of 12 per cent off. Fans can take advantage of this offer and renew or purchase their Season Tickets online at whitecapsfc.com or by phone at 604.669.9283.
