VANCOUVER, BC – Vancouver Whitecaps FC returned to training Tuesday at the University of British Columbia after a big comeback win over Real Salt Lake on the weekend.
And the main topic of conversation was the resilience shown in that victory, which put Vancouver back into a playoff position with four matches remaining.
“We spoke at length last week about dealing with disappointment, opportunities missed and things like that,” head coach Carl Robinson told reporters. “And the guys got together as a group as well, and that’s a credit to them.”
“I didn’t want it to happen, but it did happen on Saturday where we went a goal behind,” Robinson continued. “They showed tremendous character. The work ethic, the desire, and the mentality of them on the weekend got us three points in the end.”
According to Jordan Harvey, who Robinson suggested should get a look from the U.S. men’s national team based on his play this season, that mentality doesn’t change with another important game coming up this weekend against FC Dallas (tickets: http://ow.ly/C8brz).
“It’s more of the same,” Harvey told reporters. “We need to step up the intensity, we saw a little bit of that today, and keep going. That’s one game. We could find ourselves in the position we were last week in one week from now. We need to refocus and do the same things we’ve been doing and carry out these last four games.”
Like last week, the ‘Caps will get a day off on Wednesday before back-to-back sessions on Thursday and Friday leading up to Saturday’s tilt with FC Dallas.
“We’re not going to get any fitter now,” said Robinson, who credited the club’s sports medicine and science team for their planning of training sessions and rest periods. “The work has been done. Now it’s about maintenance and trying to keep them fresh and sharp at those levels.”
News and notes:
- Midfielder Gershon Koffie, who has missed the last eight matches with a sprained foot, was out of a walking boot on Tuesday. The Ghanaian didn’t participate in the session, but he did some juggling on his own. “If you ask him he’ll probably say he’ll be a sub on Saturday,” said Robinson, adding that it’s probably unlikely. “It’s great news for us that he’s out of the boot and he’s building up. If we don’t see him this week, I’ll hopefully look to try to get him in next week. And if we don’t see him that week, it will be the week after. But he’s raring to go.”
- As he’s done the last few weeks, Caleb Clarke participated in Tuesday’s small-sided games. The Richmond-born striker continues to rehab and work on his fitness after suffering a ruptured quadriceps muscle in May. Clarke is not eligible to for MLS play this season.
- Whitecaps FC draft picks Mamadou Diouf and Adam Mena have returned to Vancouver after spending the season with Charleston Battery, the club’s USL PRO affiliate. Both players will train with the ‘Caps over the next month. Battery midfielder/right back Quinton Griffith has also been training with the team.
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