Early exits plaguing soccer

When men’s soccer coach Jorge Salcedo took over the UCLA
program in 2004, he understood he was taking over a team that would
be a perennial national contender ““ 22 consecutive NCAA
Tournament appearances and an all-time NCAA record of 54-29. He
also recognized that he’d be surrounded by numerous players
with national-team experience ““ 13 of the 28 players last
season were members of national teams.

But after completing his first season, Salcedo is now familiar
with the headaches that past Bruin coaches were faced with.

One by one, players have elected to forgo their eligibility to
join Major League Soccer or play overseas. The latest loss for the
Bruins was midfielder Benny Feilhaber, who signed a three-year
contract with German professional soccer team Hamburger SV last
week. Feilhaber would have been a junior this year.

“I feel the pressure to continue to recruit the best
players and to get other players to perform because you ultimately
don’t know when you’re going to lose your key
players,” Salcedo said. “It heightens (the coaching
staff’s) awareness of who can contribute right away each year
we recruit.”

The loss of Feilhaber comes on the heels of the departure of
another Bruin scoring threat ““ forward Chad Barrett. Barrett
decided to enter the 2005 MLS SuperDraft after contemplating
turning pro during a breakout freshman campaign. Barrett was
rewarded with his decision by being the third overall pick by the
Chicago Fire. Both Feilhaber and Barrett were driving forces behind
the Bruins’ offense last season, and both players still had
two years of eligibility remaining.

Feilhaber’s departure did not come as a surprise to
teammates Patrick Ianni and Marvell Wynne, who were also members of
the U-20 national team.

“Definitely the way he was playing ““ setting up and
assisting his fellow teammates on the offensive end ““ he was
an outstanding player,” Wynne said. “Much of our play
going up field was through him. If anyone was going to get a look
overseas, it was Benny.”

Leaving early appears to be a trend that will continue for the
Bruins.

Both Ianni, who will be a junior, and Wynne, who will be a
sophomore, agreed that their time on the U-20 team this summer
proved they can compete at the pro level. Both players said they
are likely to leave at the end of the 2005 season.

It’s a reality Salcedo is aware of, but he still hopes it
won’t be the case.

“I know both are leaning toward leaving, but there are
still a variety of scenarios in which they could come back,”
Salcedo said.

This year’s offensive unit is depleted. Gone are last
year’s top-scorer Mike Enfield, who finished his last year of
eligibility and is now a member of the LA Galaxy, Barrett and
Feilhaber. The trio tallied 24 of the Bruins’ 38 goals last
year.

Where does that leave next year’s offense? In a bind.

Forward Kamani Hill, who will be a sophomore next season, was
the only player to see action in every game last season. He was
also the only player to have started in more than half of the
Bruins’ 20 games. Last year the UCLA offense struggled early,
scoring 13 goals in nine games, and the Bruins head into next
season with little experience on the offensive end.

“(The offense) may need help,” Wynne said.

Salcedo said the team will need to rely on players who
haven’t seen much action. Evan Corey and Jonathan Bornstein,
who will be returning from an ankle injury, will be looked upon to
score as they head into their senior years.

If there is a bright light for the Bruins, however, Ianni said
they can look at how Enfield flourished in his last season. After
receiving sparse playing time and recording three goals in his
first three seasons, Enfield had his breakout season in his final
year at UCLA, tallying 13 goals.

“We had guys that haven’t played as well or put up
numbers, but neither did Enfield before last year,” Ianni
said. “We’re just waiting. We hope some of the guys
will do it for us.”

UCLA, in the meantime, will need to rely on its defense.
Returning are Ianni, Wynne and juniors Brandon Owens and Jordan
Harvey. Ianni believes the Bruins’ defense will be better
than last year’s team that held opponents to a total of 16
goals all season and posted seven shutouts.

“It will be difficult to break us down and penetrate on
us,” Salcedo said.

The Bruins don’t want to reflect on the type of team they
would have had if Feilhaber and Barrett stayed at UCLA. And if UCLA
hopes to win its fourth straight conference title and have another
shot at the NCAA Championship this season, neither does
Salcedo.

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