FRISCO, Texas -- No matter the sport, whenever a player is
drafted first overall, expectations surrounding him are high. Such
is the case for FC Dallas defender Chris Gbandi, picked first
overall in the 2002 MLS SuperDraft after an outstanding collegiate
career at Connecticut. After battling injuries for most of his first
four professional seasons, Gbandi enters 2006 with something to
prove.
"I set a simple goal for this season, just to come to practice
every single day," Gbandi said. "It kind of sounds funny but I feel
like when I'm out there practicing and getting better every single
day, the games will take care of themselves. If I can practice every
day, that means I am staying healthy and good things will happen for
me."
The Hoops defender also knows that being injury-free is a key to
his success. During the preseason, Gbandi had once again claimed the
left fullback role -- he started there in the Hoops 3-2
season-opening win against the Chicago Fire -- and he would like to
make it his for the entire campaign.
"It feels great to be 100 percent this year," he said. "This year
is looking real good for me. I'm excited and am enjoying the game.
I'm able to go out there and not worry about is this hurting or is
that hurting. I'm just able to play and not worry about technique or
anything like that. I think I've got my legs back and I'm looking
forward to this season."
FC Dallas head coach Colin Clarke has also noticed a difference
from Gbandi's early injury-filled days to the present.
"When I first got here, Chris was coming off injuries and having
problems with various parts of his body," Clarke said. "Now that
he's gone through a couple of preseasons and hasn't had any
injuries, he's starting to get back to where he was in college. I
still think he can improve and get better."
Entering this season, Gbandi had made just 62 appearances (54 as
a starter in three full seasons). He missed the entirety of what
would have been his rookie season in 2002 after undergoing knee
surgery following his senior season at UConn.
FCD assistant coach Oscar Pareja has also been impressed by what
Gbandi has done to overcome the injury woes.
"When Chris came here, we had heard a lot of great things,"
Pareja said. "Unfortunately, he got hurt and struggled a bit. He
showed what kind of man he is and his passion, character, love for
the game and the respect that he has for the game. He earned all my
respect. Now, he is a very important part of the team. He is still
very young and I have no doubt that he is one of the best defenders
in the league. I also know that the best times for Chris Gbandi are
coming."
Gbandi played in 17 games last season, his lowest in a single
season with Dallas, but he was also locked in a battle with David
Wagenfuhr for playing time. Still, he scored his first goal in more
than two seasons over the course of the campaign, and his career has
also been marked by a first full national team appearance with
Liberia in 2004.
"It's been up and down," Gbandi said of his career. "The first
couple of years, people expected a lot out of me and I wasn't able
to provide it because I wasn't healthy. Now that I'm fully fit, I
think a lot of people will be surprised with what I'm capable of
doing. I'm looking forward to the season and showing what I'm
capable of doing."
He has been labeled a bust in some quarters because he hasn't put
up the big numbers expected of a No. 1 pick and also because of the
gaudy stats that the player taken behind him in the draft, New
England's Taylor Twellman, has put up so far in his career.
"I guess if people label me a bust, they might have something to
back that up since I haven't done that much," Gbandi said. "That's
fair to say with all my injuries but injuries are obviously part of
sports. I think after this year, a lot of that perception will
change. I think once people see me run up and down the flank, they
will realize that I know the game, love the game and know how to
play it."
For now, the goals for Gbandi are simple -- get into the starting
lineup week in and week out, and maybe more importantly, get FC
Dallas to MLS Cup on their home ground come November.
"It's kind of weird that people call me a bust, but I'm still
here," he said. "They're keeping me here for a reason, probably
because they realize I can play. It's so funny because me, Bobby
(Rhine) and (Jeff) Cassar were talking the other day about how there
are not that many people left from when we first got here. In this
league, when you can stick around with one franchise for a while,
you feel like you are doing something right. Everything is first
class and I'm happy to be here."
Steve Hunt is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story
was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
