Cites Hassli, Long Tan as prime examples
BY BRUCE CONSTANTINEAU, VANCOUVER SUN MARCH 9, 2012
Article from canada.com
Whitecaps captain Jay DeMerit during the teams media day practice at BC Place in in Vancouver.
Photograph by: Ben Nelms , REUTERS
It was a refreshingly candid answer in the annual cliché-ridden circus known as Vancouver Whitecaps media day.
While delivering a classroomlike session on his powerofpositive-thinking coaching style to a group of soccer scribes, head coach Martin Rennie was asked which Caps players have already benefited from that philosophy.
He quickly cited forwards Eric Hassli and Long Tan as great examples of players who have embraced the notion of believing in themselves and doing whatever it takes to become better.
"Eric has lost weight and he's fitter and a lot stronger in the air now," Rennie said. "Long Tan has showed me more than I thought he had early on."
The new Whitecaps boss spent part of the session outlining various tactical formations but devoted just as much time on the need for players to rid themselves of negativity.
"If people keep telling you you're not good at something - like 'You're no good in the air' or 'You don't have a good left foot' - then you start believing that," he said. "We want players to break out of that negative mindset."
Rennie said talented playmaking midfielder Davide Chiumiento will do amazing things this season if he continues to think positively and play to his full potential. The former Swiss Super Leaguer has shown well in pre-season play, often looking extremely motivated.
Chiumiento said it's already clear that Rennie knows what he wants from his players.
"He's sure about how he wants to play football," he said. "If he's not happy, he tells you and if he's happy, he tells you too, so that's really good."
Whitecaps officials hope the positive thinking and encouraging pre-season results this year bode well for the 2012 season, but no one is overpromising anything, not after winning just six of 34 games last year.
Club president Bob Lenarduzzi told the assembled media at BC Place Thursday the team wants to be in the hunt for a playoff spot all season. That would mean having a realistic late-season chance to finish fifth or better in the nine-team Major League Soccer western conference.
Chief operating officer Rachel Lewis said the Whitecaps aim to be among the top six MLS teams in attendance, sponsorship and ticket revenue.
The club had the third-highest attendance last season and its corporate sponsorship program was believed to be among the strongest in MLS. But the team's poor on-field performance last year resulted in the season-ticket base shrinking to about 13,000 this year from 15,500 a year ago.
New Caps forward Sebastien Le Toux knows all about second-year MLS teams shaking off disappointing debut seasons and making the playoffs the following year. He did exactly that with the Philadelphia Union last season.
"I'm playing for the playoffs and to win the MLS Cup every time," Le Toux said. "We don't play here to just be a team that plays for fun. We have lots of expectations for this year and the first one is to make the playoffs."
After just his second practice with the Whitecaps in Arizona last month, Le Toux told his new teammates the Caps have more potential than the Union this year.
"There's a better chemistry between younger and older players," he said. "I think we can do great things but we have to be together and everybody who played here last year wants to do well. New guys like me can feel that."
SIDE KICKS: Forward Atiba Harris won't play in the season opener against Montreal on Saturday as he recovers from a left knee injury suffered in the Disney Pro Classic final against Toronto last weekend. Harris, who missed most of last season with a right knee injury, is not expected to be out long.
SEASON OPENER
Saturday vs Montreal Impact
3 p.m. at BC Place TSN/1410 AM
bconstantineau@vancouversun.com
Article from canada.com
