KANSAS CITY -- The Kansas City Wizards brain trust feels it is right on track after two seasons at the helm. Head coach Curt Onalfo and technical director Peter Vermes have guided the team to the MLS Cup Playoffs in both seasons and even pulled two more points out of the 2008 version than the 2007. In addition, they have positioned the team financially to hopefully push it to the next level.
Now, the real work begins.
Vermes prefers to be proactive when it comes to players' contracts. So in September, he negotiated a contract extension of one of the Wizards' lynchpins: midfielder Davy Arnaud. The team's leading goal scorer and possessor of the team's most powerful engine, Arnaud signed on for four more years as the fourth year of his latest deal was coming to a close.
Similarly, Jack Jewsbury, Arnaud's cohort in center midfield, put pen to paper for a four-year extension of his current contract. Thus the duo who did much to push the Wizards to five wins in their last seven games to reach the 2008 playoffs will be together for the foreseeable future.
The negotiations are not finished, however. Designated player Claudio Lopez signed on for two years last spring, with, at his request, the second year being an option year. Even though the Argentinean World Cup veteran has repeatedly stated he is enjoying his time in Kansas City, nothing is certain at this point. Vermes said he will sit down with the Wizards' leading point getter in the coming weeks.
In the last week, Onalfo, Vermes, and the rest of the coaching staff have been hitting the college scene in preparation for the 2009 MLS SuperDraft, in which the Wizards currently have many picks. Some pundits believe the draft field is not very strong, yet Vermes believes, "There are players out there; you just have to find them."
Some could doubt Kansas City's judgment though. Despite the significant contributions of rookies Roger Espinoza and Jonathan Leathers, to name a few, during the 2008 season, some fans could be lamenting the Wizards trading of defensive standout and fan favorite Nick Garcia last January to the expansion San Jose Earthquakes for the No. 1 overall pick. That pick was used to choose Chance Myers, who had chosen to leave UCLA early. Expected struggles on the field, injuries, and illnesses held the 20-year-old's contributions to only seven starts and 10 appearances.
"We saw the potential in him for the long term. ... The best thing about him is time. We are going to be patient with his development. He's a great kid, he has a lot of potential, and he has unbelievable recovery speed," Vermes said. "Just like any other player, it will be up to him to make sure that he gets that potential through a good level of training and development over the next couple of years. I think he has the desire to do that. I think we'll see it."
Myers was drafted to increase Kansas City's danger on the flanks, an area of focus still. Yet it doesn't take a prophet to signal where the Wizards' main focus will be in the area of offseason acquisitions.
"As I do my travels and talk to teams, they all say the same thing, 'We just need two more players,'" said Vermes. "I don't know how many players we need, but we do need someone who can be a consistent goal scorer for us."
Only 37 goals in 30 games on the season meant the Wizards did not take full advantage of the 12 shutouts earned on the defensive side. One goal in their four 0-0 draws would have meant eight more points in the standings and home-field advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
Fortunately, the close attention of Onalfo and Vermes has them set well in the salary budget, in terms of making significant additions to the roster.
"Peter and I had a plan when we took over to get our [salary] cap in order and build for the future. It was a three-year project to get to where we wanted to be to continue to really make strides," said Onalfo. "We feel like we're right on track."
Depth, flank players, speed, and that elusive consistent goal scorer are likely all on the list.
"We're not rushing to do anything. We're patient to make sure now that we're in a good position in the cap that we can make the right decisions with some of the guys that we can now go after that we couldn't the last two years," said Vermes.
This offseason will have its impact, but what will that impact be? Will the 2009 season see the Wizards breakout of the middle of the MLS pack and become an elite side? There is no doubt about it -- that is the goal.
"Nobody yet in this league has had one of those years like a Chelsea or a Manchester United where out of 30 games you win 25. That's what we're setting our sights on," Vermes said. "We have to get that consistency where we can continue to be successful game-in and game-out. It's not easy because there is a lot of parity in the league, but it also goes to a level of concentration within your team and how you do things."
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