WASHINGTON -- The outside world might have been buzzing about the departure of their highest-paid and most recognizable teammate, Marcelo Gallardo, last week, but the rest of D.C. United's squad have studiously maintained an inward focus amid their preseason preparations as they moved south to the IMG Academies in Bradenton, Fla. on Tuesday.
Santino Quaranta embodies that mentality as much as anyone. As the Gallardo story took center stage, United's youngest veteran -- at only 24 years of age, he's already played in 116 career MLS matches -- was quick to play down the impact of Gallardo's exit and hail D.C.'s rapidly-budding team spirit, keyed in large part by the influence of homegrown returnees such as himself.
"We're excited about everybody," he said. "It's a good feeling in the locker room, a better feeling. Honestly, it wasn't a lot of problems last year in the locker room, but you could still sense that it wasn't [together]. But now it seems that from the coaching staff on down, everybody's on the same page."
Quaranta is eager to follow up last year's startling return to form with another career-best campaign in 2009, one he began preparing for months ago in his home town of Baltimore, subjecting himself to a demanding offseason regimen with a personal trainer whose workouts are based on boxing-style methods.
"It's probably the hardest offseason I've ever had," he said. "I don't want to suffer in the preseason like I've done in the past. ... I feel stronger -- every muscle in my body feels different, because I'm using muscles that I've never used before here, working with this guy. It's been fun, but real demanding. It's not the easiest thing in the world to work out like this, but it really has paid off."
Santino Quaranta, the workaholic gym rat: such a concept might seem implausible to those who followed his early career travails when he was a cocky teenager confident of gliding to stardom on talent alone. But the new-look Quaranta has been full of surprises since overcoming a profoundly traumatic addiction to prescription drugs last winter, and with every treasured day of stability and sobriety that passes, his prospects on the field continue to improve.
"It's been a blessing," he said. "I'm really grateful because this time last year, it wasn't that pretty for me. I didn't know what was going on. It just shows when you do the right thing, what happens."
Last spring Quaranta had to work hard just to earn a contract from the club where he'd burned so many bridges during his dark years. But after notching five goals and four assists for the Black-and-Red in '08, he shows no hesitation about laying out far more ambitious goals for himself this time around.
"I think I can do a lot more numbers-wise, scoring-wise," he said last week. "Really, the first half of [last] year I was still trying to work myself back into being, basically, a human being. And now to get a full preseason in and go into a season, I've got high expectations. Obviously the team comes first, but just on a personal note, I expect to do double those numbers that I had last year."
The D.C. technical staff is similarly upbeat.
"He's still very young," said head coach Tom Soehn. "There's still a really big upside to him, and we don't think he's come all the way around yet. There's still room to grow for him."
Quaranta clearly figures prominently in Soehn's plans, but now the question is, where? Having logged time as a striker, on both wings and in the attacking midfield role during his 1,963 minutes on the pitch in 2008, the versatile Quaranta will have to wait until the rest of the roster is hammered out before settling into a fixed position, if ever.
At the moment, it's only a secondary concern for the player himself, however.
"I've played so many different ones," said Quaranta. "I want to play, and I don't know exactly where yet -- it depends on what happens [to United's roster], too, still, where guys go and what happens. But it'll be somewhere, I can guarantee that."
Meanwhile, the Black-and-Red are set to welcome two new faces into the fold. Veteran defender Roger began training with United on Friday and should put pen to a contract in the coming days. The 33-year-old Brazilian last played for Rio de Janeiro side Fluminense, and though he missed time with a back injury last season, United are confident that he will bring experience and dependability to a revamped D.C. back line.
"A first-class pro," said Soehn. "He's left-footed and he's got some versatility to play any of the left-sided spots, whether it's in the middle or wide. But the experience is something we desperately need."
Soehn's options will also be bolstered by the imminent signing of holding midfielder Andrew Jacobson. United's top SuperDraft pick a year ago, the University of California product spent 2008 testing European waters, but was hampered by injury troubles and has returned to the United States to continue his career.
"We're happy to get him back, but like anybody, he's going to have to earn his respect and earn his time," said Soehn.
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