MLS rookies tend to be wide-eyed and nervous as they enter their first preseason training camp. Few are expected to make an immediate impact with the senior team and for many, the most immediate task is simply earning a roster spot and finding their place among the locker room's veterans.
But D.C. United newcomer Milos Kocic is having none of it -- not even the "r word" itself.
"I don't see myself as a rookie," said the Serbian goalkeeper, United's third selection in last month's SuperDraft. "I don't want anybody to see me as a rookie. I really feel like I can play and that's it. I'm going to do my best, I am going to compete as much as I can. I don't care who is behind me, who is in front of me. You've got to beat me to be the starting goalkeeper."
The 23-year-old's straightforward confidence startled the media members in attendance, yet his soccer resume is rich enough to justify such an attitude. Kocic was raised in Belgrade, Serbia, where his father instilled in him a passionate love for Red Star Belgrade, a traditional Eastern European heavyweight infamous for its rabid fans and intimidating home ground, the Stadion Crvena Zvezda, nicknamed "Marakana."
The 6-foot-4 netminder had already logged time in the youth system at FK Dubocica Leskovac in his home country before crossing the Atlantic to join NCAA powerhouse St. John's University, only to be wracked by culture shock in the unforgiving environs of New York City. An under-the-weather Kocic arrived just before the start of preseason with no housing arrangements or furniture, limited English skills and, worst of all, he saw little of the field for the Red Storm and was redshirted.
So when friend and countryman Rade Kokovic suggested he consider a move south to join him at Loyola College in Baltimore, Kocic jumped at the chance. His goalkeeping soon helped elevate the little college of 3,500 undergraduates into a regional contender, as the Greyhounds racked up back-to-back NCAA tournament bids in his final two seasons.
An aggressive course schedule allowed Kocic to earn his bachelor's degree in international business a semester early, and over the winter several European clubs expressed interest in his services -- most notably, his beloved Red Star.
But life at the Marakana is inevitably affected by the power and ferocity of its hard-core supporters' groups, who became intertwined with the vicious ethnic warfare sparked by the breakup of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s. Subsequent financial troubles have created further challenges for Red Star, which nonetheless continues to churn out world-class talent like defender Nemanja Vidic (now with Manchester United) and striker Nikola Zigic (a mainstay at Spanish side Racing Santander).
More than a decade of war in the Balkans has made Serbia a pariah in the eyes of many outsiders, yet Kocic remains faithful to his homeland, whose colors he wore at the under-19 and under-21 international level.
"Serbia is really nice," said the goalkeeper, whose brother Mrijan was once a national champion kick boxer. "[During] the war, there was a [NATO] bombing, which was like two months, and the things that were happening, it wasn't as bad as the media shows. So I was fine -- with my parents, I always had everything I needed."
But Kocic nonetheless decided to avoid the "big trouble" swirling around his childhood club and pursue a career in Major League Soccer, where he feels he can prove himself on a fairer playing field.
"I love them -- I have been a Red Star fan all my life and I still didn't want to sign for them. ... I just didn't like the environment," he said. "And that is why I chose America before Serbia. Because there are so many other things besides soccer [there] and here I believe it's who the best is going to play. So that's why I'm here."
Now an unusual turn of events has pushed him up the depth chart and into a major role in United's preseason preparations. Incumbent netminder Louis Crayton has returned to Liberia in the wake of his mother's death while veteran Zach Wells is on leave from the team as he contemplates retirement, so Kocic and James Thorpe, last year's third-string 'keeper, are manning the nets in training camp.
Kocic's talent is obvious, but he's already weathered his share of hard knocks as he comes to grips with the speed and intensity of the pro level. He saw three goals fly past him in the first 45 minutes of United's 4-1 loss to Danish side Vejle Boldklub last week and gave up a disputed goal to Columbus before producing several quality saves in the second half of D.C.'s 2-1 scrimmage victory on Tuesday.
"He's seeing shots that are coming in fast and have more purpose, and finding that what's required of him on the pro level is a lot more communication and organization, which he probably hasn't [previously] been held to do," said head coach Tom Soehn. "Like any rookie, it's always a great experience to come into this environment and get thrown into tough situations. The good ones step up to that."
Even as he acknowledges the skill and experience of veterans like Crayton, Kocic continues to push for the starting job, aiming high as he looks to move up the professional ladder.
"It's different than in college, that's for sure. I need a little bit of time to adjust. I am fit but I just need some other things to settle down," he said on Tuesday. "I am fine for now but I think I can do much better. It's just a matter of time when I'm going to adjust to the players and everybody else. But I am getting better and better every day."
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