BY BRIAN MCLAUGHLIN

ROWDIES OBSERVER

You always wonder about chemistry when so many new faces from so many places are asked to became a “team” in every sense of the word.

In like … 17 nano-seconds.

ROWDIES ROSTER: The Interesting Breakdown

Nobody hands the manager a recipe book with the exact recommended pinch of this and tablespoon of that which will make this new group of players tick. I’m guessing Tampa Bay Rowdies head coach Neill Collins has spent the last few weeks figuring that out, and tonight he received his first massive challenge when Major League Soccer’s D.C. United and this guy named Wayne Rooney came calling at Al Lang Stadium.

I had a chance to say hello to Collins in pregame as I was chaperoning our U-10 TBU club team in the home “dugout” for Rowdies soccer.

“Coach, you’ve played against Wayne Rooney a bunch of times, right?”

… to which he replied in his Scottish accent.

“Oh yeah, but actually he played me,” Collins replied.



Whether coach meant that in a self-deprecating manner or in double-entendre fashion, I had to chuckle.

Tonight … the Rowdies didn’t seem intimidated in the least by D.C. United. Not that anybody expected them to be. The USL isn’t the equivalent of Major League Baseball’s minor league system. It’s closer to equal. In fact, a good many current Rowdies have spent time in the MLS or the upper tiers of European club competition.

INTERNATIONAL PLAYERS?: Who Has Represented Their Nat. Teams?

But here’s one of the England’s top players in decades strolling into Al Lang Stadium — Rooney, who the Princes of England are proud to call an acquaintance — among other stars. And how about Paul Arriola, a rising young star in his own right for the United States mens national team whose activity down the wings is enough to make any manager’s head spin.

Yet here we were, a nice length of time into this “exhibition” and the Rowdies were in lockdown mode on Rooney, and really the opponent overall. Rooney had a few moments, a few back-heel looks and a goal that was nullified by VAR (yep, we have it here too, folks!).

All in all? The backline of Shawn Barry, Mohamed Kone and David Najem, with a major nod of the cap to Pape Diakite and goalkeeper John McCarthy? They looked pretty darned stellar tonight. Barry, Kone and McCarthy are brand new to the Rowdies, while Diakite and Najem combined for 20 CAPS last year (Najem endured injury and only managed 5 of them).

GOALS?: Where Might They Come From?

For the starters on defense? Wow, if tonight was indicative of what will happen this year? Brace yourselves, Rowdies fans, for a rampant, scathing case of the smileys and a sore throat that makes you sound like you’re 90 (no offense to 90-year olds — especially 90-year old soccer fans).

There has to be a shout-out for Juan Tejada, too, who is with the Rowdies on trial. When he trotted out as one of a mass group of subs, his jersey didn’t even have a number, so Sebastian Guenzatti — being the captain that he is — tossed his No. 13 shirt he’d started the match with. Tejada must have made Guenzatti proud wearing that No. 13.

Tejada was a ball of energy for the 30-ish minutes he was out there, darting here and there and causing all kinds of headaches for D.C. United, and keep in mind … D.C. United hadn’t done its mass substitutions yet. This was happening with Rooney and Arriola and US National team goalkeeper Bill Hamid out there, at least for a decent chunk of time.

At any rate, fun stuff tonight. Looking forward to seeing how Wednesday goes.