In this edition of "10 Questions," Frank MacDonald talks with Ian Russell.
West Seattle native Ian Russell was one of three former Sounders who graduated to MLS and helped form the nucleus of two championship teams in San Jose from 2001-03. The former University of Washington standout played a total of six seasons in the league before retiring. Now he’s returned to the Bay Area as an assistant on Frank Yallop’s staff. With the Earthquakes’ debut just days away, we caught up with Russell and asked about what it’s like to build a squad from the ground up.
What’s the atmosphere around the San Jose team operation been like since you joined in November?
After the expansion draft, where we got our core group of players, we
had to go get some players. We don’t want a lot of inexperienced
players in an expansion team so we’ve bought some players or made some
trades. We only have 14 players signed, but we don’t want to make the
same mistakes of other teams, and keep redoing the roster every 3-4
weeks. The players we get are going to stay with us.
How does the Earthquakes’ philosophy compare with that of recent expansion teams?
We’re different from Salt Lake because they went and got some younger
players. We’re going for more experienced that have played in the
league and had success in the league. I think Chivas struggled their
first year because they underestimated the MLS a little bit. They came
in with foreign players who didn’t make it in Mexico. It was disaster
for them. MLS is not the most technical league. It’s fast , physical
and if you don’t have some athletes on your team you’re going to
struggle. You have both technical and physical players in this league.
When you see Seattle getting 16 months and Philadelphia
more than two years to prepare for a first season, is it easy to be
envious?
I know our owner was talking to our GM, John Doyle, about this, and
John wants to go for it. Obviously an extra year might help a little
bit, but everybody’s happy that we’re going this year. We’re happy with
our team. There are kinks we need to work out. There’s a lot of
background stuff to work out logistically, like practice fields, but
we’ve sorted it out. On the field everything’s been great. We’re
playing well and we just won the Carolina Cup.
Frank Yallop seems to be a real players’ coach. Since
you prospered under him and have now joined his staff, what are the
qualities you see in him which set him apart?
You said it, he really is a player’s coach. Guys want to play for him.
He’s constantly talking to you and is not going to run you into the
ground. He wants guys who are going to be ready to play on Saturday
night, not leg weary or tired. He’s a very nice guy but when things
aren’t going right, he’ll lay into you. You ask anybody in the league
about Frank, and they’ll say he’s a player’s coach to the fullest. Guys
want to play for him.
MLS has changed dramatically since you were drafted. What remains the same?
Most of the teams are still made of core American players, which is
good. They develop the college players. Now there are more foreign
players, and the Designated Player has given the league some worldwide
notoriety. The level of play has gotten better, and the American
players, they work hard and lay it all out there.
What is the mood of the team?
Expectations
are low because we are expansion team, but if you look at our roster,
it’s a team which will surprise some people. We’ve had five preseason
games against MLS teams and only allowed 2-3 goals. Obviously it’s
preseason but we’re not giving up goals, which is a key. But we’re not
scoring many either, so we need to address that.
You know the San Jose community, having played there. By
coming back as a coach, you must believe this will prove to be a
successful second go-round?
Our owners also manage the Oakland A’s, so they’re familiar with sports
in the Bay Area, and they’re going to build us our own stadium. We
basically had to rent out Spartan Stadium when I played there, and that
cost a lot of money. This owner sees where the sport is going and is
willing to spend money and do it the right way. San Jose will no longer
be the team that’s rumored to be moving. We’re here for the long run.
In another year you and the Quakes will be playing in
Seattle. Given that they will only be separated by a year and a 2-hour
flight, does this have the makings of a rivalry?
We’re rivals with the Galaxy. Seattle will be a pretty good one, but I
think the best rivalry in MLS since it started was San Jose and the
Galaxy. There’s a lot of passion. Until either Vancouver or Portland
join to create a Northwest rivalry, because San Jose is the closest
city to Seattle there will be a rivalry. But I’d like to see at least
one other Northwest city get a team to go with Seattle. That would be
great for all of us on the West Coast.
Since opening training nearly two months ago, what’s it been like in terms of evaluating players?
For us it’s been difficult because we have to look at a lot of players.
The old teams, like when I was with San Jose and we were successful and
winning championships, we were only looking for 1-2 players for a
certain position. For this team, we’re looking for every position,
either to start or add depth, so we’ve brought in tons of players. We
give them a chance, but we want the right players. With 14 players,
we’re not saying we just need to sign four more guys. We’d rather go
into the season with 15 players than have three guys that won’t
contribute, and we have guys in the reserve team. We want to make the
right decisions.
Kansas City signed a
designated player just about two weeks before opening day. What’s the
mood when you know your coach is still shopping for talent, yet you
know it might come at the cost of your playing time or position?
The league wants us to fill out the roster and we will in time. But in
Europe they are still playing and have to wait until some players who
are out of contract. We might get some guys in May that might be our
marquee guys. It’s just tough for right now. The most important thing
for Frank is that he wants a good locker room, guys that get along and
play well together.
