Showing posts tagged “Greg Shields”
David Fellerath ·
28 Sep 2009, 8:10 AM ·
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RailHawks midfielder Joseph Kabwe plays the ball as Ansu Toure defends. (photo by Rich Bostwick)
WAKEMED SOCCER PARK/ CARY—Bummer. It was a lovely evening for soccer, sunny and mild in early fall. Just as it’s a little early for the leaves to change color and drop from the trees, it was a little early for the RailHawks’ remarkable season to end.
But end it did, as an exhausted and increasingly desperate squad failed to put the ball in the net against the seventh-seeded Vancouver Whitecaps, finishing with a nil-nil draw. The RailHawks needed a 1-0 victory just to get to penalty kicks, but the Cary XI closed their season by failing to score in 180 minutes and two home-and-home legs against a bigger and more experienced, playoff-hardened Vancouver side.
By the end, the RailHawks were in a 4-4-2 and throwing everyone forward. “We had chances in the first half and didn’t take them,” coach Martin Rennie said. “It made it a little more difficult. We started to go more direct.
“When you go more direct, you need the ball to bounce your way and it didn’t—which usually isn’t the way we play,” Rennie said. “We’re usually much more thought-through, much more precise. But once we weren’t getting the goal, I think maybe we began to panic a little bit, which made it more difficult to break them down.”
“You’ve got to credit Vancouver,” center back and captain Mark Schulte said. “They knew what they had to do: They had to shut us down—they sat in [on us].”
In truth, the RailHawks showed little of the squad that scored 43 goals in USL-1 league play. They launched 12 shots, but Whitecaps keeper Jay Nolly only needed to make four saves.
It was one save in particular that would prove to put the kibosh on the season. Continue reading »
Carolina RailHawks, Soccer Amir Lowery, Andriy Budnyy, Brad Rusin, Brian Plotkin, Caleb Norkus, Daniel Paladini, Greg Shields, Gregory Richardson, Jay Nolly, Jeremy Tolleson, John Cunliffe, Joseph Kabwe, Josh Gardner, Lyle Martin, Mark Schulte, Martin Rennie, Matt Watson, Matthew Delicate, playoffs
David Fellerath ·
24 Sep 2009, 2:22 PM ·
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Gregory Richardson made his RailHawks debut against the Whitecaps in July, scoring a goal that was later ruled to be an own goal. (photo by Rich Bostwick)
It’s Thursday, Sept. 24, and the RailHawks playoff run begins tonight in Vancouver. Tune in at 10:30 p.m. to www.usllive.com for the Webcast, and/or follow the tweets from the RailHawks’ Tim Candon @RailHawksFC. I published a short print preview in the Indy this week (with a great picture of Gregory Richardson during his dominating first-half performance against Puerto Rico).
We also heard coach Martin Rennie on 850 the Buzz yesterday. While it was great to hear the RailHawks featured on a local AM sports chat show, the quality of the interview was a little discouraging.
The host, David Glenn, averred that he’d been attending games and even mentioned that he himself is a coach of his kid’s U-7 team. Unfortunately, he didn’t ask Rennie a single tactical question, nor were any RailHawks players’ names mentioned in the interview.
There was, however, a question about how Rennie’s American wife, Amy, liked living in Scotland, but no question about the experience and quality Scottish Premier League veteran Greg Shields has brought to the back line. (Shields, by the way, was named to the 24th and final USL-1 team of the week and, remarkably, he’s the 18th RailHawk so honored this season.)
After a discussion of soccer’s potential for growth in America and an amusing recounting of Rennie’s encounter with a water bottle in Montreal, Glenn inquired about the family friendliness of WakeMed Soccer Park. Rennie dutifully enumerated all of the children’s activities available, along with the half-time shows and the promotional games. It was as if he was being asked to justify a night out to something intrinsically uninteresting—a soccer game.
Questions about Matthew Delicâte’s subbing (or Matthew Watson’s broken leg)? Nope. Questions about Rennie’s strategy in a two-leg playoff? Nope. Questions about matching up with Vancouver’s Charles Gbeke and Marlon James? Nope. Questions about the difficulty the RailHawks have in scoring on the road (more on that below)? Nada.
The whole interview was quite pleasant, and Glenn was genuinely enthusiastic and not condescending. I’m sure the RailHawks are happy to have the radio exposure, but we await more mature, sophisticated soccer coverage from the area’s broadcast sports media. Rennie himself said on the program that increased media interest is key to soccer’s growth in America–and he told the Indy’s Chris Gaffney as much back in March: “To tell the truth, I hope that the press becomes critical here, because that means they’re interested.”
In our continuing effort to, ahem, do just that, we recently took a closer look at the RailHawks’ road record against the six other teams in the playoffs. Although the RailHawks’ overall road record is a strong 5-5-5, for 20 points in 15 games, the team has had more difficulty against the playoff teams. This is to be expected, of course, but we thought we’d look at the numbers. Continue reading »
Carolina RailHawks, Soccer 850 the Buzz, Charles Gbeke, Greg Shields, Gregory Richardson, Marlon James, Martin Rennie, Matt Watson, Matthew Delicate, team of the week, Vancouver Whitecaps
David Fellerath ·
19 Sep 2009, 11:40 AM ·
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Matt Watson during practice earlier this season. Watson broke his fibula in the early minutes of last night's game. (Photo by D.L. Anderson)
WAKEMED SOCCER PARK/ CARY—We began the evening with an early dinner at the home of friends in the countryside outside Chapel Hill. We lingered a little long and then arrived at Wake Med just in time to witness the unsettling image of RailHawks midfielder Matt Watson writhing in pain on the visitor sideline, attended by four or five trainers and staff.
Watson looked utterly stricken—he had the collar of his shirt in his teeth—but he may have been reacting also to the dread of a second debilitating injury to his wheels this season. While John Cunliffe took his place in the 17th minute, the stretcher was sent away and Watson went off the field on crutches and, apparently, to an ambulance. Word came later that his fibula was broken and his season, which was also disrupted by a knee injury, is apparently over.
It was an unfortunately sour note to an otherwise workmanlike, convincing 2-0 victory over the Montreal Impact. [Stat box here.] This result, combined with a near-simultaneous draw by the Charleston Battery, means that the RailHawks finish in second place and have the home advantage through the first two rounds of the playoffs. Their first-round opponent will be the Vancouver Whitecaps, and the first of two legs will be played Thursday, Sept. 24 at Swangard Stadium in Vancouver.
Andriy Budnyy started again at striker in Martin Rennie’s 4-5-1 formation, and it was evident that the game plan was to play long balls over the top to him. Delivery after air-mail delivery soared his way. In the 36th, for example, Mark Schulte launched a ball from a position in the back, which Budnyy met with his head at the far post.
That ball went straight to Montreal keeper Matt Jordan, but the crowd was roused—including Cary soccer parents sitting near us who valiantly kept redirecting their kids’ attention to the game for teachable moments. And there were teachable moments: In the 27th, for example, the parent-coaches thrilled to the one-two-one-two combo between Daniel Paladini and Greg Shields down the right flank, although it only resulted in a cross just out of Budnyy’s reach.
On the evidence of the night, the RailHawks are fully in the second stage of their Gregory Richardson tactical evolution. The word is out around the league that the ball should be kept away from the dazzling Guyanese left winger, so we saw the RailHawks effectively exploit the rest of the pitch—especially in the middle where the hard-working Budnyy trolled for a ball he could put in the back of the net. The Ukrainian was caught offside several times, mistimed a few runs and had two goals disallowed. For the game, the RailHawks were caught offsides six times, to none for the Impact.
But it only takes one converted opportunity, and that moment came in the 57th minute when Budnyy took yet another long ball, from John Gilkerson, and was hacked in the area by defender Stefano Pesoli. Up came the red card and off went Pesoli.
After some disagreement between Paladini and Richardson about which up-and-comer would do the honors, Paladini ended up over the spot. Jordan went to his left, Paladini went to his left and the RailHawks had the only goal they needed. 1-0. Continue reading »
Carolina RailHawks, Soccer Andriy Budnyy, Brian Plotkin, Daniel Paladini, Greg Shields, Gregory Richardson, Mark Schulte, Martin Rennie, Matt Watson, Matthew Delicate, Montreal Impact, playoffs
David Fellerath ·
22 Jul 2009, 1:29 PM ·
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Some personnel news out of Cary this morning, courtesy of RailHawks journalist Tim Candon:
Striker Andriy Budnyy and goalkeeper Caleb Patterson have been sent to Wilmington for an overnight loan. The USL-2 Hammerheads are trying to protect their spot in first place from the visiting Richmond Kickers. The Hammerheads, who performed heroically in June and early July, making it to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open Cup after beating the RailHawks in the second round, are now groaning with injuries. Budnyy and Patterson will help plug gaps left by an ankle injury to striker Jamie Watson and a possibly season-ending hernia surgery for goalkeeper Daryl Sattler (who, fans may remember, knocked aside penalty shots by Daniel Paladini and Mark Schulte in that June 16 thriller).
One likely result of the loan is that Eric Reed will start in goal this Friday against Charleston instead of Patterson, whose turn it would be otherwise.
Another thought: The Richmond Kickers may have a little ringer up their sleeves, too. Former UNC and MLS star Chris Carrieri appeared for the Kickers against the RailHawks on June 2. He told me then that he’s playing for Richmond on a part-time basis, against their North Carolina opponents. (He lives in Holly Springs.) Perhaps Carrieri, Patterson and Budnyy can all ride down to Wilmington together.
- Greg Shields, the veteran Scottish defender, is safely in Cary and training with the team. He arrived Saturday and caught the end of the Tecos match. Somewhat disconcertingly, he said his family was surprised by the ruckus created by the Tecos supporters:
“We were sitting by the opposing fans. For the kids, it was a wee bit daunting for them, banging the seats all the time. It was a bit different from what we’re used to.”
- Candon also reports that Devon McKenney’s just about fully rehabilitated from a hamstring injury suffered a month ago.
Carolina RailHawks, Soccer Andriy Budnyy, Caleb Patterson, Daryl Sattler, Devon McKenney, Eric Reed, Greg Shields, Jamie Watson, Wilmington Hammerheads
David Fellerath ·
16 Jul 2009, 3:05 PM ·
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There’s no question the RailHawks have a solid side, but last month’s litany of struggle exposed vulnerabilities made acute by injuries and fatigue.
Last week saw the exciting signing of Guyana international Gregory Richardson, a forward who should bring a fresh jolt to the attack. And today, the team announced that the depleted back line will finally get help with the addition of Scottish veteran Greg Shields. The 32-year-old comes straight from Scottish First Division side Dunfermline Athletic. Shields has been with them for five years; the first three of those were spent in the Scottish Premier League, before the club was relegated two seasons ago. Shields has also played in the English Premier League, with Charlton.
Shields was a top player for Dunfermline, and evidently a team leader, for he was captain. Here’s a personal, revealing profile of Shields that appeared in an April edition of the (rather racy tabloid) Scottish News of the World, in which the defender discusses his father’s death from lung cancer. The story, which refers to the player as the “Dunfermline ace,” contains family photos, including one of Shields and his father in matching kilts.
Now, with two promising signings in the areas where help is needed, the RailHawks move into the season’s second half against the mid-table Vancouver Whitecaps Friday, July 17, at 8 p.m. in Cary. The game will be broadcast on Fox Soccer Channel.
On Saturday at 7 p.m., Guadalajara’s Estudiantes Tecos, of the Mexican Primera División, visits WakeMed Soccer Park, presumably to play a fresh(er) set of RailHawks players. More information on this weekend’s games here.
By the way, RailHawks blogger Tim Candon has a breakdown of just how strong the RailHawks have been for the season’s first half, notwithstanding the June swoon. The bottom line: The ’Hawks are the second-best team in the league.
Carolina RailHawks, Soccer Estudiantes Tecos, Greg Shields, Gregory Richardson, Vancouver Whitecaps
