Lambo finds familiar face with Rowdies

Posted Mar 23, 2010 by Nick Murray

Updated Mar 23, 2010 at 03:08 AM

New FC Tampa Bay Rowdies goalkeeper Josh Lambo was always expecting to be sent out on loan from FC Dallas this season. That had been the plan for him last season before the MLS club’s starter Dario Sala was injured, keeping Lambo in Texas.

When he found out that he’d be coming to the Rowdies, though, he was glad to have a familiar face here to welcome him.

“Knowing Julian and knowing his little brother it was definitely comforting,” Lambo said of Rowdies center back Julian Valentin. “I knew I could talk to somebody right away, relate right away.”

Valentin’s younger brother Zarek played with Lambo for the U.S. Under-20 national team, and from that he got the chance to meet and get to know Julian. The prior relationship has been in evidence as the duo has been having fun out of the training field since Lambo joined the squad last Wednesday.

On the field, Valentin thinks Lambo will have a positive effect on the team as he competes for playing time with Daryl Sattler and Phillip Lamarre.

“I was excited,” Valentin said about hearing of Lambo’s loan deal. “Goalkeeper is definitely a position where it’s always nice to have a few good options and adding Josh adds a little more depth, and he’s a great kid, good to have around in the locker room and we’re excited to have him.”

While Lambo knew Valentin prior to arriving in Tampa, and few players from the Liverpool Combine last year, he has been welcomed quickly by the rest of the Rowdies squad.

“The team overall is just fantastic,” Lambo said. “The guys are really great to get along with, really fun to be around.”