Rowdies ready for first preseason game

Posted Mar 5, 2010 by Nick Murray

Updated Mar 6, 2010 at 11:07 AM

One day away from their first preseason outing, the FC Tampa Bay Rowdies players looked sharp in practice, and were looking forward to the opportunity to take the field against the University of Tampa on Saturday night.

“We’ve put in a lot of hard work this week, but we’re excited about the match tomorrow,” defender Julian Valentin said. “It’s a good opportunity to play against somebody else, kick somebody else, we’re looking forward to it.”

The Rowdies will see two different line-ups take to the field against the Spartans, with only midfielders Adam Nowland and Pascal Milien and defender Graham Tatters expected to appear in both halves. Coach Paul Dalglish said he didn’t think many of the players were ready to play a full game after only a week of training, with players like Nowland and Tatters the exceptions.

“They’re 90-odd percent fit, while some of the others guys are a lot less than that,” Dalglish said. “Some of the guys that can will probably play more extended minutes, and then some of the guys that aren’t ready yet will play a 45-minute match.”

Included in the group that will play the first half is New Zealand international Jeremy Christie, who arrived in Tampa late on Thursday night and was at practice early on Friday morning before heading to Saddlebrook for his team physical. Christie could play more than just the first half, according to Dalglish, but the side will be careful not to over-exert its newest arrival to camp.

“He had a nightmare travelling,” Dalglish said. “Got in just after midnight last night, I think it was about 1 o’clock before he got his bags through and got back to MainSail. He looked good, but I think he could do with a good night’s sleep tonight, and hopefully he’ll be ready for tomorrow.

“Jeremy’s nearly 100 percent fit, he was playing, or at least training every day, so he’s nearly 100 percent fit, and he might be able to go play in the second half as well. We’ll assess at half time and see how he feels, but he’s definitely capable.”

Also at camp for the past few days has been goalkeeper coach Slobodan Janjus, who has been working out Darly Sattler, Phillip Lamarre and trialist Ryan Thompson. Sattler is expected to play in the first half against the Spartans, with Lamarre the second. Dalglish said Janjus, who worked with General Manager Perry Van Der Beck with the Tampa Bay Mutiny, was going to be with the team permanently.