Taylor Twellman Says That 2022 Is The Most Important Season In Revolution History
FOXBORO (CBS) -- As the saying goes in sports, there is always next year. Those five words have been ruminating in the minds of Revolution fans since the club fell in their first playoff match after rewriting MLS history books during the regular season.
Though New England won more games and tallied more points than any other franchise during the 2021 season, they are now sitting at home without a playoff win in that incredible campaign. It has them eager to get back to the pitch in 2022, which former Revolution great Taylor Twellman is calling the most important in franchise history.
The Revs captured the hearts of New England with all that winning in 2021. They have one of the greatest coaches of all time in Bruce Arena, and Twellman believes freshly minted MLS MVP Carles Gil could become the greatest player in franchise history if he can stay healthy and keep making plays on the pitch for the next eight or nine years.
Soccer has had its moments in this region, but it's been difficult for the Revolution to get their fair piece of the pie with all the winning that the Patriots, Red Sox, Celtics and Bruins have done over the last 20 years. The Revs finally have some momentum on their side, and Twellman says that it's important for the club to build off that in 2022.
"I would argue with anyone in this league and in this sport that the 27th season in Major League Soccer for the New England Revolution franchise is the most important, and here is why. You know, I know, that a lot of our colleagues in Boston were talking about this team. They hadn't been talking about them in a long, long time," Twellman told WBZ-TV's Dan Roche at Gillette Stadium on Tuesday. "You've got to take advantage of that momentum. You have to double down and have success.
"I'm not saying break your own record. But you have to be competitive, compete for the No. 1 seed and ultimately, in the playoffs, you have to do something," he continued. "They have Concacaf Championship League, which is more games. They are losing Tajon Buchanan and they may lose Adam Buksa if they get the right offer. But they have to take advantage of this momentum. A lot of people in Boston are talking about it, and until that stadium is built in downtown Boston, you have to take advantage of it."
Twellman, who won MLS MVP with the Revs in 2005, believes that the long-rumored -- and long demanded -- Boston stadium is coming.
"The 2026 World Cup is coming, and the Kraft family is smart and pragmatic with how they spend their money. They know this market is on the precipice of blowing up," he said. "If you look at the 2026 World Cup, and have a downtown stadium to host trainings, then you're hosting World Cup games [at Gillette Stadium]. You've got a real advantage year to jumpstart.
"I do think it comes, but it comes on the watch of the Kraft's and not what we want, which is tomorrow," said Twellman.