Revolution Ready For Fresh Start With 2012 Season
BOSTON (CBS) - After missing the playoffs the last two seasons, the New England Revolution are looking for a fresh start in 2012.
That start begins Saturday night when the Revs visit the San Jose Earthquakes for their season opener. New England finished the 2011 campaign at 5-16-13, but are looking to build off a promising 6-0-1 preseason that including a 4-0-1 record against MLS opponents.
Here are a few stories to follow as the Revolution begin their 17th season:
New Man In Charge
There is a new man on the sidelines in 35-year-old, former Revolution Jay Heaps. He takes over for Steve Nicol, who was let go after 10 years of service. In Heaps, the Revs get someone very familiar with the MLS style of play after a nine-year playing career. He is the sixth head coach in club history, and currently the second youngest active coach in the MLS behind DC United's Ben Olsen.
It will be interesting to see if Heaps energetic, possession-based style gives the Revs club the jump-start they need.
Read: Revolution-Earthquake Preview
The Young Guns
The youth movement has begun for the Revs, with nine off their 14 preseason goals coming off the foot of someone younger than 23. There are two very exciting, and very young, talents in particular they have to show off for the 2012 season.
With the third overall pick in the MLS SuperDraft, New England took Kelyn Rowe from UCLA. The 20-year-old made some noise in the preseason, having a part in all but three of the Revs' goals scored with four goals and four assists in six games. The 5-8 midfielder is said to be a physical player despite his 150-lb frame, and is brimming with confidence as he enters the MLS.
But he isn't the youngest talent the Revolution have to offer. Those honors go to 17-year-old Diego Fagundez. New England fans already got a glimpse of the Revolution's first home-town product last season, when the Leominster native made his MLS debut on August 6. In that match against Chivas USA, Fagundez drew a penalty shortly after entering and scored his first goal in the 86th minute to pull the Revs within a goal. While New England eventually lost, it was quite the debut for a kid who had just completed his freshman year in high school. He finished last season with two goals and an assist.
Now Fagundez is working out full-time with the Revolution as he attends online classes through Leominster High. The speedster already fits right in with the younger players filling out the Revs roster, and will bring some hometown excitement to the Gillette crowds.
Benny 's Bunch
Midfielder Benny Feilhaber will play his first full season with New England after being acquired last April through the MLS Allocation Process. After a five-year European career, he is looking to do some damage in the MLS, and the Revs were lucky to get him after Chivas and Philadelphia both passed.
Feilhaber scored four goals and added a team-high seven assists in 23 games in 2011, and brings vision, passing, and a scoring threat to the New England offense. He started all six preseason games for the Revs, splitting time between midfielder and left midfielder. He had a goal and assist, netting a circus full-bicycle kick goal in the Revs 3-2 win over Los Angeles.
Feilhaber should be able to do some damage up front playing alongside the young players and with team captain Shalrie Joseph setting him up.
View: 2012 Season Schedule
Reis Looks To Bounce Back
Matt Reis has been a staple in goal for the Revolution the past eight years and is looking to bounce back after injury and surgery riddled 2010 and 2011 campaigns.
The club's all-time leader in nearly every goaltending category is ready for a new season, starting six of their seven preseason games, posting two shutouts along the way. Reis only allowed two goals in his 385 minutes on the field, both coming against Los Angeles in the Desert Diamond Cup opener. He later shut out the Galaxy in the tourney's championship game, but the Revs lost 4-2 in penalty kicks.
Reis looks to be back to his old self, even at the age of 36.
Tune in to the Revolution all season on 98.5 The Sports Hub. Coverage for the season opener against the San Jose Earthquakes begins at 10:30pm Saturday night!
