How FC Dallas expects to handle the September FIFA window
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How FC Dallas expects to handle the September FIFA window
Sometimes the calendar doesn't do you any favors.
The 2023 calendar for all Major League Soccer teams has been rather odd. We knew that going into the year, things would be different as FC Dallas and the other teams would have to deal with congested schedules in the spring before the start of the new Leagues Cup.
Following the end of that tournament, most teams had anywhere between two and four weeks off from league play. For FC Dallas, they ended up with a 20-day layover between games.
After being back in the thick of things last week with most teams, including FC Dallas, playing three games in seven or eight days, most teams will now be off this coming week due to the international window for FIFA games.
Head coach Nico Estevez discussed last Saturday, following the 2-2 draw with Atlanta United, how this type of schedule disrupts their rhythm going into the stretch run of the season.
“You know, it is difficult. You do a good job, like coming back three games, rotating players, everyone gets into the rhythm, and now they have to take a break again,” said Estevez. “I think we'll go to give them a couple of days off. We'll come back on Tuesday until Saturday, and we'll do more like a kind of a scrimmage and also competition with a small sided games like to do a really, really heavy type of load like to try to get the same numbers that we get in the game.”
For some players, this week will include some additional travel. Designated Player Alan Velasco earned his first international call-up with the Argentine national team for their upcoming World Cup Qualifiers. He departed for South America on Sunday afternoon.
Veteran attacker Paul Arriola will also have a busy week away from the team as he heads back to Los Angeles to attend his mother-in-law’s funeral. He shared that sometimes life outside the game is more important but also that rejoining his teammates later this week will be good as they prepare for the next game.
“It's tough to do. It's tough for both sides, right? You want to be here you want to you want to be part of the team,” said Arriola. “You want to be able to take care of business but at the same time understand life is more than football at some times.
“But collectively, I think it's you try and keep the same schedule. You know, try and get a game on the weekend, whatever that looks like, or, you know, some type of intensive training for us that can replicate somewhat of a game load and then be ready to go. The good news is we have another home game.”
FC Dallas will host the Seattle Sounders on their return to action on Saturday, September 16. That match will kickstart another tough stretch that will see the club in action five times across a 14-day stretch.