Recently, I got the chance to talk with Houston Dynamo midfielder Colin Clark. Colin is entering his 8th season in Major League Soccer and his 3rd with the Dynamo. Read on to find out who Colin has tried to model his game after, what it means to the players to get a new stadium in Houston, and more.
Total-MLS (TMLS): How did you get started playing soccer and what other sports did you play when you were young? At what point did you realize you wanted to play soccer professionally?
Colin Clark (CC): Started at age 7 when my parents enrolled me in the Fort Collins Youth Soccer leagues. Growing up I played baseball and basketball as well as soccer. Basketball was by far my worst sport, baseball being my best. About the time I began the hour and a half drive to Denver daily to play for the Colorado Rush Soccer Club I began to realize it may be possible to play soccer for a living and that is what I set my goal as.
TMLS: Last season the Dynamo made a great run to the MLS Cup Final but lost out to the LA Galaxy. Does getting so close to the Cup and falling short make you and the team want to push even harder this year to get back to that spot?
CC: Absolutely. We have all been working hard in the offseason and this preseason so far to help us get back to the final and win it this time around. It took hard work and some luck last year and we all are aware that with more games in three competitions this year we will need luck and a lot of hard work to get to where we want to be.
TMLS: You guys lost your captain Brian Ching in this year’s expansion draft to Montreal. Talk a bit about what kind of player Brian was on the field and what kind of leader he was for the team.
CC: He’s a true professional, whenever he was on the field he was giving it his all to help the team earn a result. He sets a great example on the field of how to train and play. He has a lot of experience in the MLS and with the Nats (US National Team) which allows him to be a great leader. He’s played at the top level for so long that he knows what it takes to win and he’s good at relaying to the team what it will take to win.
TMLS: Dominic Kinnear is widely considered one of the best coaches in MLS. What is it like to play for Kinnear and what makes him such a great coach?
CC: He sure is a great coach, I’m very honored he traded for me while I was injured and that he has put his faith in me. It’s tough at times, as it is with anyone or any coach, but it’s also very easy to play for him. He knows his stuff and will provide you everything you need to succeed. When we train he expects us to go hard but he also gives us the down time we need to recover.
TMLS: Who are some players you have admired and modeled your game after growing up and now as a professional?
CC: There’s only one Ryan Giggs, there’s only one Ryan Giggs! My favorite player on my favorite team, played my position and I’ve tried to model my game after the way he plays.
TMLS: BBVA Compass Stadium is set to open in May, a beautiful new downtown stadium for the Dynamo. Tell us what the feeling is for you and the team to be moving to the new stadium and what it means for the city of Houston and the fans.
CC: We are so excited about the stadium for us and our fans and the city of Houston. The stadium being right downtown is going to great for our city and fans. It will be very nice to have a place to call our own. It’s been cool to see it going up from the day 1 ground breaking to now sod being (laid) down. I’ve driven by countless times just to see it as I’m pumped to be playing in the stadium this year. Our fans in the new stadium will give any fan base in this league a run for their money as the best support.
TMLS: Major League Soccer has experienced great growth in the last decade and now has 19 teams. Where do you see the league as it continues to grow? Will the US ever see a table with promotion and relegation?
CC: It’s been very exciting to see how this league has evolved in front of my eyes as a fan and then as a player the past 7 years. I see this league as one of the top leagues in the world and it will begin to push towards the top five leagues in the next 15 years. I don’t think we will see promotion and regulation in the league anytime soon. The format of the league works now so why change something that has gotten better every year and will continue to do so? I’m excited to see how it progresses and changes as I play out the rest of my career and then where it goes once I step back and get to watch it as a fan again.
TMLS: What are your goals heading into this season both on a personal level and for the Dynamo as a team?
CC: As a team we want to get back to the final and come away with a different result in favor of the Orange. On top of that we would love to win the Treble of the MLS Cup, the US Open Cup and the CONCACAF Champions League. Personally I’d like to score 20 goals and have 15 assists in all competitions.
I’d like to thank Colin for his time and wish him the best of luck this season with the Dynamo.
(image courtesy of Getty Images)
