Of all the young players in Vancouver Whitecaps’ preseason training camp, perhaps the two with the most eyes focussed on them are SuperDraft picks Kekuta Manneh and Erik Hurtado.
Any SuperDraft pick would be under scrutiny, but when it’s two top five picks, that come to the Caps highly rated, everyone wants to see just how well they perform and adjust to the new challenges posed by Major League Soccer.
At least they are safe in the knowledge that they have MLS contracts, unlike some of their fellow young campers, although Paulo Jr, Corey Hertzog and Tom Heinemann were officially added to the Caps’ MLS squad today.
Both Hurtado and Manneh have shown really well so far, with enough glimpses to excite fans as to what both players can add to the Whitecaps for many seasons to come.
Hurtado started the camp off the better, scoring a fantastic goal on Monday after a blistering run up the wing, and has continued to show this strength and commitment as the week has gone on. Manneh has become stronger every day, capping things off today with two fine goals in an 11 v 11 game.
It’s important not to get too carried away and put too much pressure on the pair. It’s a big step up from NCAA to playing at the top level of the game in North America, and this is something that both players are certainly fully aware of.
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<i>"It’s going to be big learning for me."</i> admitted Manneh. <i>"It’s different players, different speed of play and different style of play. I’m just going to have to get up to speed. It’s not going to be easy for me but I just have to adjust."</i>
And Hurtado agrees.
<i>"It is a big gap. In the NCAA you’re working all the time. You don’t focus too much on your skill and your touch and your crossing and your finishing. You focus more on the physical attributes because you can sub throughout the game, but here in the pros you don’t get as many subs so you have to focus on those skills more."</i>
Quite a telling statement when you consider the bad reputation many give NCAA for stunting player development.
Some of the questions we are all waiting to see answered is how Martin Rennie will utilise both of these talents. Both can play successfully as out and out strikers, and out wide. Manneh has no real preference:
<i>"I like both. Either one is fine by me. I can play right side, left side and top forward."</i>
Hurtado is another versatile player and is happy to play wherever the coach wants to play him (as every young player should always say!) and <i>"wherever I can help the team the best"</i>.
<i>"I’m an attacking player, so anywhere along the front line. But if they see me dropping back into midfield, or even in the defence, I’m willing to adjust."</i>
Hurtado usually plays on the right side but likes to <i>"go back and forth from right to left"</i>. He has also seen a small amount of time as right back in college when the team needed cover.
With all the challenges and learning ahead of them, have the players set their personal goals for the season?
<i>"I always do that before the season starts, so I’m kind of looking at 15 goals this year. If I get playing time that’s definitely what I’m aiming for."</i>, is Manneh’s lofty target.
If any Whitecap reaches double figures, then the fans will no doubt be delighted, but you have to love Kekuta’s confidence and self belief in his talent. If he produces at the top level expected of him, it would be a tall order but can be achievable.
Hurtado was more conservative with his goals for the year:
<i>"I’m just focussing right now on coming out and doing the best I can and working as hard as I can for the team. I got to earn their respect before I can start setting those high goals, cos if I’m going to set those high goals I got to get minutes on the field. I think I got to earn my spot first and then start going for those goals."</i>
When you chat with both players on their own, the pair seem well grounded, keen to learn and know their place in the squad. They’ve both been lugging equipment off the field at the end of the day’s training. But they also have that swagger and confidence of youth that you need these days to get ahead in the game.
It’s going to be interesting to see how they progress in their rookie seasons. Darren Mattocks set a standard last season, but without getting too ahead of ourselves and putting that pressure on them we said not to, you could easily see both of these young talents set the benchmark even higher.
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