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For Williams, hurdles in rear-view mirror
After on and off-field battles, MLS Cup a fitting destination for RSL midfielder
By Kyle McCarthy / MLSnet.com Staff
It's been a difficult, emotional road to MLS Cup 2009 for Andy Williams. (M. Majchrzak/Getty)
SEATTLE -- On the long and winding road to his first MLS Cup Final, Real Salt Lake midfielder Andy Williams faced two significant obstacles.
The first hurdle arrived shortly after current RSL general manager Garth Lagerwey assumed control in September 2007 and started to evaluate the roster with coach Jason Kreis. Lagerwey, a former teammate of Williams during a stint with Miami in 2000, and Kreis, who had taken over as coach in May, wanted to instill a new culture and philosophy at the club and they weren't sure whether Williams would be the right fit for the new regime.
The Jamaican international possessed all the ingenuity a coach could want in the attacking third, but often appeared to lack the application and the drive to pull everything together and contribute in other parts of the field. Williams' whimsy led him through five MLS clubs before RSL and the door appeared to beckon in Utah, too. If Williams wasn't willing to shed some extra weight and commit himself to the defensive side of the ball, he'd have to find a new home.
Instead of accepting his fate and searching for a new place to play, Williams fought back.
"When I got here, we had debates in 2007 about how long Andy Williams was going to stick around," Lagerwey said. "We challenged him in the offseason before 2008. We told him that this is how we're going to play, we'd like you to be part of it, you're certainly good enough to be part of it, but you're going to have to accept this. He took the offseason, did the program, lost weight and got fit. That's been the key to the past two years."
Williams' battle to reshape his game and his body paled in comparison the fight presented to Williams and his family on July 3, 2008. Doctors diagnosed Williams' wife, Marcia, with a rare form of leukemia. As Williams tried to earn time on the field, he had to cope with emotionally wrenching tribulations outside his life as a soccer player as doctors searched for a suitable bone marrow donor to aid Marcia's chances of survival.
As he shuttled back and forth to Seattle to tend to his wife as she received treatment for a couple of months in the Pacific Northwest after the endless searches located a donor earlier this season, Williams missed games and practices intermittently with the blessing of Lagerwey, Kreis and the club. In the tight-knit RSL organization, family always comes first, even when it meant Williams wasn't able to contribute on the field.
"I think he's been receptive to our approach and we, in turn, have been very, very grateful that Andy has been able to pour his heart out on the field given what's going on in his personal life," Lagerwey said.
Once Williams stepped in between the white lines, he pushed aside the real world temporarily and focused on his duties in the RSL midfield. Soccer, in its own way, provides a brief respite to the everyday concerns.
"It's a stress reliever," Williams said. "I enjoy myself out here. When I'm out here, it takes my mind off of things. Once it's over, it's back to reality."
Reality took hold for Williams as a soccer player more often than not during the spring and summer as his travels and Clint Mathis' form restricted him to a role off the bench. As Mathis' form tailed off as the summer progressed, Williams earned the opportunity for a larger role and took full advantage of it.
Williams' recent form ignited the RSL attack and played a critical role in the Claret-and-Cobalt's run to MLS Cup. Although his influence has opened doors for others since he started picking up serious minutes in late August, Williams isn't keen on accepting the credit.
"I just started playing a lot more," Williams said. "Our forwards have been playing well and they are giving us the the chance to win games."
RSL striker Robbie Findley has reaped the benefits of Williams' ability to carve open defenses recently and said Williams' recent contributions have aided RSL's quest for a championship.
"He's a very skillful player and he's got great vision of the field," Findley said. "His knowledge of the game has been amazing and he's really been on his game."
In a season filled with heartache and hope, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Williams is expected to start against Los Angeles with MLS Cup on the line. With one obstacle out of the way and Marcia continuing to progress in her battle with leukemia, Williams can focus on overcoming the challenge placed in front of him on Sunday night.
After battling for his career and coping with personal tragedy, Williams could just discover that lifting that trophy on Sunday night would provide a fitting ending to that long and winding road.
Kyle McCarthy is a contributor to MLSnet.com.
After on and off-field battles, MLS Cup a fitting destination for RSL midfielder
By Kyle McCarthy / MLSnet.com Staff
It's been a difficult, emotional road to MLS Cup 2009 for Andy Williams. (M. Majchrzak/Getty) SEATTLE -- On the long and winding road to his first MLS Cup Final, Real Salt Lake midfielder Andy Williams faced two significant obstacles.
The first hurdle arrived shortly after current RSL general manager Garth Lagerwey assumed control in September 2007 and started to evaluate the roster with coach Jason Kreis. Lagerwey, a former teammate of Williams during a stint with Miami in 2000, and Kreis, who had taken over as coach in May, wanted to instill a new culture and philosophy at the club and they weren't sure whether Williams would be the right fit for the new regime.
The Jamaican international possessed all the ingenuity a coach could want in the attacking third, but often appeared to lack the application and the drive to pull everything together and contribute in other parts of the field. Williams' whimsy led him through five MLS clubs before RSL and the door appeared to beckon in Utah, too. If Williams wasn't willing to shed some extra weight and commit himself to the defensive side of the ball, he'd have to find a new home.
Instead of accepting his fate and searching for a new place to play, Williams fought back.
"When I got here, we had debates in 2007 about how long Andy Williams was going to stick around," Lagerwey said. "We challenged him in the offseason before 2008. We told him that this is how we're going to play, we'd like you to be part of it, you're certainly good enough to be part of it, but you're going to have to accept this. He took the offseason, did the program, lost weight and got fit. That's been the key to the past two years."
Williams' battle to reshape his game and his body paled in comparison the fight presented to Williams and his family on July 3, 2008. Doctors diagnosed Williams' wife, Marcia, with a rare form of leukemia. As Williams tried to earn time on the field, he had to cope with emotionally wrenching tribulations outside his life as a soccer player as doctors searched for a suitable bone marrow donor to aid Marcia's chances of survival.
As he shuttled back and forth to Seattle to tend to his wife as she received treatment for a couple of months in the Pacific Northwest after the endless searches located a donor earlier this season, Williams missed games and practices intermittently with the blessing of Lagerwey, Kreis and the club. In the tight-knit RSL organization, family always comes first, even when it meant Williams wasn't able to contribute on the field.
"I think he's been receptive to our approach and we, in turn, have been very, very grateful that Andy has been able to pour his heart out on the field given what's going on in his personal life," Lagerwey said.
Once Williams stepped in between the white lines, he pushed aside the real world temporarily and focused on his duties in the RSL midfield. Soccer, in its own way, provides a brief respite to the everyday concerns.
"It's a stress reliever," Williams said. "I enjoy myself out here. When I'm out here, it takes my mind off of things. Once it's over, it's back to reality."
Reality took hold for Williams as a soccer player more often than not during the spring and summer as his travels and Clint Mathis' form restricted him to a role off the bench. As Mathis' form tailed off as the summer progressed, Williams earned the opportunity for a larger role and took full advantage of it.
Williams' recent form ignited the RSL attack and played a critical role in the Claret-and-Cobalt's run to MLS Cup. Although his influence has opened doors for others since he started picking up serious minutes in late August, Williams isn't keen on accepting the credit.
"I just started playing a lot more," Williams said. "Our forwards have been playing well and they are giving us the the chance to win games."
RSL striker Robbie Findley has reaped the benefits of Williams' ability to carve open defenses recently and said Williams' recent contributions have aided RSL's quest for a championship.
"He's a very skillful player and he's got great vision of the field," Findley said. "His knowledge of the game has been amazing and he's really been on his game."
In a season filled with heartache and hope, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Williams is expected to start against Los Angeles with MLS Cup on the line. With one obstacle out of the way and Marcia continuing to progress in her battle with leukemia, Williams can focus on overcoming the challenge placed in front of him on Sunday night.
After battling for his career and coping with personal tragedy, Williams could just discover that lifting that trophy on Sunday night would provide a fitting ending to that long and winding road.
Kyle McCarthy is a contributor to MLSnet.com.
