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Williams’s odyssey has a happy ending
By Frank Dell’Apa, Globe Staff | October 5, 2010
Andy Williams was 16 years old when he arrived at the University of Rhode Island in 1994. But he was older than his years in many ways.
And setting scoring records for the Rams was only part of Williams’s soccer story, as he soon was making his way onto the Jamaican national team, which would qualify for the 1998 World Cup, and setting himself up for a professional career.
Just more than 16 years after his initial visit to the area, Williams arrived at Gillette Stadium last week as a member of defending MLS Cup champion Real Salt Lake. Though Williams seemed destined to spend a significant part of his pro career with the Revolution — he used to attend games as a URI student and had his first MLS tryout in Foxborough — he only totaled 25 games for New England in the 2001 and ’02 seasons.
The Revolution traded Williams to New York a day after coach Fernando Clavijo was fired, seven games into the ’02 season. They were not the only MLS team to reject Williams, who would go on to the Chicago Fire in 2004 before being selected by Real Salt Lake in the expansion draft. Since sending Williams away, all of his previous teams have failed to accomplish what he did last year in winning the MLS Cup.
“I sure hope so,’’ Williams said of feeling vindicated. “I always play with a chip on my shoulder. Former coaches and other people . . . you do think of that as a player and always try to do your best and show people, ‘Look here now, look what I’m doing now.’ And I’m producing. Unfortunately, things didn’t work out everywhere I’ve been.’’
Williams seldom has seemed defensive-oriented enough for MLS coaches. His confidence on the ball and long-distance shooting ability catch the eye, but most coaches questioned whether he was a good-enough playmaker. And his desire also has been doubted, though it is difficult to understand that after what Williams has accomplished.
The Revolution first brought in Williams for a trial as coach Thomas Rongen started a rebuilding program in preparation for the 1998 season. There were conflicts with Williams’s national team commitments, and he ended up being allocated to the Columbus Crew, though he would perform in only 13 regular-season games because of World Cup conflicts.
In 2001, the Revolution brought in Williams, believing he was close to achieving green card status. He wasn’t. And, though Williams would be named most valuable player (on a team that included 16 players with national team experience), the problems of the season extended into the following year. Clavijo was fired after a 2-4-1 start, replaced by assistant coach Steve Nicol. Then, Williams, Mamadou Diallo, and Ted Chronopoulos were dealt to New York for Daniel Hernandez, Brian Kamler, and Diego Serna.
“When I left, first of all I was shocked Fernando got fired,’’ Williams recalled. “Then, I was heading down I-95 to practice when I found out I was traded. I never got a reason, I’ve never spoken to Stevie about it. Then, I went to New York and we need one point in the last four games to make the playoffs, and we didn’t make it. The next year, Bob Bradley came in and cleaned house.’’
Williams has found a home in Salt Lake City. His oldest daughter is 15, a year younger than Williams was when he set out from Kingston, Jamaica, for Kingston, R.I. The family has conducted a very public campaign for the treatment of Williams’s wife, Marcia, whose cancer is in remission. And Williams has found a coaching staff that believes in him.
“I don’t think the chemistry was there at all when I was with [the Revolution],’’ Williams said. “Same thing the first couple years with Real Salt Lake. We had a bunch of talented guys who weren’t on the same page. We couldn’t get any worse than what we were, especially the first 2 1/2 years. Changes had to be made, and we lucked out, and I think we’re on a high right now.’’
Williams was a teammate of Real Salt Lake coach Jason Kreis and played against assistant coach Robin Fraser. Asked if he thought he still would be playing 12 years after starting his pro career, Williams said, “Absolutely. For me, when I was growing up, there were a lot of guys in Jamaica playing until they were 35 or 36. Having coaches like Jason, who played until he was [34], and Robin, who played until he was 38 — they’ve given me advice on what to do. They have faith in me. I’ve been with Jason through a lot of good and bad times. A lot of coaches like me as a player but they didn’t trust me too much.
“Even the Chicago team that went to the ’03 MLS Cup and US Open Cup — we had quality midfielders with Chris Armas and Jesse Marsch, and I didn’t have to do it all attacking-wise or creating chances. I was brought in as a playmaker . . . but if the playmaker is not making the team win, even though I thought I was playing well, that’s who they look to blame.
“It’s like the quarterback in football, that’s how I saw my position. With Real Salt Lake, I don’t have to be the sole playmaker. Javier Morales makes my job a lot easier — he’s the best attacking midfielder in the league.’’
It’s all adding up
The Revolution’s search for high-profile additions for next season has started. Delron Buckley and Didier Domi trained with the team last week and attended the team’s 2-1 loss to Real Salt Lake Saturday night. Buckley said he has other offers in Europe, “but I want to come to this side [of the Atlantic]. I’ve been training the whole week, it’s been very good and I’ve been very happy about it and I just hope things will work out.’’
Buckley, 32, who scored 10 goals in 72 appearances for South Africa, moved to VfL Bochum in 1995 and has played for clubs in Germany, Switzerland, and Cyprus. Buckley knows the Revolution’s Marko Perovic, who arrived at FC Basel in 2007, the year after Buckley departed.
“Of course, it’s different, it’s faster, a different kind of football and you’ve got to get used to it,’’ Buckley said after the Revolution-Real Salt Lake match. “If you come from Europe, you’ve got to get used to it and it’s not very easy.’’
Both Buckley, a left wing/forward, and Domi, a left back, are free transfers. Domi, 32, was a 5.58 million euro transfer from Paris Saint-Germain to Newcastle United in 1998.
The Revolution are hoping to make a signing during the FIFA transfer period in December.
Frank Dell’Apa can be reached at f_dellapa@globe.com.
By Frank Dell’Apa, Globe Staff | October 5, 2010
Andy Williams was 16 years old when he arrived at the University of Rhode Island in 1994. But he was older than his years in many ways.
And setting scoring records for the Rams was only part of Williams’s soccer story, as he soon was making his way onto the Jamaican national team, which would qualify for the 1998 World Cup, and setting himself up for a professional career.
Just more than 16 years after his initial visit to the area, Williams arrived at Gillette Stadium last week as a member of defending MLS Cup champion Real Salt Lake. Though Williams seemed destined to spend a significant part of his pro career with the Revolution — he used to attend games as a URI student and had his first MLS tryout in Foxborough — he only totaled 25 games for New England in the 2001 and ’02 seasons.
The Revolution traded Williams to New York a day after coach Fernando Clavijo was fired, seven games into the ’02 season. They were not the only MLS team to reject Williams, who would go on to the Chicago Fire in 2004 before being selected by Real Salt Lake in the expansion draft. Since sending Williams away, all of his previous teams have failed to accomplish what he did last year in winning the MLS Cup.
“I sure hope so,’’ Williams said of feeling vindicated. “I always play with a chip on my shoulder. Former coaches and other people . . . you do think of that as a player and always try to do your best and show people, ‘Look here now, look what I’m doing now.’ And I’m producing. Unfortunately, things didn’t work out everywhere I’ve been.’’
Williams seldom has seemed defensive-oriented enough for MLS coaches. His confidence on the ball and long-distance shooting ability catch the eye, but most coaches questioned whether he was a good-enough playmaker. And his desire also has been doubted, though it is difficult to understand that after what Williams has accomplished.
The Revolution first brought in Williams for a trial as coach Thomas Rongen started a rebuilding program in preparation for the 1998 season. There were conflicts with Williams’s national team commitments, and he ended up being allocated to the Columbus Crew, though he would perform in only 13 regular-season games because of World Cup conflicts.
In 2001, the Revolution brought in Williams, believing he was close to achieving green card status. He wasn’t. And, though Williams would be named most valuable player (on a team that included 16 players with national team experience), the problems of the season extended into the following year. Clavijo was fired after a 2-4-1 start, replaced by assistant coach Steve Nicol. Then, Williams, Mamadou Diallo, and Ted Chronopoulos were dealt to New York for Daniel Hernandez, Brian Kamler, and Diego Serna.
“When I left, first of all I was shocked Fernando got fired,’’ Williams recalled. “Then, I was heading down I-95 to practice when I found out I was traded. I never got a reason, I’ve never spoken to Stevie about it. Then, I went to New York and we need one point in the last four games to make the playoffs, and we didn’t make it. The next year, Bob Bradley came in and cleaned house.’’
Williams has found a home in Salt Lake City. His oldest daughter is 15, a year younger than Williams was when he set out from Kingston, Jamaica, for Kingston, R.I. The family has conducted a very public campaign for the treatment of Williams’s wife, Marcia, whose cancer is in remission. And Williams has found a coaching staff that believes in him.
“I don’t think the chemistry was there at all when I was with [the Revolution],’’ Williams said. “Same thing the first couple years with Real Salt Lake. We had a bunch of talented guys who weren’t on the same page. We couldn’t get any worse than what we were, especially the first 2 1/2 years. Changes had to be made, and we lucked out, and I think we’re on a high right now.’’
Williams was a teammate of Real Salt Lake coach Jason Kreis and played against assistant coach Robin Fraser. Asked if he thought he still would be playing 12 years after starting his pro career, Williams said, “Absolutely. For me, when I was growing up, there were a lot of guys in Jamaica playing until they were 35 or 36. Having coaches like Jason, who played until he was [34], and Robin, who played until he was 38 — they’ve given me advice on what to do. They have faith in me. I’ve been with Jason through a lot of good and bad times. A lot of coaches like me as a player but they didn’t trust me too much.
“Even the Chicago team that went to the ’03 MLS Cup and US Open Cup — we had quality midfielders with Chris Armas and Jesse Marsch, and I didn’t have to do it all attacking-wise or creating chances. I was brought in as a playmaker . . . but if the playmaker is not making the team win, even though I thought I was playing well, that’s who they look to blame.
“It’s like the quarterback in football, that’s how I saw my position. With Real Salt Lake, I don’t have to be the sole playmaker. Javier Morales makes my job a lot easier — he’s the best attacking midfielder in the league.’’
It’s all adding up
The Revolution’s search for high-profile additions for next season has started. Delron Buckley and Didier Domi trained with the team last week and attended the team’s 2-1 loss to Real Salt Lake Saturday night. Buckley said he has other offers in Europe, “but I want to come to this side [of the Atlantic]. I’ve been training the whole week, it’s been very good and I’ve been very happy about it and I just hope things will work out.’’
Buckley, 32, who scored 10 goals in 72 appearances for South Africa, moved to VfL Bochum in 1995 and has played for clubs in Germany, Switzerland, and Cyprus. Buckley knows the Revolution’s Marko Perovic, who arrived at FC Basel in 2007, the year after Buckley departed.
“Of course, it’s different, it’s faster, a different kind of football and you’ve got to get used to it,’’ Buckley said after the Revolution-Real Salt Lake match. “If you come from Europe, you’ve got to get used to it and it’s not very easy.’’
Both Buckley, a left wing/forward, and Domi, a left back, are free transfers. Domi, 32, was a 5.58 million euro transfer from Paris Saint-Germain to Newcastle United in 1998.
The Revolution are hoping to make a signing during the FIFA transfer period in December.
Frank Dell’Apa can be reached at f_dellapa@globe.com.