May 23, 2010 GRACIAS, GARCIA Rookie shows his steel, steals the show in win over Juve
Irving Garcia enjoyed a memorable afternoon against Juventus Sunday. Linda Cuttone/Sports Vue Images
By Michael Lewis
BigAppleSoccer.com Editor
HARRISON, N.J. -- If there was a time to be nervous, this was it.
After all, it isn't every day an unheralded rookie not only gets a chance to play and even start against Juventus, but become one of the heroes of a 3-1 victory.
That's what Red Bulls rookie midfielder Irving Garcia did on Sunday. He wound up in the spotlight and sometimes even stole the limelight as well.
“When I play it doesn’t matter who I play against," Garcia said. "I just try to have fun and try to do my game. It’s amazing, you get that positive energy and even if I’m tired I just run, run and run and try to do my game and have fun.”
Garcia, 22, certainly did have fun, romping all over the Red Bull Arena field and making life miserable for the Italian Serie A side and defender Fabio Grosso, a vital member of Italy's 2006 World Cup championship team who was left off this year's team.
"The energy from Garcia the first 45 was excellent," Red Bulls coach Hans Backe said. "He really had the confidence to take them on one versus one, a player like Grosso, without any respect, its great to see.”
Garcia set up the Red Bulls' first goal when he banged a 30-yard line drive off the crossbar in the 50th minute. Rookie Conor Chinn was there to clean up and slotted the ball home.
"I was getting ready to celebrate, honestly," Garcia said. "I thought it was going in. It was good that we scored."
Chinn might have been voted man of the match, but Garcia did impressed several members of the media with his fearless play and lack of fear to take a risk and even make a mistake.
“Every game and every minute I get I’m trying to get my confidence and gain the coaches’ confidence and I’m getting there," Garcia said. "It was very tough, it’s been my dream to be a professional soccer player and now that I’m here I feel like it wasn’t real, and now that I’m getting my confidence I hope to make my debut in the MLS.”
A fourth-round MLS SuperDraft pick (50th overall) at the University of California-Irvine, Garcia was a third team All-America in his senior year. He is admittedly a forward, although the 5-5, 140-lb. Garcia has learned how to be a midfielder this year.
While all of Garcia's offensive moves is fine and dandy, the Arizona native needs to improve his defense, Backe said.
“I think Irving, in a way, he needs some education how to defend," he said. "He’s a little bit lost in his positioning game in our playing style. So sometimes he ends up as a right fullback when we defend, and it’s too far away for an attacking player like Irving. So he’s still a little lost in the defending game, but he has improved over time. He was a little nervous in the beginning as a draft pick, and just played safe. But the way he played today, to take players on, he gave me something to think about, that’s for sure.”
Garcia admitted he was nervous when he first went to training camp. It was a new experience and he did not know what to expect or whether he would be good enough to join the Red Bulls.
"It's been my dream to be a professional soccer player," he said. "Now that I am here I feel like it wasn't real, so I get was really nervous. I am getting my confidence. I hope to make my debut in MLS."
He realized he still has a ways to go.
“I need to get a little bit stronger, a little bit more explosive and try to work on my technical skill, then my fitness and things like that,” he said.
