You know what, Stan. If you want me to wear 37 pieces of flair, like your pretty boy over there, Brian, why don’t you just make the minimum 37 pieces of flair?
We all want more flair, don’t we? It’s what makes watching attacking soccer so much fun. However, there must be a healthy balance. Too many flair players and a team loses it’s bite. Too few, and they’re struggling to create chances.
It is no secret that we struggled to create offense last season. The Hounds only scored 20 times, tied for second worst and a staggering 30 behind goal leaders Orlando City. Our leading scorer spent most of his time at wing or fullback. Injuries to Jeremy Deighton and poor performances by the highly touted Dawyne Smith hurt our production up top.
To help alleviate the problem, head coach Justin Evans went out and acquired an attacking option for 2013. Ryan Kinne comes to us from New England, where he played mostly for the reserve squad in 2011. In 2012, he split time between the reserves and Connecticut FC Azul in the PDL. A former 3rd round pick, Ryan starred at Monmouth earning the Northeast Conference player of the year in both his junior and senior seasons. He ended his career with 35 goals, including 12 as a senior.
I found a scouting report that looks optimistic:
A crafty midfielder who served as that the catalyst for the Monmouth Hawks during his four years on the team … has exceptional pace on the wing and the ability to beat players down the flank or cut back into the interior for his own shot … can play comfortably on either side of midfield or up top as a forward.
I am now salivating thinking about that beautiful, wide surface down at The Highmark and the prospects of Kinne stretching the field. He also looks like he’s dangerous on set pieces. This kid seems to be exactly what we need, a bit of flair.
