Rapids Class VI

Dan Wasson says Guten Tag!

By Daniel Wasson

I must first start by saying that I enjoyed my time as a Colorado Rapids player. Growing up in Colorado Springs, as a die-hard soccer player and fan, I watched many Rapids games both at the stadium and on TV. I knew in my heart that I wanted to play in MLS and more importantly for the Rapids. The day I was drafted to play for Colorado was one of the happiest days of my life.

Fast forward a year and a half to the time when I left. I realize that me leaving was a shock to many fans, but one that I feel was necessary and for my best interests personally. After talking with many teammates and other people who I hold dear in my life, I thought after the July 10th Open Cup match and before the two-week pause for the All-Star game was the right time for me to leave. As you will find out a bit later in my blog, I should have left a few weeks earlier...

The decision to move to Germany: As many soccer fans know, it is very hard to obtain a work permit in Europe without holding an EU passport. Germany, however, is one country where Americans have the ability to play in the lower divisions without holding a full work permit, so I decided this would be my first stop.

During my first off season with the Rapids, I travelled over to Frankfurt for off-season practice in January, in order to prepare for the up-coming MLS season. I ended up heading to the north-western part of Germany and training with a 4th division team VFB Oldenburg. However, I spent the first 3 days in Frankfurt where I was also able to watch a practice from Eintracht Frankfurt, a 1st Bundesliga side.

While at the practice, I introduced myself to the assistant coach and spoke with him for about 30 minutes. He gave me some advice on where to go for training so I then left to head up to Oldenburg. Overall, I spent about 5 days in Frankfurt and 7 days in Oldenburg. On my way back from Oldenburg to Frankfurt, I decided to "swing by" Paris because I was in Europe and you can do that there! I was only in Paris for just over 30 hours, but it was well worth it!

So when I left the Rapids, I didn't have many connections in Germany, but I did have a few numbers of agents that I could call and an awareness of Frankfurt as far as hotel arrangements and Internet cafés for phone use. When I landed in Frankfurt, the first experience I had was losing one of my pieces of luggage! Awesome, great start!

I take the train over to the youth hostel and then immediately head over to the Internet café to phone the agents. The first agent that I got a hold of invited me to stay at his flat in Bonn. He said, "There is another American here right now, but I have an air mattress that you can sleep on as he has taken over the couch." I gladly accepted this offer because one: it was shelter, and two: he wasn't charging me rent! Luckily, the next day when I was on my way to the Frankfurt central train station, I stopped by the airport and my luggage had arrived. So I then headed off to Bonn via the train.

After a day of settling in Bonn, my new agent had a trial set up for the other American, Artie, and also arranged for me to work out with the team so my agent could have a look at my abilities. During training, I felt I played fairly well; nothing great but descent enough. I was still fighting off the last bit of jet-lag, but apparently my agent was impressed enough that he would no longer send me to a 4th division team, only at least 3rd division teams from here on out.

In between trials, Artie and I would work out together on hard platz, a clay type surface used by many lower division teams in Germany instead of grass. Also, that air mattress that I was supposed to use had a tiny hole in it so after every 4 hours of sleep, I would be sandwiched inside the mattress and have to wake up and refill it with air. After a week of training with Artie, I was off to Erfurt, a third division team in eastern Germany. The drive was just over 4 hours and I was only invited to stay for 3 days of training as they were just starting their season and the coach didn't want to upset his players by bringing in trialists.

At this time, my ability to speak and understand the German language was basically non-existent. I equate my practices with the first day of college French class where the teacher only speaks French the entire time and everyone of the students look around at each other as if to say,"What the heck did we get ourselves into."

The first day of training with Rot-Weiss Erfurt I played very well. I was very active in the 6v6 games and created many opportunities for my side. The second day of training I was a little bit complacent and didn't really show all that well. However, my best day was certainly the third day when I had the chance to show more of my technical abilities in some of the drills that we did. After training, my agent talked to both the head coach and team manager. Both men from Erfurt said that they saw a ton of potential in me and that I would be able to help their team, however, Erfurt is not that wealthy of a club and in order to sign me, they would have to transfer one of their players before the end of the summer transfer period. This would turn out to be a problem for me as it was already August when I was on trial with them and the transfer window closes on the 31st of August.

The beginning of August is a very difficult time to get trials because the season is just starting and, as I mentioned a bit earlier, coaches have pretty much set their team and don't want to create unrest within their troops by bringing in someone who could potentially take their job. The next two weeks my agent was on his phone calling every single 2nd division and 3rd division team with the same reply from all of them, "Sorry Nico, I just can't bring in anyone right now. My team is set." It wasn't until the 20th of August when Nico got a phone call from a close friend and coach of a 1st division team in the Czech Republic, Victoria Pilsen, that I was able to train again. The other American Artie was also supposed to go, but couldn't because he injured his knee on trial with Alemania Aachen's reserve team, who play in the 4th division. So I left for Prague on the 24th and was picked up at the airport by the head coach and his semi-English speaking son. We then drove about 45 minutes to Pilsen.

I always hear about how nice Prague is and I have always wanted to go there and when I finally take a flight there, I don't even get to spend any time in the city. I was a little depressed because of it, however, I did get to go to Pilsen where the famous Pils style lager beer (e.g. Pilsner Urquell) is brewed, but I still wish I could have spent more time in Prague.

Back to the footy, I arrived at my hotel around 1 o'clock p.m. but couldn't hang out and relax because the assistant coach wanted to see me play with the second team as the first team had the day off. I, of course, was excited to be playing and the second team was playing 11v11 full field. This was the first opportunity I had to play full field since being in Europe and I must say, I did play fairly well. I will admit it was a bit unfair for me because the second team from Pilsen consisted of many U-17 to U-19 players. Also, little old me who was almost the smallest player for the Rapids was one of the biggest players on the field for this scrimmage. So yes, I stood out a bit. The next 3 days I spent training with the first team and looked as if I had found a home. During my training, I got on with the players really well as they would all ask me, in very broken English, what America was like and what it was like playing in MLS. I guess I was there just for training as the coach was more interested in finding a tall center back. C'est la vie as it was still good training and an experience I will not forget.

I hope you have enjoyed my first installment for NoFanAlone.com. The next time I write, you will hear why I was unable to sign until this January as well as my adventures with Alemania Aachen, Rot-Weiss Oberhausen and my first time meeting U.S. Men's National Team player Gooch Onyewu at his game in Liege, Belgium, playing for Standard Liege. Take care and I will write again soon!

Thanks Dan - we all appreciate your taking the time out for your fans in Colorado

Posted by mark at January 15, 2008 10:22 PM