Captain Coker?
Dominant debut has players and supporters hoping for some more
Fans are wanting to see more of Nigel Reo-Coker after his impressive second-half debut against Toronto. Many also want to see him as captain.
Nigel Reo-Coker’s voice carries at practice. The messages are clear and plain and recurring.
“Simple! Keep it simple!” he implored at UBC’s Thunderbird Stadium this week, after a Hollywood pass sailed across the field and out of bounds. “Pass and move, boys!” “Keep the ball! Keep it!” Nothing revolutionary there, but words that still need to be drilled in with a young team in a growing league.
“I think a lot of young kids get influenced by what they see on TV, and you just try and educate them,” said Reo-Coker, English Premier League veteran of more than 200 games who signed with the Caps last month.
“If you look at (Barcelona), it’s 5-10 yard passes, it’s patience. The game has changed now. The more the you keep the ball, the easier it will be for you as a team, and the more likely your opponents will give the ball away when they get it because they’re not used to having the ball.
“We’ve got a young team, and I think the most important thing with young players is, it’s about encouraging them and helping them to become better players and channelling it in the right way.”
Reo-Coker’s influence on Saturday’s season-opening win was obvious.
It was a shabby first 45 minutes against Toronto in front of 21,000 fans at B.C. Place. Then, off went rookie Kekuta Manneh, on came Nigel, sporting his unique “Reo.C” No. 13 shirt, and voila! The result never felt in doubt from the secondhalf kickoff.
It was slightly more complex that than — Free Kobayashi! — but not much. A game that was tough to watch instantly became smoother and crisper and more incisive.
With Reo-Coker organizing, everyone’s soccer IQ seemingly went up a few points.
“For me,” said left back Alain Rochat, “it was two different halves. We were much, much more solid with him.
“Once you find your shape, it’s easier to build up from behind. With him coming in the game, we totally dominated TFC.”
“He showed that calmness, but also the athleticism that he possesses,” said centre back Andy O’Brien.
“He’s got a presence. Just his stature. He’s a robust-looking guy. He sits in holes and conserves his energy, and when he needs to go, he’s a powerful boy, and he demonstrated that on Saturday.”
In the wake of the failed Barry Robson experiment, the question in Vancouver wasn’t simply: How would Reo-Coker play? But also, How would he ingratiate himself to fans and teammates?
He couldn’t have done much more Saturday, other than score the winner himself.
Asked on the TEAM 1410 pre-game show why Reo-Coker was starting on the bench, Rennie — who feels Robson was harshly treated in Vancouver — said: “We just want to make sure we set Nigel up to be successful here. He’ll be judged immediately.”
If Rennie’s concern was partly over Reo-Coker’s lack of fitness, and how that would affect his performance, it turned out to be a smart move for another reason: After a half that only a mother could love, ReoCoker debuted in the role of gamechanger.
“For me, it was simple,” Reo-Coker said. “If we just upped the tempo by another two or three gears, we’d get the result. Just a bit more communication and more trust in each other and pass that ball quicker.”
It’ll be a simple decision for Rennie to start Reo-Coker in central midfield on Saturday at home to Columbus.
A tougher decision will be who gets the captain’s armband in Jay DeMerit’s absence. DeMerit is likely out at least six months with a torn Achilles.
Could it go to Reo-Coker? He’s captained almost every side he’s played for, from England’s under21s to West Ham, Aston Villa and Bolton. But the 28-year-old’s also just arrived.
Rochat said Reo-Coker is fitting in well in the room.
“Sometimes, too loud,” joked Rochat, the mild-mannered Swiss.
“His temperament, it’s always good.”
“Since I’ve been here — and I’ve only been here about a week — I’ve tried to get a good team spirit going,” Reo-Coker said.
“A bit more banter in the dressing room, the boys really getting along with each other and talking to each other more. All of that helps.
“If you have a good team spirit behind closed doors, it’s going to be beneficial to us on the pitch.”
Saturday is just one game in a long season, and Toronto is not a particularly good opponent to judge anything on. But, armband or not, it appears that Reo-Coker is going to benefit the Caps greatly.