Whitecaps hope maturing Teibert will hit his stride
Robinson believes Whitecaps veteran ‘can be more’ as he enters athletic prime
Russell Teibert is a humble guy, more inclined to talk about his teammates than about himself. Example: the return of veteran winger Mauro Rosales to the Whitecaps’ stable makes his eyes light up.
“Seeing him run out there, seeing his hair bouncing, it makes you smile,” Teibert said after a chilly Monday training session at the University of B.C.
But ask him about the challenge this season presents, of making the big step forward, which has been mentioned before, and he demurs. A big step forward for the MLSoriginal Cap could very well be in the cards. His coach thinks so.
“We know he’s a super-fit boy, he’s very professional,” coach Carl Robinson said. “I expect a little bit more from him, but he’s played 110, 120 odd games, a great credit to him ... but as with all my players, I believe they can be more.
“He’s got a great IQ, I think he can be a bit more physical. I’m expecting him to have massive strides this year.”
Last season was a frustrating year for the club and also for Teibert. He battled injuries and, like his team, never found a rhythm. After playing in 23 league matches in 2015, including 15 starts, he was involved just 11 times in 2016 (eight starts).
A healthy Teibert surely means a better team. Now 24, he’s entering the prime of an athlete’s physical abilities.
After being the league’s best in 2015, the Caps struggled with their defensive structure in 2016. And while there were many personnel changes between 2015 and 2016 — no more Gershon Koffie or Steven Beitashour, less Pa-Modou Kah — Teibert’s limited presence surely was a factor.
He first played as a winger in 2011 under Teitur Thordarson, then as a little-used fullback in 2012. His current role as a central midfielder began when he finally found fulltime minutes in 2013 — Martin Rennie’s second season in charge. That year he scored his only two MLS goals; he added nine assists to boot.
Since Robinson took over in 2014, the coach has asked him to be more of a midfield battler — he now commits a foul more than once per game.
Robinson’s preference has been to play two deeper midfielders. One of those is going to be Matias Laba. With Teibert often out of the picture, Andrew Jacobson picked up the bulk of the minutes in 2016 as Laba’s partner.
But neither the departure of Koffie nor the addition of Jacobson changes anything Teibert’s said: he’s just ready to play, wherever the coach needs him.
“I don’t think it changes how I approach the game,” he said. “I’m here to have fun, give the fans something exciting to watch.”
He said it’s how he’s always been, that he’s there to “do whatever it takes to win. It’s the Canadian mentality: you work hard.”
Rosales, who made his surprise return to the Caps fold Monday, was fully prepared to gush about his once-again teammate.
“His energy, his quality, it’s incredible,” Rosales said of his younger teammate. “He’s a player that belongs on the national team.”
The suggestion of Teibert filling the role Koffie once did — a boxto-box type of player who made things difficult for opponents up and down the park — wasn’t immediately dismissed by the veteran Argentine.
“Obviously they’re different kind of players,” Rosales said. “Russell has more energy to recover the ball. Koffie is a quality player with his feet. His technique is awesome. That’s why he’s in Europe right now.” (Koffie signed with Sweden’s Hammarby after playing in 2016 with the New England Revolution.)
“I believe Russell can do the same with more energy,” Rosales said.
Asked about winning a spot in the midfield, Teibert shifted to the big picture. He just wanted to talk about the spirit of the team.
“We have good competition, guys are fighting for spots all over,” Teibert said.