FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – You’ve got to crawl before you can walk.
That’s the New England Revolution’s approach as 2015 preseason camp opened with the club’s first training session at the Dana-Farber Field House on Friday afternoon.
While another MLS Cup appearance (and a first-ever title) is the long-term objective, head coach Jay Heaps is keeping his squad focused on the short-term targets which build toward the ultimate goal.
“If you start by saying, ‘we’re going to win MLS Cup,’ you’ve already lost,” Heaps said. “We look at the small steps and what we need to do.
“Right now we’re focused on today’s session and what we’re going to do in terms of the periodization of our fitness … We’ll knock off goals in terms of segments rather than just picking out one big target.”
The Revolution’s first objective is to simply build a fitness base. Last year’s run to the MLS Cup final resulted in a shortened (six-week) offseason, meaning the players didn’t have as much time to build their fitness steadily before returning for preseason camp.
The upcoming trip to Casa Grande, Arizona – the club leaves for a 10-day stay on Monday afternoon – will jumpstart that process as the players physically prepare themselves for another long season.
“We have a singular focus early and for us right now, it’s preseason,” said Heaps. “It’s about getting everyone in and on the same page technically, tactically, and most importantly, physically. We’ve got to make sure that the guys right now are on the same page from an athletic standpoint.”
While those short-term targets are where the Revs will place their focus in the coming weeks, there’s no mistaking where those steps are meant to lead in the end.
“The goal is to win a championship,” said Charlie Davies, who said it took him weeks to emotionally move past December’s MLS Cup loss. “That’s why we all play the game, that’s why we’re here and that’s why New England pays us – to win.
“In the end, that’s our goal is to win and I don’t think anybody will be satisfied until we finally bring a championship here.”
