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Among the qualities Minnesota United coach Adrian Heath seeks in players is what he calls a good teammate, which can mean any number of things.
For starting left back Chase Gasper, it can mean he s among the first to defend his team s and teammates honor when, say, Real Salt Lake goalkeeper David Ochoa challenges it in a postgame scuffle.
More often, it means this: El habla Espanol.
Gasper learned a second language when he took a mandatory fifth-grade Spanish class back home in Virginia. He didn t forget it all the next year when he played on a tournament team comprised mostly of Latino players.
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When Adrian Heath left England to spread soccer s gospel in America 13 years ago, he arrived in Austin, Texas, seeking to build the best minor league team in his new country.
He spent just two seasons managing the Austin Aztex before he and the club relocated to Orlando, but while there he dropped the seeds for a Major League Soccer expansion team that played its third game ever Saturday at Allianz Field.
Disillusioned and angry after he lost his Coventry City FC coaching job back home, he accepted an invitation from Phil Rawlins a former part-owner and director for his and Heath s hometown Stoke City team in England to come to Texas. That s where Rawlins lived at the time and developed a tech sales and marketing company.
Injured Ike Opara remains on Minnesota United FC roster The standout defender played in only two games last season. April 16, 2021 8:50pm Text size Copy shortlink:
Minnesota United finalized its roster for Friday s season opener at Seattle with one that included two-time MLS Defender of the Year Ike Opara.
The Loons also opened two international roster spots after they loaned out New Zealander Noah Billingsley and Uruguayan Thomas Chacon and classified midfielder Jan Gregus a U.S. permanent resident when he received his U.S. green card.
Opara, 32, signed a new multi-year contract after he was named 2019 MLS Defender of the Year. A 12-year veteran with a history of concussions, he has played just two games since then, at last season s end.
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In search of gifted attacking players who ll complement star midfielder Emanuel Reynoso, Minnesota United found the first from Reynoso s Argentine hometown and the same Boca Juniors team for which they played together.
The Loons acquired 31-year-old striker Ramon Wanchope Abila on a one-season loan with the option to buy his rights. He joined his new team in Florida last week, trained with them for the first time on Monday and is expected to play some in their final preseason game against Orlando City on Friday.
The Loons open their fifth MLS season April 16 at Seattle.
The club has targeted two other attacking players to play beside Reynoso and now Abila, maybe even in time for the season opener depending on negotiations, COVID-19 quarantines and work visas. One of those two likely will get a designated player tag and salary for a Loons team that came within a minute of reaching the MLS Cup last season.