It’s safe to say that Oscar Pareja is in an enviable position.
Coming off the best statistical season in franchise history, Dallas was able to retain the core of the 2015 roster while adding experienced talent at every field position in forward Maximiliano Urruti, midfielders Carlos Gruezo,Juan Esteban Ortiz and Mauro Rosales, and defender Maynor Figueroato go along with more young talent in draft picks and Homegrowns.
“The experience has taught me that the league is tough and it’s a long year,” Pareja said. “We have three tournaments this year that we want to take very seriously without compromising results. That demanding schedule requires a lot of players and having a team that is very deep.”
Pareja and Technical Director Fernando Clavijo’s main mission over the last two-plus months was to add depth, particularly in the midfield. Last season, Victor Ulloa, Fabian Castillo, Mauro Diaz, Michael Barrios and Kellyn Acosta each played more than 1600 MLS minutes in the midfield. All five are back for 2016 and with the three offseason additions, the Dallas midfield is now deeper than ever.
“We were thin last year in the middle,” Pareja said. “The intensity within the league this year after the summer is going to be incredible and I wanted to have at least two players for each position...It’s important to have all those options, but the most important for the group is the level of competition in training. Everything has been upgraded.”
And off the field, Pareja’s expectations have been upgraded too. After reaching the playoffs in his first season behind the FCD bench in 2014 and falling in the Western Conference Final in 2015 to eventual-champion Portland, he has just one thing on his mind for 2016.
“Our mentality has changed,” Pareja said. “I’m not afraid to say that our expectations always should be winning. I don’t like excuses. I don’t like to take shortcuts or anything. I just want to fight for the first spot and I want to build the character in the team and the club that way.”
