Minnesota Thunder Preseason News and Notes

The Minnesota Thunder continue 2-a-day training sessions at the National Sports Center where they will continue to train up until their first game on April 11, against the Carolina Railhawks. The team will fly out on Friday, April 10, before the Saturday opener in Cary, NC.

The Thunder signed another player whom they hope to announce on Friday of this week and have offered a contract to yet another player with news to come on that one. If both players are added it would bring the roster to 22. USL rosters may consist of a maximum of 26 players, with 18 designated for each game.

Thunder head coach Don Gramenz said he would like to sign 2 more, bringing the roster to 24 where it just might stay. The team is still looking at Mamadou “Futty” Danso and Angel Garcia, both defenders. Garcia is from Mexico and will fly in tomorrow to train with the team. Garcia was recommended by Thunder midfielder Ricardo Sanchez who is also Mexican. Futty has left camp for some personal business but will be returning soon to continue his trial.

Gramenz said all players under contract are in camp except for Jon Greenfield whose Baltimore Blast indoor soccer team has made it into the finals of the National Indoor Soccer League. That final playoff match is the same night as the Thunder opening game against the Railhawks, so the South African defender will not report to the Thunder until after that game.

Gramenz reported training sessions are going well. He said Jeremiah Bass, who pulled a hamstring in the Kansas City scrimmage, attended practice for the first time today since that injury. Nate Knox, who tore his ACL in the Thunder’s final playoff game at the NSC last September, trained with the team for the first time today. However, Knox is not cleared for full contact until the middle of April.

Gramenz commented that midfielder Rod Dyachenko, who was picked up from DC United, has been impressive in training.  He expects Dyachenko’s presence in the Thunder lineup to make an impact with his field play and experience. “He’s sure to be a huge part of our success this year,” said Gramenz.

Gramenz praised new signing Geoffrey Myers. Myers, the solid-bodied forward who was 2-time Mr. Minnesota Soccer with Armstrong High School, has been working with the team on and off for several years. Gramenz said Myers has been training with the team consistently since November and he is impressed with the young man.

“I think he’s looking great,” Gramenz said. “He gets himself into goal scoring opportunities. He has good instincts and even though he’s not tall, he’s very strong and plays great with his back to the goal.” He continued to praise the Liberian forward saying, “His body type is big but he’s explosive and can turn and beat opponents — he’s very quick with a great first touch. He’s definitely going to surprise a few people.”

The Thunder will play several scrimmages the next 2 weekends that are open to the public.

Saturday, March 28 at 2:00 p.m. the Thunder will scrimmage the Minnesota Thunder Academy U-18 team at Macalester College.

Sunday, March 29 at 11:15 a.m., and 12:30 p.m., the Thunder take on two opponents in 60 minute games. The games will be played at Shattuck St. Mary’s in Faribault MN. The 11:15 a.m. game’s opponent will be Marquette University. The second opponent is the Shattuck U-18 team. Marquette will have 2 Minnesotans on their roster, Michael Greene, a forward (jr) from Brooklyn Park, Minn. (Osseo) and Calum Mallace, a midfielder (fr) from Torphichen, Scotland (Henry Sibley MN.) Mallace is the younger brother of Craig Mallace who spent time on the Thunder roster several years ago.

Saturday, April 4, will see the Thunder play their last pre-season scrimmage. The game will be against University of Wisconsin Green Bay at 12:00 p.m. at Mc Murray fields in St. Paul’s Como Park. Green Bay also has 2 Minnesotans on their roster, Jacob Rouse midfielder (jr) from Cambridge, Minn. (Cambridge-Isanti) and Dan Krueger midfielder/forward (so) from Fridley, Minn. (Spring Lake Park.)