Exclusive Interview with Etienne Barbara, NASL Player of the Month for May
Etienne Barbara dribbles through the Edmonton defense.
Etienne Barbara was named the North American Soccer League Player of the Month today for the Month of May. This is the second month in a row Barbara has won the award. He has also been player of week in the NASL 4 times in the first 8 weeks of the season.
Barbara is the hottest player in the NASL and possible North America at the current time. He’s scored a league high 12 goals. He also leads the league in assists with 5, something Etienne says he’s very proud of. Barbara has had 3 multiple-goal games already this season and has broken the RailHawks’ single season scoring record which was 8 and set by Barbara himself in the 2010 season.
On a recent trip to Cary, NC., to watch the RailHawks play the Puerto Rico Islanders, IMS contributor Jay Long talked to Barbara and arranged this interview.
Jay and I talked to the very personable Maltese international about a variety of topics including his belief in the quality of the RailHawks, his coach Martin Rennie and his desire to move to MLS as soon as possible.
Please join Jay and I in this conversation with the NASL Player of the Month, Etienne Barbara.
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Great work guys.
I’m wondering, how important do you think people like Barbara & M. Rennie are (just to name two) to a fledgling league like NASL? On the one hand, I can’t see them sticking around much longer, which will be great for them and well-deserved. But on the other hand, I think guys like that are critical to getting the league established and noticed for being better than what many fans expect of a D2 startup league. I’m trying to savor every moment knowing they may be moving on to bigger and better things in the near future.
I also like how Barbara noted the strength of the Silverbacks, even though they’re stuck in the cellar. That’s got to be heartening on some level and a testament to the quality of the league.
Fantastic interview well done Jay and Brian. IMS is the go to place for news and insightful commentary on the D2 game in the Americas.
I can’t wait to see Etienne again here in Minnesota, and hope that he is able to make the step into MLS. Kudos also to Coach Rennie, for his ability to recognize the talent, and then cultivate not only Barbara, but so many of his other players over the years.
Great job as always guys. From an individual standpoint, even as a fan of an opposing league team, you can’t help but marvel at this guy. As an NASL fan, you want to see him get a call from an MLS club to show what he can do at the next level, not just because he seems like such a nice guy, but also from the standpoint of elevating the credibility of the league. The more that NASL teams are able to develop, or re-develop players into MLS quality, the better it is for the league all around.
Coach Rennie seems to have an amazing ability to notice and develop talent. I hope that other NASL coaches use similar processes in order to continue to improve the NASL level of play. There must be other players in Europe who are in similar situations that Etienne was in before he came here.
When are the Railhawks coming to MN next? I’m there.
Answering my own question…Etienne and the Railhawks will be in MN next on July 9th.
^ Which will probably be his last game. The transfer window opens the next week and Etienne will be gone to MLS given how bad he wants out of D2.
Rennie will also get a MLS job next season. He’d be perfect for Chicago. Sadly, the other NASL coaches are nothing like Rennie. He will be missed.
^Kel: I don’t get the idea that he is miserable.
He just wants to progress in his career. He’s eager and ambitious but
I just don’t get the same impression that you have on “how bad(ly) he wants out of D2.”
Martin Rennie is a very good coach. No doubut in my mind about that. But I would say that Colin Clarke, while he has a different style, is at a minimum–his equal.
You might be right about Rennie getting a job in MLS before Clarke (which says less about Rennie and more about what a joke MLS is when it comes to coaches).
Thought the same thing Jay. Kel, perhaps it was just the way you worded that. But he certainly is not looking to get out of D2. Its more about getting along in age and wanting to move up as quickly as possible. As he said in the interview, he is enjoying his team and his coach and for that matter his contract with the RailHawks including apartment with a pool in the good old USA.
BTW, Clarke was already a coach in MLS and I do agree he has a decent track record. I think Manny Lagos is also a coach on the move. Lagos has done more with less money than either one of those coaches. When I say more, I am talking about finding talent on the cheap and getting the team to play well for what he has to spend.