KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- For the Kansas City Wizards, Michael Harrington could be one of the biggest X-factors by season's end.
The versatility of the second-year player showed with his switch to right midfield from left back, which has allowed Wizards boss Curt Onalfo to reunite the dynamic Davy Arnaud with newly acquired Josh Wolff up front. Harrington's speed and crossing ability provides the Wizards attack with another legitimate threat.
But few expected what unraveled in last Saturday's match with the Colorado Rapids -- it was an event that brought to light another quality of the 22-year-old. After challenging for a head ball in the Wizards penalty area, Harrington fell almost horizontally as his head hit the ground followed quickly by his shoulder, which took the force of his 170-lb. frame.
"Right away, I knew that something wasn't right," said Harrington. "I couldn't really even move it all that well after that. But somehow I ended up scoring a couple minutes later."
Having apparently survived without a broken clavicle, Harrington continued to play, though laboring very visibly. And then he lifted his team who had labored through the first half by scoring the equalizer in the 44th minute when he put in the rebound of a Sasha Victorine shot.
A dose of pain pills and a tight wrapping at halftime enabled Harrington to push aside the intense pain until he was taken out in the 70th minute. But he had pushed through the obstacle to triumph personally in a situation with which he was not familiar.
Fortunately for Harrington, he will be back on the field this Saturday when the Wizards play host FC Dallas in a crucial match at CommunityAmerica Ballpark, the injury just a separated shoulder that held him out of training until Thursday.
"I thought it was going to be something that was going to actually put me out of some games for a while," said Harrington. "I've never really had any serious injuries that kept me out -- knock on wood. I've got to be smart with it and not go into any stupid challenges."
Harrington's reaction was an example to his Onalfo's call for all of his players to win their individual battles, to defeat the opposing player he is matched up with on the field.
"Michael's a warrior," said Onalfo. "Probably his biggest strength is his fitness, so it's just a matter of us helping him technically and tactically. [The incident] is a tribute to how hard of a worker he is."
When the parts of Harrington's makeup are put together, it is clear he is becoming a well-rounded player; the refining of those abilities is what is now needed to truly make Harrington a player that each team looks at as one they need to mark out of a game, another type of X-factor.
By switching Harrington to right midfield, Onalfo has enabled Harrington to add a spark to the Wizards attack.
"We think he can be a threat offensively. Three games in, he's scored one goal. It's proven to work," said Onalfo.
"I've done well with [scoring from the midfield]," said Harrington. "I don't necessarily consider myself a goal scorer; I'm more of an assist man. I've found a way to score some goals. Hopefully, I can keep that going."
A year ago, Harrington allied three goals and four assists while playing in both the midfield and in the back. The excitement of being a larger part of the attack is palpable in Harrington's voice.
"I feel like I can flow with the game more, use my speed, and combine with [forwards] like Davy and Josh," said Harrington. "Those are guys who really like to combine and play a good brand of soccer. It's really fun to play with those guys."
But not all has gone the North Carolina product's way in recent days. Instead of being named to the U.S. team that recently competed in the Beijing Olympics, Harrington was named only an alternate.
"I was very disappointed that I wasn't on that team. I felt like I should have been. But that's the coach's decision," he said. "I felt like I played well enough during the season here to warrant at least being on the team, if not starting."
The Olympics gone, Harrington's international focus turns to the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, but just being called up for the full national team would be a "lifelong dream." And it seems to be in reach for the well-equipped Harrington, but some might call his ambitions a bit lofty. No worry, he is well aware of the growth needed in his play.
"I can play a multitude of positions -- left back, midfield. I feel like I could go in there and do well. But I'm not quite there yet. I have some improving to do, a lot of work ahead of me. But, here, in the near future, I hope to be there in the World Cup in 2010," said Harrington.
Harrington said getting more experience and learning how to play quicker is a large part of the improvement.
"I'm still making that transition [to the pros]. It's only my second year in the league," he said. "From this year to last year, I can already tell a big difference in how I feel about my game, how confident I am. It's fun going out on the field and saying, 'Hey, I'm one of the best players on the field right now. I'm going to make my influence on the game.'
"A couple of years from now, hopefully, I can continue to get more and more confident, learn, and just get better. If I can do that, I don't think I'm far off from that team."
The bigger the knockdown, the more the bleached-blond Harrington gets up. That's good news for the Wizards who will need their right midfielder to be a difference maker in the last third of the season as they surmount obstacles and push for the playoffs and beyond.
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