SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- When Cam Weaver signed with the San Jose Earthquakes last week, not only did he think he was exchanging the white jersey of former club FK Haugesund for Earthquake black-and-blue, but he also thought he was trading Norway's inclement weather for some California sunshine.
But on Weaver's first two days with the Quakes, a steady, cold rain fell, reminding him just a bit of Scandinavia -- in summer.
"The weather [in Norway] is not something I'll miss, but maybe I brought a little bit of it with me," said Weaver with a chuckle. "The guys were telling me that it was quite a bit warmer and sunnier the week before I came."
Yet the dreary conditions did little to dampen the enthusiasm over Weaver's arrival. The Quakes' primary objective this offseason was to add more size and strength to the team, and with the 6-foot-4 Weaver now officially in the San Jose fold, manager Frank Yallop was feeling more optimistic about the state of his attack.
"[Weaver] has got a mobility to him, and he really adds to what we're trying to do," said Yallop. "Getting some sort of target man, I've made no bones about it. I like that, at least as an option for us."
Weaver has taken a circuitous path to MLS. Back in 2006, he scored 18 goals in 27 matches for the Seattle Sounders of the USL First Division. At that point, several MLS teams came calling, but when the offer from Haugesund came, it was one that Weaver felt he couldn't pass up. While the Norwegian second division certainly doesn't qualify as one of the glamour leagues of Europe, Weaver insists that his two seasons there, which saw him net 21 times in 51 league and cup appearances, did plenty for his growth as a player.
"You train a lot there, with not a lot of time off," said Weaver of his time in Norway. "It was good for me going from the USL, where the season was four months, to playing full time every day. That was a good change for me, to experience that and kind of learn how to be a professional, player training every day the entire year through.
"Also, to experience the atmosphere over there ... it's the No. 1 sport, and all of the attention is focused on that. It was good learning how to deal with that pressure and all of the stuff that comes with the game."
Given Weaver's size, it's tempting to think that there is little subtlety to his game. But in last Friday's training session, Weaver showed some considerable skill with his feet, dribbling out of some tight spaces with a defender draped all over him.
The display was reminiscent of Seattle forward Nate Jaqua, another big man with surprisingly good feet. When this similarity is mentioned to Weaver, a wry smile creased his face, as if he wasn't quite buying the comparison. Or perhaps it was a bit of pride at seeing his work in that area pay off.
"I do have quick feet, but it's also something I've struggled with and I'm always trying to improve all the time," said Weaver. "Foot speed is huge in soccer, obviously, but I'm not a guy who is constantly going to turn and go at a lot of defenders. I feel like I do have that ability when there is an opportunity, but I think I definitely like to play with my back towards goal, get the ball at my feet, hold off defenders, bring other guys into the game, and then get in the box."
That kind of presence was sorely lacking from the Quakes attack last year, when their offense was the worst in the league. Now with players like Darren Huckerby and Arturo Alvarez occupying the flanks, Weaver expects to be the guy to finish off much of what those two players create. If that comes to pass, San Jose fans can certainly expect some brighter days ahead.
No comments:
Post a Comment