Franchino Coming Back

Revs Resign Veteran; Shuffle Training Staff

January 24, 2008

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- In an offseason that has seen them frequently wave goodbye to players, the Revolution announced today that one is returning. Veteran defender/midfielder Joe Franchino resigned with Major League Soccer and will enter his eighth full season with New England.

Franchino, 31, is a 10-year MLS veteran who has been with the club since arriving from a trade from Los Angeles midway through the 2000 season. Franchino has played in 210 career MLS games, including 161 with the Revolution. In his career, he has scored five goals and added 23 assists, playing mainly on the left side of the midfield or at left back.

Longtime Rev Joe Franchino will play an eighth season with the club. (Photo credit: CHRIS ADUAMA/aduama.com)

Franchino has been a member of five teams that have played for the MLS Cup championship, and started for New England in three of its trips to the league’s championship game (2002, 2005, 2006).

“Joe has been a staple with this club since he arrived and has been a leader on and off the field,” said Revolution director of soccer Michael Burns. “We’re pleased we’ll have Joe back around the club again this season after he worked so hard to rehab from surgery last year.”

In other Revolution news, the club hired Sean Kupiec as the team’s head athletic trainer and created a new position for Wayne Penniman as the team’s rehabilitation specialist.

Kupiec joins the Revs from the New England Patriots, where he has spent the last two seasons as the Pats’ athletic training intern. Kupiec will oversee all aspects of the team’s medical care and sports performance, both in-season and during the off-season. Kupiec is also recognized as a performance enhancement specialist by the National Academy of Sports Medicine. He will officially join the Revolution after Super Bowl XLII, which will be played on Sunday, Feb. 3.

Penniman, who spent the 2007 Revs season as the team’s athletic trainer, will now focus on the team’s rehabilitation needs after injuries and surgeries. He will work with Kupiec and the team’s physicians to help players return to the field as soon as possible after suffering injuries, utilizing both his physical therapy and strength and conditioning background.

“The opportunity arose where we could expand our sports medicine staff," Burns said. “Wayne’s new position is unique in MLS and is a great utilization of his expertise and experience, and Sean has received excellent training with the organization the last few years. We’re glad that our players will benefit from this strengthened medical staff on a day-to-day basis.”