Rodriguez Makes Most Of Fresh Start

Former Breaker Excelling With Philadelphia

By Mark Goodman

Aug. 7, 2010

DOWNINGTOWN, Pa. -- It�s been just over a year since Amy Rodriguez suffered one of the most ignominious moments any soccer player could endure.

On July 25, 2009, in a scoreless draw against Sky Blue FC, the then-Boston Breaker came on to the field as a 62nd-minute substitute. Fifteen minutes later, in front of her home fans, she was taken off. She wasn�t injured.

It was the low point of a disappointing season that ended with Rodriguez, the No. 1 overall draft pick the previous January, scoring one goal in 982 minutes of play.

Amy Rodriguez

Amy Rodriguez (right) battles Breakers defender Stephanie Cox during Philadelphia's visit to Harvard Stadium in April. (Photo by CHRIS ADUAMA/aduama.com)

It�s a new season with a new team, and now, Rodriguez can�t stop scoring.

�A-Rod� recently notched back-to-back two-goal games in wins over Sky Blue and Chicago, giving her 11 for the season and putting her just two behind FC Gold Pride�s Marta for the WPS Golden Boot. Her team, the Philadelphia Independence, is in second place with 27 points, two ahead of the Breakers as the two teams prepare for their match tomorrow night at 8 in West Chester, Pa.

On the bench next to Philadelphia�s will be Tony DiCicco, the coach who publicly criticized Rodriguez�s work ethic multiple times last season, none more so than after that Sky Blue game.

After the Independence�s practice Friday, Rodriguez admitted to being frustrated with her play last season, but said she �didn�t know why� her effort was called into question during her time in Boston.

�I was the player who came out early every Tuesday and Thursday and shot on the goalkeepers in goalkeeper training,� Rodriguez said. �I was the player that wanted to do much as much as I could in order to play, and it just wasn�t clicking for me on the field. As much as I tried, it just wasn�t there.

�Whether that was read as lack of effort, or just being out of place or just not being confident, I don�t know. But I did everything I could last year; I was just in a hole and I couldn�t get out of it. That�s the truth.�

Last Sept. 29, the Breakers traded Rodriguez to the Independence. The deal earned Boston the No. 2 and No. 11 overall draft picks, with which the club took forward Lauren Cheney and keeper Alyssa Naeher.

Rodriguez said she was unsure at the end of last season whether DiCicco planned to keep her on the team.

�He gave me a big question mark. He said, �Maybe, maybe not,�� Rodriguez said. �I didn�t know. I really didn�t. And then one day I got a phone call saying, �We finalized your trade,� and I had no idea that trades were even in the works. So I was kind of like, �Alright. Where am I going?��

She went to play for a coach, Paul Riley, who said he was going to give Rodriguez every chance - and then some - to succeed.

�When I first met her I said to her, �I�m going to play you. And when you fail, I�m going to play you again. And when you fail, I�m going to play you again. And when you fail, I�ll play you again. And when you really fail, I�m going to play you again,�� Riley said. �I was going to stick with her all season. If she had zero goals right now, she�d still be in the lineup.

�It�s easy for me to say now, she�s got 11. That was my decision at the beginning of the season. I said, �We�re going to make sure this kid�s got confidence so there�s no excuse.��

Riley said he spoke with DiCicco about Rodriguez at last August�s women�s European tournament in Finland, where he said the Breakers� coach again raised questions about the player�s work ethic. Based on what he�s seen this year, Riley said he sees things differently.

Amy Rodriguez

Amy Rodriguez (8) struggled in her lone season with Boston, scoring just one goal in 17 games (including 11 starts). (Photo by CHRIS ADUAMA/aduama.com)

�I don�t even know where that could come from,� Riley said. �We�ve been going five months at this point and I can�t remember one instance where I�ve gone, �She�s not working hard enough.� But I think, also, I�m a bit more patient. I think Tony was expecting this No. 1 draft pick to go out and score 15 goals. The reality is any kid coming out of college is not going to score 10-15 goals - as Cheney�s proven this year - no matter how good you are. You need time and you need somebody with patience.�

It didn�t take long for Rodriguez to make an impact this season. In Philadelphia�s third game of the year, she opened her account for the season with a 54th minute equalizer, propelling a 3-1 comeback win over the Washington Freedom. After opening the season with two draws, it was the expansion team�s first victory in its history.

Rodriguez didn�t score for another five games, when she notched the game-winner in a 2-1 win over Sky Blue. It was the kind of stretch that may have toyed with her confidence last year, but not this season.

�Paul really believes in me, and Paul gives me the freedom to do and run and go where I want,� Rodriguez said. �I think that allows me to play relaxed, and when you�re relaxed you play better.�

Playing more and playing better has led to a far more enjoyable experience for Rodriguez in her second professional season.

�Here, I�m getting a lot of playing time. I�m getting a lot of chances,� Rodriguez said. �I�m enjoying it. I�m happier, and I think being happy off the field enables you to be happy on the field. My confidence is up, and I�m enjoying it.�

As for tomorrow night�s game, the Independence will be looking to get their first win of the season against the Breakers. The teams drew in Boston in April, and the Breakers came from behind for a 2-1 win in Philadelphia July 4, a victory that started the team�s current run of six wins in seven matches.

While Boston handily defeated Atlanta, 2-0, Wednesday, the Independence turned in one of their worst performances of the season that same night in a 2-0 loss at Washington, a team that hadn�t won in 10 games.

�I think we have something to prove this weekend,� Rodriguez said. �I know that our team is talented enough and our chemistry is good enough that we can put in a good fight�We want to stay in second place, obviously, so I think it�s important for us to keep that gap between us and Boston.�

Riley agreed there is plenty at stake. With the Independence just two points ahead of the Breakers, a win for either team would put it in pole position for second place and an automatic home field advantage in the WPS semifinal.

�This series with them is probably going to determine who goes to the final against Gold Pride,� said the coach. �I think we�re the two teams capable of beating Gold Pride. Anyone can beat them on their day but, I think consistency-wise so far this year, we�re the ones that could pick them off (in a final).�

Mark Goodman can be reached at newsdesk@soccernewengland.com.