The Gustavus Men’s Soccer program has been a post upon which Gustie fans could lean year after year, compiling a 418-182-90 record (.671), winning 12 conference titles and making eight NCAA Tournament appearances over a 42-year history.

Last year the squad posted a 9-6-3 record and finished tied for fourth in the conference, which was considered a disappointment by many.

The graduation of several seniors and the arrival of a new head coach have many people wondering what to expect from this 2010 team.

One thing you can rely on is a group that will adhere to a fresh and intriguing philosophy instilled by new Head Coach Mike Middleton.

Coach Middleton arrived in the U.S. in 1990 after earning two of the most prestigious coaching licenses in the world (UEFA and English Football League full licenses), as well as coaching professional soccer clubs in the English Premier League and the English First Division.

The diverse coaching experience of Coach Middleton has fostered a players-first mentality that will change the dynamics of the Gustavus soccer program, and a European style of play should provide excitement and success for a program that is looking to contend nationally.

“Soccer throughout the rest of the world is not a coach-centric environment, but U.S. sports tend to be so,” Middleton said. “You have to give [players] the ability to make the right choice [on the pitch], and so you’ve got to be player-dominated rather than coach-dominated.”

This change in philosophy will provide players with more freedom on the field but also requires more accountability when mistakes are made.

“[Coach Middleton] really wants us to take ownership of our team because it’s us; we’re the ones out there playing, so why shouldn’t we have a say in what’s done,” Junior midfielder Doug Frey said.

Frey is part of a new system that will aim to improve goal scoring, a weakness for the team in 2009. Frey did his part by scoring his first goal of the season in the Gusties 5-1 victory over Nebraska Wesleyan University this past Saturday.

“Creating dangerous chances to score has been our focus,” Frey said. “We had a lot of games last year where we felt like we controlled the play, but just couldn’t find the back of the net.”

Last year the Gusties found themselves in six games where they were unable to score, making it difficult to make a push for another conference title.

Wins will be important this year, but Middleton insists that he will focus on the team’s performance rather than the outcome of the game.
“It’s typical of the U.S. environment to talk about success and winning.

Success is predicated on you performing well and your schedule. We can all win games against easy teams, so the win-loss record doesn’t tell the whole picture,” Middleton said.

This explanation is particularly prevalent with this year’s squad, whose subpar start (a 2-2 record in four non-conference games) has more to do with learning a new system and experimenting with personnel than with a lack of talent.

“Our weakness so far has been coming out strong. We started slow [in] at least half of our games,” Junior midfielder Ben Cedar said.

Cedar, who played left defense his first two years, is now adjusting to a new position and hopes he and his teammates can be more consistent.

“I think once we get it all figured out where guys are playing, it’s going to be tough to beat us if we can put a full game together,” Cedar said.

The Gusties knew it must put a full game together on Wednesday when the team faced Carleton at home.

“We [had to] go out and play them like we play everybody else,” Middleton said.

Ignoring the importance of this game is easier said than done, however. Carleton is the defending MIAC conference regular season champion and was a difficult first test for Gustavus.

“Carleton’s been in the back of our minds for over a week now. We always [had] them circled on the schedule, [and] they’re always a good measuring stick for where we have to be at to win the conference,” Frey said.

Coach Middleton hopes that next year’s first conference game will have less importance than this year’s, due in part to a plan that will load Gustavus’s 2011 non-conference schedule with some of the nation’s best teams.

“Hopefully we’ll fly to a tournament next year, and we’re hoping to arrange a tournament here next year. I’m bringing in some of the top teams in the nation,” Middleton said. “[My players] are confident enough to compete against the best teams in the country, so why shouldn’t we allow them to do it?”

This year the players must instead prove themselves in conference play, as the MIAC provides a plethora of formidable matchups, including Wednesday’s game against Carleton.

The Gustavus Men’s Soccer team played a consistent game against Carleton on Wednesday but was denied a full game due to the arrival of severe weather. The contest was suspended in the 82nd minute and after a short suspension, the game was considered final, resulting in a
1-1 tie.

Carleton scored midway through the first half to take a 1-0 lead despite multiple scoring chances by Gustavus. However, a flurry of offensive threats posed by the Gusties early in the second half eventually proved successful, culminating with an equalizing goal by Sophomore midfielder Lucas Thompson in the 63rd minute.

Thompson’s goal was assisted by Doug Frey, who is proving to be a dynamic offensive threat and epitomizes a quick, skillful style of play, idealized by Coach Middleton.

The Gusties hope to use Coach Middleton’s knowledge and European flair as they aspire to earn a trip to the NCAA Tournament.