Richmond Kickers Feature -- www.richmondkickers.com
Monday, March 12, 2012
As the 20th Anniversary home opener rapidly approaches, RichmondKickers.com caught up with former midfielder, Marco Ferruzzi. Recently named Head Coach of the FC Dallas Reserves, the Richmond fan favorite currently works with the up-and-coming young FC Dallas talent, while continuing to serve as an assistant to First Team Head Coach Schellas Hyndman.
Entering his eighth year, Ferruzzi knows the club like few others and can look back on two U.S. Open Cup Finals, one MLS Cup Final and claiming a first-place finish in the Western Conference in 2006. The 40-year-old compiled a 2-2-1 record as FC Dallas’ interim head coach prior to the hiring of Hyndman during the 2008 season.
Ferruzzi’s professional career spanned 10 years, spending four years with the Richmond Kickers. He made 120 appearances in a Kickers uniform over four seasons (1999-2002), notching 18 goals and eight assists in nearly 10,000 minutes played.
A University of North Carolina graduate, he played one game for the U.S. U16 national team and had a one year stint with the Tampa Bay Mutiny (MLS) in 1997.
RichmondKickers.com sat down with Marco to reflect on his past as a player and coach.
RichmondKickers.com: Marco, what are your expectations for the upcoming season as the new Reserves Head Coach at FC Dallas?
Ferruzzi: We had a very competitive last year in our reserves team and our players have really been tested. We have a lot of players who are ready to get some experience in the first team. Our goal is to push maybe two or three guys to the first team and give them a chance to proof themselves.
RichmondKickers.com: What is your favorite part of your job right now?
Ferruzzi: I really love the game days and seeing our guys in competition. The fact that we have a lot of really young players is great, too, because you see a lot of progress and development working with them.
RichmondKickers.com: How would you describe your time with the Richmond Kickers?
Ferruzzi: My experience with the Kickers was excellent and looking back on that time, I am very grateful for everything. The Kickers offer a very stable and professional environment to everyone in the organization. You often see players changing their clubs a lot, but Richmond is one of the rare places where players stay for a long time. I stayed for four years and it was a great time in my career. Even when I did my coaching license back then they really supported me. Actually, I also started my family in Richmond.
RichmondKickers.com: Looking back, was there a decisive moment that leveraged your career?
Ferruzzi: I was part of a generation of soccer players in the U.S. that experienced a lot of changes in all the leagues. Many players were quite uncertain about whether or not they could start a pro career in indoor or outdoor soccer. When Major League Soccer was finally being established, it was a big moment for everyone and definitely a turning point.