The Houston Dynamo have a game-high four players who are part of Hans Backe’s game-day roster for Wednesday's MLS All-Star Game against Manchester United. That’s impressive for a team that has the 11th-best point total in MLS.
That state of affairs leaves Dynamo fixture Geoff Cameron with mixed feelings during All-Star Week in the New York City area.
“Especially coming off the loss this weekend, a disappointing result,” Cameron told MLSsoccer.com after All-Star training on Monday. “I think the team is still trying to find its way, trying to find our position. It’s good to step away, focus on this, have fun, enjoy ourselves. But in the back of our minds, we’re still trying to figure out ways to get a winning team and get into the playoffs.”
The Dynamo have struggled to find consistency this season, one that was supposed to be a turnaround from a disappointing, playoff-less 2010. Following a strong start with only one loss in their first six games, Houston is currently mired in a stretch of one win in its last six games.
The latest match featured a 3-0 throttling at the hands of Chivas USA at The Home Depot Center with forward Justin Braun netting a hat trick. Despite the pressure that has increased on the Dynamo, who open a new stadium next season, Cameron is warning off critics of manager Dominic Kinnear, now in his sixth year at the helm of Houston.
“At the end of the day, it’s not Dom’s fault,” Cameron said. “It’s us as individuals and players. So people that are criticizing Dom, it’s not right. Dom puts out the team, and we’re the players. We have to perform. That’s what it’s all about. The locker room is pretty good. It’s just we’re not on the same page. Mistake after mistake is costing us. And everybody is pretty hard on themselves.”
As far as Wednesday’s match with Manchester United is concerned, it may not go far in resolving Cameron’s long-term role on the field. Although playing most of the Dynamo’s 2011 season as a central midfielder, Backe called him up as a defender. Cameron says he feels comfortable in both positions, but he intimated that the central midfield spot may be more to his liking in the short term.
“I feel pretty comfortable playing center back,” Cameron said. “Maybe that can be my position later on in my career. But I think I’m fairly young still, and I can run a little bit more. I was surprised to see I was called as a defender, but I’m happy about it. I’m just glad to be out here and kicking the ball out here with these guys.”
