FC Dallas Report: December 18, 2013

The continuing MLS journey of Adam Moffat continued when he was traded to FC Dallas from the Seattle Sounders. With the move to Big D, the true Scotsman is looking to send the Hoops to the MLS Cup Playoffs.

Oct 5, 2013; Commerce City, CO, USA; Seattle Sounders midfielder Adam Moffat (26) warms up before the start of the match against the Colorado Rapids at Dick

“It’s been funny [in my career] with a long run and then short run and long [run] so hopefully this is it and I can finish out my career here playing out a long time which is something you hope for with any team you go to,” Moffat told FCDallas.com’s Daniel Robertson. “I have a good feeling about it. It definitely helps knowing the team really wants me there and I look forward to getting in and making a big impact.

“Obviously the team has been needing someone at the position for the last few years and it’s nice to know they look at me for that and I get confidence from that. I know it’s not going to be handed to me, but I look forward to battling for the position.

“Coming into the team my intention is definitely to get the team into the playoffs and I don’t see why it’s not doable. Just about every year I’ve been in the league my team has been in the playoffs and I want to keep that going, I don’t want that to stop.”

“Everyone we talked to from Columbus and in Houston identified [Adam] as a quality individual that brings the locker room together and that’s exactly what I thought we were missing a little bit,” said Technical Director Fernando Clavijo. “It’s a plus for us. He’s durable and plays a lot of games as a defensive midfielder that covers a lot of space, plays aggressively and has a great shot from distance.”

While Moffat is settling in his new home in North Texas, Clavijo has his eyes set on a new designated player. FC Dallas already has two of them in winger Fabian Castillo and midfielder Mauro Diaz.

“I think you’re going to see hopefully a box-to-box kind of player,” Clavijo told MLSSoccer.com’s Matt Barbour. “Everybody, all of the [head coach] candidates have identified an issue which we already knew of in defensive midfield.”

Aug 24, 2013; Frisco, TX, USA; FC Dallas fan Dennis Jackson before the game against the San Jose Earthquakes at FC Dallas Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

There is a possibility that the DP prospect is experienced La Liga midfielder Peter Luccin. His age might be a massive detractor: Luccin is 34. But with age comes experience, and if FC Dallas sign Luccin, will he be the third DP?

“It is [our intention to sign Luccin], no question about it,” Clavijo said of Luccin. “Peter, we all know, he played two games for us at the end of the year extremely well, but that would be the second knee surgery for him at 34. We have to learn from the past mistake, we never recovered from that last year and I want to make sure that we don’t have the same issue.”

Finally, a new manager could be announced by the end of the week. The club had a shortlist of eight to ten candidates, with FC Dallas assistant manager Marco Feruzzi on the list. Clavijo is tapping Feruzzi as the favorite to win the job.

“I think we’re a little bit behind the [eight] ball because the whole idea was at this point to have a coach in place,” said Clavijo to Barbour. “We have interviewed all the people that we wanted to and we have decided that there’s three finalists in this interview process. Hopefully we can come to terms in the next couple of days.

“I think Marco is a good candidate in many ways. Everyone, every single one of the players felt that he was a good candidate and that we have a very good candidate at home. He relates to the players well, he did very well [in his interview], and he’s a true professional.”