1997 New England Revolution season

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New England Revolution
1997 season
OwnerRobert Kraft (The Kraft Group)
Head coachThomas Rongen
StadiumFoxboro Stadium
Foxborough, Massachusetts
MLSConference: 4th
Overall: 8th
MLS Cup PlayoffsConference Semifinals
U.S. Open CupThird Round
Highest home attendanceLeague/All: 57,407
(4/20 v. Tampa Bay Mutiny)
Lowest home attendanceLeague: 10,242
(6/01 v. Dallas Burn)
All: 2,031
(7/31 v. Long Island Rough Riders, USOC)
Average home league attendance21,298
Biggest winLeague/All:
New England Revolution 4–2 Tampa Bay Mutiny (7/18)
Biggest defeatLeague/All:
New England Revolution 5–1 San Jose Clash (8/3)

The 1997 New England Revolution season was the second season for the New England Revolution both as a club and in Major League Soccer (MLS). Along with the MLS regular season, the team made their debut in both the U.S. Open Cup and the MLS Cup Playoffs, although they failed to advance in either. The season began on March 29 with a 1–0 away win over the Dallas Burn, and concluded with a home shootout loss to D.C. United in the MLS Cup Playoffs on October 8. The 1997 season marked the first season with goalkeeper Walter Zenga, who would later be elevated to player-manager in the 1998 season after the departure of head coach Thomas Rongen.[1]

Transfers

Transfers In

Date Position No. Name From Fee/notes Ref.
February 20FW11Mozambique Chiquinho CondePortugal Vitoria de SetubalLeague Allocation[2]
March 4GK1Italy Walter ZengaItaly Calcio PadovaLeague Allocation[2]
March 6DF6Argentina Leonardo SquadroneArgentina Estudiantes de La PlataLeague Allocation[2]
March 10DF25Argentina Alejandro FaríasArgentina Boca JuniorsDiscovery Player[2]
May 9DF3United States Erik ImlerUnited States D.C. UnitedClaimed off Waivers[2]
June 5FW23United States Rob JachymUnited States Columbus CrewSigned[2]
June 5DF2United States Brian DunsethUnited States Cal State FullertonAllocated from MLS Project-40[2]
July 10MF11Trinidad and Tobago Evans WiseUnited States Tampa Bay MutinyTrade for Bill Harte[3]
July 16GK26United States Jeff CauseyUnited States D.C. UnitedSigned[3]
August 13FW33Italy Giuseppe GalderisiUnited States Tampa Bay MutinyTrade for Chiquinho Conde and Sam George[3]
August 13MF7South Africa Ivan McKinleyUnited States Tampa Bay MutinyTrade for Chiquinho Conde and Sam George[3]

Transfers Out

Date Position No. Name To Fee/notes Ref.
March 3MF6Canada Geoff AungerWaived[2]
March 3MF13Canada Mark WatsonWaived[2]
March 5FW-United States J.T. RobertsWaived[2]
March 10FW11United States WéltonUnited States LA GalaxyTraded for the Galaxy's first-round pick in the 1998 MLS Supplemental Draft[2]
March 10DF3United States Iain FraserWaived[2]
March 10GK32England Aidan HeaneyWaived[2]
March 10GK8United States Peter WoodringWaived[2]
March 17MF14United States John DeBritoWaived[2]
April 15FW24Nigeria Patrick OlalereWaived[2]
May 7FW19United States Steve KleinWaived[2]
May 28DF9United States Kevin WylieWaived[2]
June 24DF17United States Greg LalasWaived[2]
July 10DF2United States Bill HarteUnited States Tampa Bay MutinyTraded in exchange for Evans Wise[3]
August 13FW22Mozambique Chiquinho CondeUnited States Tampa Bay MutinyTraded in exchange for Giuseppe Galderisi and Ivan McKinley[3]
August 13MF14United States Sam GeorgeUnited States Tampa Bay MutinyTraded in exchange for Giuseppe Galderisi and Ivan McKinley[3]
November 6DF20Nigeria Francis OkarohUnited States Chicago FireClaimed in the 7th round of the 1997 MLS Expansion Draft[3]
November 13MF25Argentina Alejandro FaríasWaived[3]
November 13FW33Italy Giuseppe GalderisiWaived[3]
November 13MF3United States Erik ImlerWaived[3]
November 13FW9United States John Kerr Jr.Waived[3]
November 13MF7United States Darren SawatzkyWaived[3]

Draft results

College draft

The Revolution traded their first-round pick to the Tampa Bay Mutiny in exchange for the singing of former Mutiny coach Thomas Rongen.[4] In addition, the team acquired an additional third-round pick and a first-round selection (#3) in the 1997 MLS Supplemental Draft from the Dallas Burn in exchange for a first-round selection (#2) in the 1997 Supplemental Draft. [5]

On February 2, 1997, the Revolution selected Scott Coufal, Steve Klein, and J.T. Roberts in the College Draft. On March 6, 1997, the Revolution waived Roberts.[6]

New England Revolution – 1997 MLS College Draft
Round Overall Name Position Previous club
2 12 United States Scott Coufal GK United States Indiana University
3 22 United States Steve Klein M United States Bowling Green State University
3 26 United States J.T. Roberts M United States Northern Kentucky University

Supplemental draft

On February 2, 1997, the Revolution drafted Bill Harte, Patrick Olalere, and Sam George in the MLS Supplemental Draft.

New England Revolution – 1997 MLS Supplemental Draft
Round Overall Name Position Previous club
1 3 United States Bill Harte D United States Loyola University, Baltimore Spirit
2 12 Nigeria Patrick Olalere F United States Carson-Newman, California Jaguars
3 22 United States Sam George M United States UCLA, Anaheim Splash

Club

Team management

Position Staff
General Manager Republic of Ireland Brian O'Donovan
Head Coach Netherlands Thomas Rongen

Source:

Roster

All listed players made appearances in MLS regular season play.[7]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
4 DF  USA Mike Burns
5 DF  USA Ted Chronopoulos
22 DF  USA Alexi Lalas
20 DF  NGA Francis Okaroh
10 DF  ARG Beto Naveda
8 MF  USA Imad Baba
25 DF  ARG Alejandro Farías
6 DF  ARG Leonardo Squadrone
1 GK  ITA Walter Zenga
11 FW  MOZ Chiquinho Conde
9 FW  USA John Kerr Jr.
12 FW  USA Joe-Max Moore
14 MF  USA Sam George
3 DF  USA Erik Imler
11 DF  TRI Evans Wise
7 DF  RSA Ivan McKinley
No. Pos. Nation Player
33 FW  ITA Giuseppe Galderisi
26 GK  USA Jeff Causey
7 FW  USA Darren Sawatzky
18 FW  IRL Paul Keegan
27 GK  USA Scott Coufal
2 DF  USA Bill Harte
2 DF  USA Brian Dunseth
23 FW  USA Rob Jachym
19 MF  USA Steve Klein
9 DF  USA Kevin Wylie
24 FW  NGA Patrick Olalere
17 DF  USA Greg Lalas

Non-competitive

Preseason

The Revolution played six pre-season matches and had a 3-2-1 record.

Matches

New England Revolution v Raleigh Flyers
January 11 Friendly New England Revolution 1–0 Raleigh Flyers
Report
New England Revolution v Dallas Burn
February 26[a] Friendly New England Revolution 0–2 Dallas Burn Pensacola, Florida
Report Stadium: Pensacola Sports Complex
New England Revolution v Colombus Crew
February 28 Friendly New England Revolution v Colombus Crew
New England Revolution v Kansas City Wizards
March 10 Friendly New England Revolution 3–1 Kansas City Wizards Bradenton, Florida
 Report
New England Revolution v Daytona Beach Sandsharks
March 12 Friendly New England Revolution 5–0 Daytona Beach Sandsharks
Report

Mid-season friendlies

Matches

New England Revolution v Palmeiras
July 23 Friendly New England Revolution 0–1 Palmeiras Foxborough, Massachusetts
Report
Stadium: Foxboro Stadium
Attendance: 19,623

Competitive

Major League Soccer

Conference standings

Pos Team Pld W SOW L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 D.C. United 32 17 4 11 70 53 +17 55 MLS Cup Playoffs
2 Tampa Bay Mutiny 32 14 3 15 55 60 −5 45
3 Columbus Crew 32 12 3 17 42 41 +1 39
4 New England Revolution 32 11 4 17 40 53 −13 37
5 NY/NJ MetroStars 32 11 2 19 43 53 −10 35
Source: MLS

Overall standings

Pos Team Pld W SOW L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 D.C. United (C, S) 32 17 4 11 70 53 +17 55 CONCACAF Champions' Cup
2 Kansas City Wizards 32 14 7 11 57 51 +6 49
3 Tampa Bay Mutiny 32 14 3 15 55 60 −5 45
4 Los Angeles Galaxy 32 14 2 16 55 44 +11 44
5 Dallas Burn 32 13 3 16 55 49 +6 42
6 Columbus Crew 32 12 3 17 42 41 +1 39
7 Colorado Rapids 32 12 2 18 50 59 −9 38 CONCACAF Champions' Cup
8 New England Revolution 32 11 4 17 40 53 −13 37
9 NY/NJ MetroStars 32 11 2 19 43 53 −10 35
10 San Jose Clash 32 9 3 20 55 59 −4 30
Source: MLS
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head record; 3) goal difference; 4) number of goals scored
(C) Champions; (S) Supporters' Shield

Matches

Dallas Burn v New England Revolution
September 25 31 Dallas Burn 1–2 New England Revolution Dallas
 Report
Stadium: Cotton Bowl
Attendance: 6,897
Referee: Brian Hall

MLS Cup Playoffs

The Revolution qualified for their first ever MLS Cup Playoffs and faced off against reigning champions D.C. United in a best-of-three matches. The team failed to secure a win in either match. It would take until the MLS Cup Playoffs in 2000 before the Revolution would appear in a playoff match again, and until the MLS Cup Playoffs in 2002 before they would advance in a playoff match-up.

Matches

D.C. United v New England Revolution
October 5 Game 1 D.C. United 4–1 New England Revolution Washington, D.C.
Wegerle 13', 56'
Moreno 65', 76'		 Burns 89' Stadium: RFK Stadium
Attendance: 12,540
Referee: Tim Weyland

D.C. United win the series 2–0.

U.S. Open Cup

The Revolution made their U.S. Open Cup debut after declining to participate in the 1996 edition. They exited in the Third Round after a 4-3 loss in sudden death extra time, to the Long Island Rough Riders.

Matches

New England Revolution Massachusetts v Long Island Rough Riders (A-League) New York (state)
July 31 Third Round New England Revolution Massachusetts 3–4 (asdet) Long Island Rough Riders (A-League) New York (state) Foxborough, Massachusetts
6:00 PM
Attendance: 2,031
Referee: Ruben Rodhas

Honors

New England Revolution – 1997 League and Team Awards
Honor Name
Revolution Team Most Valuable PlayerWalter Zenga[9]
Revolution Team Scoring ChampionAlberto Naveda (20pts; 7g, 6a)[9]
Revolution Team Defender of the YearFrancis Okaroh[9]
MLS All-StarsAlexi Lalas, Ted Chronopoulos, Walter Zenga[9]
MLS Goalkeeper of the YearWalter Zenga (finalist)[9]
MLS Player of the MonthWalter Zenga (September)[9]
MLS Player of the MonthChiquinho Conde (Week 10), Alberto Naveda (Week 11)[9]

Notes

  1. The friendly match against Dallas was originally scheduled for February 25, but was postponsed.[8]

References

  1. "It's One Way to Start a Revolution". Soccer America. August 30, 1998. Archived from the original on December 2, 2023. Retrieved December 1, 2023.
  2. "2023 Media Guide: Coach and Player Registry" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on December 8, 2023. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  3. "2023 Media Guide: Coach and Player Registry" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on December 8, 2023. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  4. "MLS: Mutiny trade Hattrup to Dallas". Soccer America. January 31, 1997. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved August 14, 2015.
  5. "MLS: 1997 Collegiate Draft Results (Feb. 2)". Soccer America. February 2, 1997. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved August 14, 2015.
  6. "March 6, 1997 Transactions". Retrieved March 14, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  7. "1997 New England Revolution Stats". Archived from the original on December 2, 2023. Retrieved December 1, 2023.
  8. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe-moore-injury-a-warning/143821996/
  9. "2018 New England Revolution Media Guide – Stats and Records" (PDF). pp. 1–2. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 12, 2018. Retrieved June 5, 2018.