Burn midfielder Lazo Alavanja spent most of last season with the Project-40 team, but he has played 18 games (9 starts) for Dallas in 2000.
SOCCER AMERICA: Where did you line up with the P-40s?
LAZO ALAVANJA: We usually played a 4-4-2 and I played in the middle. I don’t think I could play on the outside.
SA: What aspect of your game improved playing with the P-40s?
LA: It helps you to be ready to play, no matter what. Some of the fields we played on weren’t the best, some of the players weren’t there to play. You just have to worry about yourself. It was a good experience.
SA: What is the first adjustment you had to make in MLS?
LA: It’s a very fast game, especially from watching it on TV. It takes a game or two to get used to, but after that you adapt.
SA: Early in the season, Coach Dave Dir said he wanted to get you into the lineup whenever possible. What do you bring to the team?
LA: Nothing spectacular. My game is getting better and he seems to be happy with it.
SA: The Indiana University products – you, Dema Kovalenko, Chris Klein – are doing well in MLS.
LA: We played a pretty tough schedule at IU, and practices are intense. It’s good preparation for MLS.
SA: You’re usually on the field with Oscar Pareja. How can you help him be effective?
LA: You play the ball to his feet. He’ll play a through ball or hold the ball. It makes the game easier when you have a No. 10 like him who sprays the ball around the field. I like playing with him.
SA: The Burn had one of the best records in the league last season but has struggled to get above .500 this year.
LA: We haven’t played too horribly. We had some bad breaks and let some games slip out of our hands.
Earlier in the season we were down a little bit, but we just got our first road win [a 3-0 win in Miami July 15], so hopefully that will continue. We should do well in the playoffs if we make it.
by Soccer America senior editor Ridge Mahoney