FC Dallas has made a number of surprising trades since Schellas Hyndman took over as coach mid-season, and many of the team’s fans think that striker Abe Thompson’s move to the Kansas City Wizards last week was more of a gift than a trade, writes Bob Luder. The Wizards, though, hope to cash in on the potential treasure.
“We made two very good pickups last week,” said K.C. coach Curt Onalfo, referring to Thompson and Herculez Gomez, acquired from the Colorado Rapids. “Abe’s a very strong target forward. He’s good at holding the ball and has a knack for scoring goals.”
Thompson was surprised by the move. He played for Dallas Thursday night, was told after the game that he’d be moving, flew to his new team Friday, and made his debut as a substitute on Sunday afternoon in the 3-1 defeat in Houston. “I thought Abe came in and had a calming influence up top in our offense,” Onalfo said. “We’re looking at getting him incorporated into our team as quickly as possible. We’re looking at starting him this weekend [at home to L.A.].”