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Rapids' Head Coach Bobby Houghton, who will march his squad onto Mile High Stadium this afternoon, now has the opportunity to implement and design his entertaining, attacking soccer philosophy around a core of U.S. National Team veterans -- Roy Wegerle, Dominic Kinnear, Jean Harbor and Steve Trittschuh. In addition, South African scoring phenom Shaun Bartlett has arrived in Denver and will train with the team today.
U.S. National Team captain Marcelo Balboa will not be present during this week's activities as his Mexican First Division squad, Leon, is currently in fourth place and fighting for a wild-card playoff spot. Also absent are the four players selected by Colorado earlier today during Major League Soccer's Supplemental and College Drafts.
Joining Bartlett and the American veterans are English Premier League captain Ian Butterworth, a central defender who spent 13 seasons with Coventry City, Nottingham Forest, and Norwich City, and Khalil Azmi, the 1994 World Cup Moroccan goalkeeper. Other players to watch include Rapids second-round pick Denis Hamlett, defender Troy Edwards, midfielder Felipe Rodriguez and 6-foot-4 forward Lance Hill.
The Rapids will train from March 4-9 at Mile High Stadium before heading to San Diego for two weeks to join fellow MLS squads Dallas Burn, Los Angeles Galaxy, San Jose Clash and Washington D.C. United for Training Camp. The Columbus Crew, Kansas City Wiz, New England Revolution, Metrostars and Tampa Bay Mutiny will train in Florida.
During the Colorado Rapids Team Party, at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, March 9, Colorado soccer fans and Rapids season ticket-holders will have the opportunity to watch training, collect autographs and take pictures with Rapids players at Mile High Stadium.