E. RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Two days before the second leg of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, the MetroStars had a new player in Thursday's training session at the Giants Stadium indoor bubble.
It just so happens that the new tall, bearded, red-headed player is the team president and general manager.
While Alexi Lalas trained on occasion when at San Jose, this is the first time since taking the job with the Metros that he suited up. He said he was asked to compete by interim coach Mo Johnston.
Lalas' red team, which also featured former MetroStars great Giovanni Savarese (now the club's director of youth development), edged the yellow team in a small-sided game that ended the spirited training session.
"I'm not going to sign myself to a developmental contract," he said. "For some guys it was an opportunity to take a whack at the boss, for other ones it as a chance to mock the boss and ultimately it was good to finish on the winning team."
It was also a chance for Lalas to evaluate his team - and interim coach - from a perspective not many other team presidents have.
"You need to see the environment he creates," Lalas said of Johnston. "I certainly think there's a positive energy going into New England this weekend and we're going to need it because New England is a team that probably feels like they were bitten last week. And a team of that caliber doesn't like to be bitten twice."
Said Johnston: "It's important for him to be part of the group, to see certain things and to see that we're trying to move forward, that we're trying to do things. It's important."
Important also to see how Johnston runs a team?
"Probably. It makes no difference to me," Johnston said. "Alexi is the president of our club and at the moment I am just doing my job and until such notice I'm going to keep on doing it."
Also on the winning side Thursday was Tony Meola, who said he got a bit nostalgic seeing Lalas and Savarese together on the field.
"He's going to be a great GM," Meola joked, when asked about Lalas' play. "I hope two or three years after I retire I can still go on the field and do something. He and Gio were out there today and it brings back a lot of good memories, that's for sure."
Dylan Butler is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
