A NEW GAME : Barry Wallace of the Kansas City Comets Sheds His Image as a Defensive Specialist to Become MISL Offensive Threat
Barry Wallace came to the Major Indoor Soccer League with a knack for blocking shots and making tackles.
He came from the outdoor game, playing in England and the now-defunct North American Soccer League.
He entered the explosive world of the Kansas City Comets, a team that perhaps best characterizes the indoor game’s zest for scoring.
But Wallace has been able to transform his scrappy defensive style to fit in neatly with the high-scoring Comets.
In his first season with the Comets, Wallace, a midfielder, scored a career-high 51 points in 54 regular-season games; he had 29 goals and 22 assists since joining the team last October as a free agent.
In the Comets’ three-game sweep of the Los Angeles Lazers in the Western Division semifinals, Wallace had four goals and an assist.
Wallace scored the game-winning goal with 10 seconds remaining in the Comets’ 5-4 victory over the Sockers in the first game of the Western Division finals.
San Diego tied the best-of-seven series with a 5-4 victory Wednesday, and the teams will resume the competition tonight at Kemper Arena.
It took Wallace a while to adjust to indoor soccer, with the ball ricocheting off the boards and the players climbing the glass to celebrate goals.
“I can’t say I was a great lover of the indoor game at first, but I’ve grown to enjoy it,” Wallace said.
Dave Clements, Kansas City coach, makes it more enjoyable, Wallace said.
“He’s made it simple,” Wallace said. “If you can’t play your best soccer and enjoy it with this guy as coach, you can’t do it anywhere.”
Said Clements: “I’d hate to think where we’d be without him. “He’s done what I hoped he would do for us. I thought of him as a two-way player.”
Clements has tried to snare Wallace for some time. He once flew to Minnesota to talk to Wallace and the Strikers about a possible trade. But when he arrived, Clements was told Wallace had been traded to Wichita.
After last season, Clements kept trying to persuade Wallace to follow friend Kim Roentved, who left Wichita to sign with the Comets as a free agent.
Wallace, who finally signed with the Comets and lives with Roentved and his wife, hasn’t regretted the decision.
“Coming here turned out to be one of the best moves I’ve made in my career,” he said. “I really enjoyed this year.”
Wallace befriended Roentved when they played for the NASL’s Tulsa Roughnecks in the early 80s. Their friendship continued through their days as roommates in Wichita. Roentved helped persuade Wallace to join him in Kansas City.
“We have a similar sense of humor,” Wallace said. “A little strange sometimes. Certain things come up that we both find extremely funny. We have a good time laughing together.”
Playing alongside Roentved again is just one more reason playing for the Comets has been an enjoyable experience.
But mostly, it is Kansas City’s flashy style that has enraptured the scrappy Wallace.
“We’re not a defensive-minded team, that’s obvious,” Wallace said. “Even our back people are known for going forward and scoring goals.”
Jan Goossens (101 points) and Dale Mitchell (95 points) open scoring opportunities for their teammates by drawing the attention of the defense.
“The offensive load spread out as the season went on,” Wallace said. “Many more people were getting a chance to show what they could do. We’ve been unselfish as individuals. And a lot of players have benefited because Mitchell and Goossens are so dangerous.”
Kia scored 60 points this season and Damir Haramina scored 57. Wallace’s 51 points came as a result of the system.
“I’m a player who doesn’t need the ball,” Wallace said. “There is lots to do in soccer without the ball. Let them have the ball if they’ll do good for the team. We’ve obviously got some skillful players who like and need the ball.”
Wallace is satisfied making a clean tackle or blocking an opponent’s shot.
That’s one part of the outdoor game he wants to keep.
Socker Notes
Tonight’s game will be broadcast live on XTRA (AM 690) and Prime Ticket at 6. . . . The Sockers learned Thursday that defender Brian Schmetzer did not suffer a fracture when he dislocated his left shoulder in the first quarter of Wednesday’s game, Coach Ron Newman said. If he wears a brace, Schmetzer might be available to play in Game 5 May 21. After not having midfielder Jacques Ladouceur dress for the first two playoff games against the Comets, Newman brought Ladouceur on the trip to take Schmetzer’s spot. . . . Zoltan Toth will start in goal tonight as scheduled. Newman did not switch his rotation even though Toth replaced Jim Gorsek and played the second half of Wednesday’s game. Gorsek left with the game with a blurry eye, but he’s expected to start Sunday. Comet goalkeeper Alan Mayer will start his third-straight game. . . . Comet Coach Dave Clements was upset with the Sockers’ physical play in Wednesday’s game and with the treatment his team received by some of the fans at the San Diego Sports Arena. “They ought to change the name of the Major Indoor Soccer League to the Major Indoor Rugby League,” Clements told the Kansas City Times. “It looked like it was a free-for-all out there. They hacked and whacked as much as they wanted. I knew this building was used for all-star wrestling.”
