Nkong, Rapids together yet again

Colorado brings back midfielder to jump-start offense

Alan Pearce, Rocky Mountain News

Published August 26, 2006 at midnight

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The most dynamic attacking midfielder the Colorado Rapids have ever had is rejoining the team just when it's most fatigued.

Alain Nkong, a native of Cameroon who played last season with Colorado, officially was signed Friday. His work permit came through in time to play against the Chicago Fire tonight in

Bridgeview, Ill. (6:30 MDT, Toyota Park).

Nkong, 27, scored three goals last season in one game against the Fire. The Rapids, who played 120 minutes Wednesday and lost 3-1 to Los Angeles in the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open Cup, are playing their third match in a week.

Nkong rejoins the Rapids after not landing a deal with a European club. He was training with a team in France, to stay in shape, and also has been working out with the Rapids for two weeks while waiting for his paperwork to come through.

"I'm very happy, number one, to be back with the Rapids," Nkong said through an interpreter in a conference call. "My main goal this season is to work very hard, help the Rapids advance as far as possible the rest of the year."

Last year, Nkong played in 28 games, starting 20, and logged five goals and four assists. He can play as a central or wide midfielder, and at forward.

Nkong led the Rapids in yellow cards in 2005, with nine, despite playing about 1,000 minutes less than Colorado's most regularly used player, Nat Borchers.

"Now, I'm not a newbie to the league," Nkong said. "I know the referees and what they call. But if I need to take a yellow card in order to avoid a goal against our team, I will not hesitate."

Rapids coach Fernando Clavijo said Nkong wasn't able to play earlier this year because of a financial squabble with the Uruguayan club Nacional. He said the team owed Nkong money before the player finally obtained his release by waiving his claim to the money.

Clavijo, who is from Uruguay, said he did not bring Nkong in earlier because Nacional was also seeking transfer money and he did not want to deal with the Uruguayan club.

Nkong, a skilled and offensive-minded player, should be able to inject some life in the Rapids' moribund offense. Colorado (9-8-5, 32 points) has scored only 28 goals, the second fewest in the Western Conference.

The Fire (7-8-7, 28 points) is barely better, with 29 goals, but it is at home facing a road-weary opponent. The Rapids earned a 1-1 tie Aug. 19 at D.C. United but remains the league's worst road team, with a 1-6-2 record.

Clavijo is pleased to add another player with a high work rate to the active duo of Nicolas Hernandez and Thiago Martins.

"He brings a lot of energy, a lot of knowledge to the game," Clavijo said of Nkong. "You can see that he's a workaholic. This is not a guy who is going to cheat on the work."

It has been about eight months since Nkong last played in a real soccer match, so sharpness is a concern. But he is confident in his ability and likes what he has seen of the Rapids, who are clinging to third place.

"I see the group of players, the coherence, the chemistry on the team being much better than last season,' Nkong said. "My experience, level of energy and view of the field will be able to help the team. Even though it's going to be shorter (than last season), I still can make an impact."

Nkong said he particularly is looking forward to working with Hernandez, the first-year Argentine forward/midfielder who leads the Rapids with six goals this season.

"He's the type of player I can work very well with," Nkong said of Hernandez. "He has great mobility; he sees the field well."

Although Nkong is signed only through the end of this year, player and coach hope that he gets a longer deal to stay with the Rapids.

"Obviously, I want to be here," Nkong said. "Whenever the time is right, I would like to have a (multiyear contract). I love Colorado."

pearcea@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5352

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