The case for Jose Burciaga Jr.

For sheer offensive punch, who would you prefer rampaging up and down the flank, attacking out of the back? Jeff Agoos in his prime? Greg Vanney back in the day? The ageless Frankie Hejduk right now?

Or would it be a certain left back playing currently in the Heartland? The stat geeks among us, those who bow to the alter of the raw number, might propose that Jose Burciaga Jr. should be your guy.

Burciaga had a big midweek match against ..:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Chicago, supplying a goal and two assists in the Wizards win. It's just more ammunition for the argument that Kansas City's longtime left back is perhaps the most prolific offensive producer ever among MLS defenders.

Burciaga has 13 goals and 17 assists in 109 career matches. That's a goal or assist every 3.6 matches.

Among the higher scoring defenders in MLS history, only Marcelo Balboa has a better rate of production. And Balboa's ratio of a goal or assist every 3.2 matches is attached to a huge asterisk -- he played a significant number of matches in midfield.

So, if you don't count Balboa, Burciaga has a better rate of production than any other defender in league history who has at least 100 matches.

Following the Kansas City left back and his rate of scoring or assisting every 3.6 matches are: John Doyle (a goal or assist every 5.1 matches); Frankie Hejduk (5.3), Greg Vanney (5.4), Chris Albright (who has played frequently as a midfielder and began as a forward, 5.5), Wade Barrett (5.6), Steve Trittschuh (5.9), Alexi Lalas (6.0) and Jeff Agoos (6.2).

Burciaga strikes in stoppage time to give KC the win!!!

KANSAS CITY -- Jose Burciaga's stunning goal after a slaloming run through the Columbus Crew defense in the 90th minute gave the Kansas City Wizards a 1-0 victory on Saturday afternoon at Arrowhead Stadium. The victory was the fourth in five games for the Wizards in handing the Crew their first loss of the season.                                                                                 

IN THE GAME  

That set the stage for the dramatic strike six minutes later. Burciaga Jr., silent much of the match, ran at the Crew defense. He first cut right past one defender, then attracted two others from whom he cut left, before hitting a low drive from just outside the area that quickly bounded past Gruenebaum and sent the Wizards fans and Burciaga into a joyous celebration as it punched the right side netting.

BURCIAGA SAYS  

"I just wanted to get a touch and get a little opening to strike it far post. As I took a look up, I saw the 'keeper drift to the opposite side, so I knew as he's going that way, with the way I hit the ball, he wasn't going to have a chance," said Burciaga.

International aspirations for Burciaga

KANSAS CITY -- Eight goals. Eight assists. A first All-Star selection. First MLS Best XI honor. For Kansas City Wizards left back Jose Burciaga Jr., 2006 was a career year.

After a year like that, a likely reward would be a call into the U.S. national team. But no call came from interim U.S. national team manager Bob Bradley -- influenced, possibly, by meniscus surgery Burciaga underwent in the offseason. Still, the one-time U.S. youth international has come into the 2007 season more motivated than ever.

"I've been there at that level as far as youth goes. It's frustrating to see teammates that I used to play with getting call-ups. I'm anxious to get my opportunity. I just thought with me having the season I just had, I thought at least I would have had an opportunity," Burciaga said.

"Growing up, playing for your country is something that is everybody's dream. As professionals, one of our main goals is to be on the national team to play at the highest level. I just keep working hard, and, hopefully, they will give me a chance. Over the past three years, I've done very well, and I think with me just working every day and being consistent, I think that will help me out."

Although the lightning-bolt drives on goal and pinpoint crosses from set pieces that emanate from his thunderous left boot are well known, it's the sometime lapses on the defensive end that can cause coaches to yearn for improvement. Despite the fact that he believes he has handled the Steve Ralstons and Ronnie O'Briens of MLS very well, the Duncanville, Texas, native is well aware of the need for improvement.

"This year, I'm going to focus more on defending. (I'm) not saying that I'm not going to attack, it's one of my strongest suits. I'm going to get forward when I can, but if I can work on being one of the dominant defenders, to improve on that even more where they don't break us down on the left side," said Burciaga. "I do take a lot of pride in defending. It does get to me when someone gets behind me. I don't want anything coming down my side."

To that end, Burciaga and Wizards head coach Curt Onalfo have had many discussions this preseason.

"[He asked] me to realize when I need to defend and when I need to attack. When we are winning, I need to concentrate on defending more. He made a good point. At times, I would do it, but at times I need to realize it a bit sooner," Burciaga said.

"We know Jose's biggest strength is how he helps us build out of the back. He's a very good passer of the ball and is excellent on set pieces," said Onalfo. "We want to be a team able to win tight games. In order to be a championship caliber team, you need to be able to win games 1-0 and 2-1. Jose has to also focus on his defensive positioning and his one-on-one defending, and that has been a focus of ours during preseason. We feel he's going to do fine there."

Having been an assistant under former U.S. national team coach Bruce Arena, Onalfo has insight into what his prized left back needs to do to become an international quality back.

"He needs to take care of the defensive responsibilities in his part of the field on a consistent basis. He needs to continue to work on his fitness. There is a much different level of fitness needed for MLS compared to international soccer," Onalfo said.

Burciaga will need the first couple of matches of the season to recoup his fitness due to the meniscus injury. But for the seven-year MLS veteran, his dreams could well include something beyond just wearing the Red, White and Blue, when his current contract is up in a couple of years.

"Everybody would love to go to Europe. If there was ever a possibility, I don't think I would turn it down, whether it be there or somewhere in Argentina or Mexico. There is a very strong possibility at some point in my career that I would seriously be thinking about doing that," Burciaga said.

By Bob Rusert / MLSnet.com Staff

Wizards announce 2006 award winners

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Kansas City Wizards Media Relations

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Jose Burciaga scored eight goals and had eight assists for the Wizards in 2006. (Eric Schlueter/MLS/WireImage.com)       KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Kansas City Wizards announced today their 2006 regular season award winners, highlighted by defender Jose Luis Burciaga Jr.'s being recognized as the Wizards' Honda Most Valuable Player. Altogether four separate Kansas City players took home season-end accolades from the club. Burciaga Jr. led all defenders in Major League Soccer with eight goals and eight assists, his assist total was a Wizards team-high while his goal total was second-best on the squad. In the 30 matches that he appeared in the lethal lefty also netted a team-high four game-winning goals. Burciaga Jr. along with teammate Jimmy Conrad are also up for Major League Soccer's Defender of the Year award which will be announced on Tuesday, October 24th.