Sorry, But There's No Goalkeeper Controversy In Houston This Offseason

Despite the loss of MLS goalkeeping legend, Pat Onstad, during the offseason, the Houston Dynamo appear to be without a goalkeeper controversy ahead of the 2011 campaign. In an interview with Glenn Davis on Soccer Matters, Dynamo head coach, Dominic Kinnear, answered questions about Tally Hall, Tyler Deric, and Evan Newton, and discussed the team's current goalkeeper situation.

Glenn Davis: You lost one of the most successful goalkeepers in the history of MLS in Pat Onstad. Your goalkeeper crop, you've got three now with Newtown in camp. With Tally Hall and Tyler Deric now, is there a clear number one or two? Or are those guys competing for a starting spot? Or maybe those three?

Dominic Kinnear: I think going into the preseason it was pretty clear that it is Tally's job to lose. I think he has done well for us. If you go back to the couple of games he's played for us in the past, especially that game against Pachuca in the SuperLiga, he did wonderful that night. I think that he is ready to play. When he has been called upon to play it has been pretty successful for him.

Also knowing that Tyler Deric, when called upon, can play is very comforting as well. But I think that Tally has put in enough work that ahead of this preseason he is our number one. And he needs to take it from there. I think he is going to be wonderful for us this year.

It will be a daunting task for Tally Hall to fill Pat Onstad's boots (er, gloves, maybe?), but the young goalkeeper clearly has the confidence of the coaching staff and team members ahead of the 2011 season.

Looking ahead to the season, Hall's success will be dependent on how well the defense performs in front of him. The Dynamo defense was near the bottom of the league in 2010, but the team has already and is currently making the right moves to fix the issues from last season.

Communication and confidence will be key for Hall, and the best way for the young goalkeeper to work on those will be time with his defense and high-intensity practices.

Hall already has impressed, stopping shots in an intra-squad scrimmage and against the Houston Baptist University team this past weekend.

Hall will face his first big test of the offseason this coming weekend when the Dynamo travel to Corpus Christi to take on MLS Cup Finalists, FC Dallas, in an exhibition match.