Minnesota United players and coaches went back to work after a long scheduled weekend off that never was.
A 10-day break in the Loons' schedule after last Wednesday's game at Colorado until this Sunday's home game against Seattle was supposed to provide four days off. But a lifeless 2-0 loss to Colorado fired coach Adrian Heath's ire and caused him to cancel days off planned for last Friday and Saturday.
Some players and staff, in turn, canceled travel and other plans. They continued work with training days Monday and Tuesday in Blaine.
"We didn't deserve three, four days off," Heath said Tuesday. "That type of performance I thought was two years ago, maybe a bit more. I thought we left them days behind. Obviously, we hadn't, and players had to be told in no uncertain terms that what we produced in Colorado was not acceptable."
The Loons played Colorado without three-fourths of their starting defensive back line. Center backs Bakaye Dibassy and Michael Boxall were injured, and right back Romain Metanire was in France pursuing his U.S. green card.
"I'll take losing, because it's part and parcel of sport, but there's a way of losing the game," Heath said. "Don't go out with a whimper like we did. … I thought the last 10, 15 minutes were embarrassing, but we've addressed that. Hopefully, we won't see that again this year."
No Tokyo for Boxall
Veteran defender Boxall, back working on the grass in Blaine Tuesday, will not play for his New Zealand team in the Tokyo Olympics.
He missed the Colorado game because of an upper thigh/groin injury sustained July 3 against San Jose. Heath said "it might be a bit early" for him to return to play Sunday.