MLS Season Preview: Lee Nguyen and New England Revolution

The New England Revolution will attempt to push last year’s rocky season to the back of their memory, as the second year of their rebuilding phase begins.

Manager Jay Heaps’ first season with New England saw few tangible improvements, as the Revs started 2012 promisingly, but finished with only three wins in their last 17 matches to close out the season.

The season did have some positives, however, especially with the breakout of midfielder Lee Nguyen, who emerged as one of the best acquisitions in the league in 2012. Nguyen became one of the Revolution’s key players last year, being the only New England player to appear in the first 30 matches of the season and adding five goals and two assists to his short Major League Soccer resume.

Ultimately, 2012 was the beginning of the Jay Heaps era, and laying a foundation for the future was always going to be more important than immediate success, especially since the playoffs were never really within reach. The fans will feel last season was wasted, but if the 2013 season shows the team take a significant step forward, then 2012 will have been a valuable stepping stone for Heaps and his players.

Here is a closer look at the New England Revolution heading into the 2013 MLS season:

via SBI MLS Season Preview: New England Revolution | Soccer By Ives.