Teal Bunbury Thriving in New Position as Revs Close In on MLS Cup Final
In May, three months after joining the Revolution, Teal Bunbury found himself playing a new position. New to Bunbury, and maybe new to the game. Instead of playing as a target man in the team’s lone-striker formation, Bunbury moved to the right wing.
The change appeared to pay off almost immediately, Bunbury scoring in a 5-0 victory over the Seattle Sounders. Not every game would be as easy for the Revolution, but Bunbury continues to innovate in his role, sparking a 2-1 victory over the New York Red Bulls in the first leg of the Eastern Conference finals Sunday.
In fact, Bunbury and coach Jay Heaps might have invented a new position – just call him a “target winger.’’
“Growing up and professionally and in college, my position was center forward,’’ Bunbury said while preparing for Saturday’s second leg rematch with the Red Bulls at Gillette Stadium. “Now I’m a winger, as Jay likes to call it ‘target winger.’
“I feel like I’m just growing into this position and I love being out there. Still things that I’m learning but I’m really enjoying it.’’
Bunbury is also stamping his style on the position. Bunbury scored the first goal in Sunday’s match, executing a smooth stepover to get past defender Ambroise Oyongo, and launching an unstoppable left-footer into the far upper corner of the net in the 17th minute. Then, Bunbury supplied an assist for Jermaine Jones’ deciding score in the 86th minute.
Most of the highlight moves in the game were expected to come from Bunbury’s side of the field, but that was because Thierry Henry lined up there for the Red Bulls. Instead, Bunbury set the tone by pulling off a move which might have been inspired by Henry.
Jermaine Jones helped set up the score, driving through the middle of the field, then laying off to Bunbury and distracting the defense by continuing his run into the right corner.
Jones’ ability to play long balls from a deep-lying midfield position has helped define Bunbury’s position. Because of Bunbury’s hold-up ability, honed while he performed at center forward, combined with speed and one-on-one skills, it gives him a chance to be isolated on outside backs. In these matchups, Bunbury will often have either a quickness or size advantage, or both.
“I wouldn’t say I’ve scored too many like that,’’ Bunbury said of his goal against the Red Bulls. “Most of them have come from inside the box and trying to battle in there. I feel like I’ve had a few but none quite like that – with the implications of the game, as well, that made it probably the biggest goal of my career.’’
Credit Heaps with putting Bunbury in the right place at the right time.
“I thought putting him wide, he might be able to do a little bit more with his pace,’’ Heaps said, “and be a little bit more 1 v 1. And we also knew from just reading his numbers, from a physical standpoint, he was fitter than most guys, so he can get up and down. It’s a new position, tactics that are very different. I believe it’s a lot harder role on the wing because you have defensive responsibilities and he’s bought into it.’’
Bunbury grew up with the game, his father, Alex, playing in Europe and for the Canadian national team. Bunbury spent much of his childhood in the Madeiran capital, Funchal, where the youngsters following either Nacional or Alex Bunbury’s team, Maritimo, included Cristiano Ronaldo.
“He was around, he met my dad,’’ Bunbury said of Ronaldo. “I would go to training sessions but I don’t remember if he was there. I was six or seven, so whatever age he was, he was big-time. I don’t know, maybe I met him.’’
Bunbury, 24, whose contract expires after this season, appears to have recovered from an anterior lateral cruciate injury sustained in a game against the Red Bulls Aug. 26, 2012. Should he continue to develop his game and score goals – he totaled four during the regular season and has two in the playoffs – there could be a chance to return to Europe.
“Being able to test yourself against the best is, I think, what all athletes want to do,’’ Bunbury said. “I’ve always had an aspiration to play in Europe at some point in my career and if that opportunity comes up I will most definitely look into it. But until then I’ve got to just focus on things I can control and that’s training hard, working hard and if the opportunity arises, I really have to take a close look at it, for sure.’’
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