Q: Can you give us your overall thoughts of being the third overall pick and going to New England?
Kelyn Rowe: I’m very happy, to be third pick and come to New England. Coming into the draft, I would have been happy to go anywhere, but to be with Jay Heaps and a good team coming in, I’m very happy.
Q: Did you get a chance to talk to Jay down at the Combine and get a sense of what the expectations are coming in here and what he’s trying to do.
Rowe: Yes, I did get a chance to talk to Jay, and he explained to me that he saw me as a soccer player and a good one. And (he) wanted me to play with guys like Benny Feilhaber in the middle, and to make things happen going forward - something he wants to put into the game here in New England.
Q: Can you talk a little bit about how you play and what you want to do when you step on the field?
Rowe: I’m an attacking player: I love to go forward, I love the ball at my feet. I definitely want to bring that to New England. I want to bring that attacking force – and hopefully goal-scoring force – to the team.
Q: How is Olympic camp going and when do you think you’ll get to New England?
Rowe: It’s going well, so far. It’s going well. It’s only been three days here, but things are looking up. Tomorrow, we’ll play Benny (Feilhaber) and the full (national) team, so that will be a nice transition. On my way to New England, I’m not sure when that is. I know the camp ends the 25th, so I’m guessing the 25th or 26th will be my first day.
Q: How does it feel to be the next in a long line of UCLA Bruins to be drafted by MLS? I know that UCLA has produced more MLS players than any college in the country, so how does it feel to be the next player out of UCLA to make it?
Rowe: Coming from UCLA, a place where that happens, we get stars in and out of the school – like Carlos Bocanegra, you have Matt Reis who plays there, Benny Feilhaber who plays there, (Jonathan) Bornstein as well. So you have players like that who are big names coming out of there and it’s just an honor to be part of that group coming forward.
Q: You’re the third overall pick and with that comes expectations. What is your attitude toward the expectations that you’ll be a difference-maker right off the bat?
Rowe: It’s also expectations I also have going into the season, but I know it’s not given to me right away. I definitely have to work hard for it, and I plan on doing that. Preseason comes along I’m definitely going to work hard, I’m going to make sure I’m part of the team and I’m going to hopefully play well throughout the next season.
Q: You have an opportunity to really make an impact from day one. What are your goals this year for production with the Revs?
Rowe: Production for us is to get better than last year. It might not have been the best year, but we’re looking up now. We have a new head coach. He’s a young coach. He’s looking for a new style of soccer – a good style of soccer that fits myself and other players through the midfield and up front. So I think for us, to go forward, attack and score some goals and do a lot better than last year.
Q: What is your preferred position: Midfield, attacking midfield, forward?
Rowe: Preferably, depending on the formation we play, I like to play the attacking midfield and go forward. They say the number 10 position, that center mid that’s going forward with the front two. That’s where I’m most comfortable.
