Chris Sharpe: Thierry Henry has Rapids locker room buzzing

The Rapids locker room is buzzing. Thierry Henry in the 'States? Why not?!!

Yes, we players also get caught up in the transfer rumours - and you certainly don't get much bigger than last week's news about the people at Seattle trying to sign Henry from Barcelona for season 2009.

Is it all just speculation at this point? I guess time will only tell. Everyone in the dressing room is aware of it, I think whenever you hear names as big as Henry's being linked anywhere in the world it turns heads, but to a new franchise in the MLS for 2009 it created some serious chat amongst the lads.

At the end of the day the MLS is beginning to attract big time names like David Beckham, Claudio Lopez, Celestine Babayaro and Laurent Robert, so when you look at it from that point, anything is possible.

You do feel you're part of something special when you consider the players now running around the MLS. Last week, of course we faced the Kansas City Wizards - and their Argentines, Carlos Marinelli and Lopez.

Marinelli, who Middlesbrough and Torino fans will remember, is a very good player, as everyone knows. Between him and Claudio Lopez alot of the pre game talk was about closing their space down, not giving them too much time on the ball and limiting the amount of set pieces we gave them around the area to deliver quality balls in.

Unfortunately two of Kansas City's three goals came from set pieces played directly in by Marinelli.

The locker room after the game was probably as one would expect. After coming back from being down two goals and then ending up with nothing, the lads were very disappointed. We worked so hard to get back in it and again at the death hit the post, which would have tied it at 3-3.

But in saying this, we all felt that the effort put into getting back in the game was tremendous and the gaffer was extremely pleased with the heart we showed to comeback as well.

We all have our individual ways of getting over a defeat. For me personally, I try not to reflect on the game to much. I usually find the best way is to go home and spend time with my wife and usually I go out for a meal with the boys and have a good laugh.

Life in Colorado is very different. It's the only place in the world I have ever been where you get all four seasons in one day!! But I really do like it here, beautiful scenery, lovely people. Haven't had much time to go shopping, although that could change in the coming weeks as my wife and I are moving to Denver in a few days and I believe that is where all the good shopping is.

We have New England Revolution, the MLS Cup finalists, this weekend. It's in Boston and is a big game for us as we need to pick up points on the road before coming home to San Jose.

I think for us, the big thing is New England played Kansas earlier this week in Kansas and then had to travel back home to play us on Saturday, so it's a long few days for them.

New England are missing Taylor Twellman and Steve Ralston, probably their two best players, through injury so I believe the two young African lads in their midfield, Sainey Nyassi and Kenny Mansally, are the biggest dangers for them.

The Revs have Steve Nicol in charge and he's fast becoming a soccer legend over here, just like he was as a player at Liverpool.

The Rapids, of course, have our own link to England with Arsenal. I just missed out on the boys' preseason visit to the Gunners last month. I think the partnership of Arsenal and the Rapids is a fantastic step in the right direction.

We have already seen what the benefits are during the off season with us spending 10 days at Arsenal's training ground. Hopefully from there, the partnership can develop to where we can take our best youngsters over there and brings player out here on loan.

We already have Gary Smith as our Assistant Coach here from Arsenal. The knowledge he possesses of the game is phenomenal and the lads love him.

The level of experience guys like Gary and Steve Nicol bring to the MLS is impossible to measure. But what it does do, is make you proud to be part of this competition.