Enormous improvement shown at FC Dallas despite missing play-offs

FC Dallas showed enormous improvement this season after a disastrous start to eventually miss out on the play-offs on the final day of the regular season.

Schellas Hyndman’s charges found themselves on the bottom of the Western Conference table early in the season but made a brilliant run late in the piece to just miss out on play-off qualification.

A year prior, FC Dallas were staring down the barrel and wondering where their improvement would come from but Hyndman is happy he has seen a huge change at the club.

"At this time last year, I had greater motives to change things," Hyndman said. "This year, thank goodness there aren't that many changes."

Hyndman is now keen to improve even further and will do what it takes to have a playing group that wants the same thing.

"Right or wrong, if players don't want to be here, then we've got to open the door and get them out," Hyndman added.

"It's not just opening the door, maybe we've got to put a foot in their butt and push them out because all they're doing is holding us back.”

Hyndman knows things may need to change a little but more in regards to playing personnel.

"There is work to be done. There is still some shuffling (that we have to do)," Hyndman added further.

"What would have happened this year if Jeff Cunningham pulls a hamstring? We'd all be looking around for the next striker. Now Peri (Marosevic) is in Egypt and what I am I going to do? Is it Atiba (Harris that we move up)? We planned on things but we didn't have the answers. Maybe it's (Marvin) Chavez because he's more of an attacking type of player. So I think we have to do a little shuffling. I really like our defense. It's going to be hard for people to beat this defense as long as we keep our structure in the midfield and keep pressure on the ball."