Michigan defensive lineman Maurice Hurst talks about the competition with AS Roma players Monday in Ann Arbor. Video by Brandon Folsom/Special to DFP
A softball injury kept Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh from playing in a soccer skills challenge against AS Roma on Monday afternoon.
He said the injury came during a game in Boyne City earlier this month, forcing him to miss out on the fun his players enjoyed at Glick Field House. AS Roma will face Paris Saint-Germain F.C. in a match Wednesday night at Comerica Park.
“I (wanted) to, but I pulled a muscle – a hip flexor – I acquired playing softball at Camp Michigania a couple of weeks ago,” Harbaugh said. “It still hasn’t (healed). It’s still with me.
“I tried playing softball, the dads vs. the staff and camp members, and I tried to chase down fly balls and leg out grounders, and, ow, so I wasn’t able to play soccer.”
The skills challenge featured AS Roma players Kevin Strootman, Maxime Gonalons and Umar Sadiq trying their best at throwing, catching, kicking and punting footballs, while several U-M standouts attempted to play goalkeeper, corner kicks and throw ins.
AS Roma edged the Wolverines, but the experience rekindled the bond the two teams created when U-M visited during its spring trip to Rome.
“It was really nice to be here with the guys, with the players,” said Strootman, a Dutch midfielder. “We won the challenge, not that we played very good..
“I tried (to play) with the (football), and it’s not a sport for me. It’s difficult. I’m happy that I chose to play normal football.”
Harbaugh said he appreciated watching Strootman compete against the Wolverines because he never gave up in the competition – even when it was evident he couldn’t fair catch a punt or throw a spiral.
“I appreciated Kevin, especially, and seeing how competitive he is,” Harbaugh said. “I’m sure it bodes well for him and what he does playing football. It’s great to see the guys interact and have a bit of fun.”
Likewise, Strootman appreciated both the size of the Wolverines as well as the aptitude it takes for them to memorize a playbook.
“It’s really impressive,” the 27-year-old soccer star said. “Also, if you see the guys or hear from their coach, they’re working a sport with 100 plays. As far as (football goes), that’s unbelievable. We work with 25 plays, and they work with 100. They have specialists. They look impressive. They’re all big guys. That’s impressive to see that.”
Several U-M players participated in the challenge and some of them, such as Mason Kole, Wilton Speight, Jon Runyan and Joe Beneducci, laughed when seeing the soccer players struggle to kick footballs.
Defensive tackle Maurice Hurst said he enjoyed getting another chance to be around the soccer players before their next match.
“It was great to just see them again and see some of the familiar faces you saw in Rome and kind of build a relationship you already have with them from our trip,” the senior said. “You learn a lot just about them coming out here and coming to play with us – just hanging out kind of like we do and just joking around and having a good time.”
At the end of the challenge, the two teams swapped jerseys, as AS Roma players presented Harbaugh and several Wolverines with custom-made kits, while Harbaugh gave Strootman, Gonalons and Sadiq each a Jordan-brand home U-M jersey as well as maize and blue soccer scarves.
Because U-M narrowly lost the challenge, a few Wolverines demanded to do the Oklahoma drill to crown a true winner. Harbaugh was hesitant to say his guys would easily walk away with a win in the three-on-three tackling drill.
“They (AS Roma) would have done good,” Harbaugh said. “They were very competitive, too, especially Kevin. I really enjoyed watching him going through the drills.
“He’s a guy who’s overcome some real adversity – two ACL injuries – and made it back to the level he’s playing at right now is very impressive. I’m a fan.”
AS Roma’s Kevin Strootman talks about the competition his teammates had with a few Michigan football players on Monday in Ann Arbor. Video by Brandon Folsom/Special to DFP
Notebook: Detroit City FC will host Dakota Fusion FC in the first round of the National Premier Soccer League Midwest region playoffs at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
But first, Le Rouge (9-3-2) will face Venezia FC, coached by former Italian soccer star Filippo Inzaghi, at 7:30 p.m. today at Keyworth Stadium.
In just his first year leading Venezia, Inzaghi helped his squad win Lega Pro, the third division of Italian soccer, which helped it earn a promotion to a higher league – Serie B – next season.
Inzaghi played for both AC Milan and Juventus before retiring. The former striker scored 197 goals as a professional from 1991 to 2012, the fourth most in European Club history.