Will Shaun Saiko return to Edmonton this weekend? Colin Miller says “I couldn’t care less” By Steven Sandor Posted on July 29, 2014 10 0 1,083 Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Colin Miller After an injury-filled spring NASL season, Canadian midfielder Shaun Saiko is healthy again. Now, the question: Will he be with the San Antonio Scorpions when the team travels to Edmonton for this Sunday’s date with FC Edmonton? Will FC Edmonton’s all-time leading scorer, now a member of the Scorpions, get the chance to return home and play against his former team? If there is any Saiko-mania this weekend, FCE coach Colin Miller won’t hear of it. “I couldn’t care less about Shaun Saiko anymore. We don’t pay his wages anymore. He left our club and it’s history. I have no interest in San Antonio or Shaun Saiko. I’m interested in the guys that are here. This is how I feel. These are our players, the club has moved on, the club is evolving and we’re in a good place. Unfortunately, we’re where we are in the league, but progress is being made.” FCE hasn’t scored yet this fall season, and has one point from three games. The Scorpions have played four times, and won all of those matches. They are already 11 points ahead of the Eddies in the standings. In what was a disappointing 2013 season, Saiko was released by FCE at the end of the season after he spent his final weeks playing with the reserve side. Saiko is still the club’s all-time leading scorer. He then made the move to Texas, but injuries curtailed his spring season. Saiko has been brought slowly back into the Scorpions’ lineup by Canadian coach Alen Marcina. After undergoing surgery for a double hernia in early June, Saiko was ready for the fall campaign, but has been on the subs’ bench for three of the team’s four games. He’s come on twice. But, in last weekend’s road win over the Tampa Bay Rowdies, Saiko wasn’t in the Scorpions lineup. The team has yet to announce its traveling squad for Sunday’s game. Shaun Saiko How talented is the San Antonio lineup? How deep is it? In last weekend’s win over Tampa, the Scorpions had former MLS Designated Player Eric Hassli on the subs bench. And well-known NASL midfield studs Danny Barrera and Richie Menjivar were also on the bench. Canadian central defender and former Toronto FC player of the year Adrian Cann? Unused sub. Miller says he can’t feel anything but impressed by the squad Marcina has beem able to put together in Texas. “They spent a great deal of money, by the sounds of it, on their squad,” says Miller. “It’s very, very talented, if not the most talented, roster in the league. There’s a depth of squad there that would be the envy of a lot of clubs in our league, for sure… “We know they’re top of the league, they score goals, they’re dangerous, they soak up pressure, they’re well organized and then they’ll hit you quick on the counterattack. They have a little bit of everything. They can come full pressure, they can drop off, they’re a good footballing team. But I think if we are as focused as we are going in against them, or any opponent, playing at home, I think we have a good chance. We don’t fear anybody at home.” FC Edmonton may not fear anyone at home; but the truth is the team still has but one home win this year. On Sunday, FCE hit the woodwork three times in a 1-0 loss to the Indy Eleven. “I despise the sound of the ball hitting the goalpost, now,” says Miller.
