COMMERCE CITY — The adjectives used to describe Julien Baudet’s role on the Rapids are respectable enough: experienced, savvy, wise, seasoned, tested. Those are all good to the French defender. Just don’t call him old.
“I try to help the young boys, and I hate saying that, because I’m not old at all. I’m being seen as the veteran, but I’m not old,” Baudet said at the Dick’s Sporting Goods Park practice facility. “But if younger guys come to you for advice, of course you give it. Because, I’ve been there, I’ve seen it all in this game.”
Baudet is 31, and not the oldest player on the Rapids. Claudio Lopez is 35 and Pablo Mastroeni is 33. Among the club’s pure defenders, though, Baudet is the senior member. Arguably, he has also been the best of late.
Two weeks ago, Baudet was given the unenviable assignment to “shepherd” Major League Soccer’s leading scorer, Edson Buddle of the Los Angeles Galaxy. Though the Galaxy pulled out a 1-0 victory, Buddle was frustrated all night by the play of Baudet. That, and Baudet just plain kicked the stuffing out of him all night. At 6-feet-3, 209 pounds, Baudet was nicknamed “The Beast” by fans of his former club, Crewe Alexandra in England’s Football League Two.
“What most average people can see, and what we brought him in for, is: he’s big, he’s strong, he’s aggressive and extremely competitive,” Rapids coach Gary Smith said. “He offers us something on that physical front that we didn’t have before. When he’s played, he’s been a great asset to us.”
Along with Philadelphia forward Sebastien Le Toux, Baudet is one of two France natives in the MLS — and there is excitement that a third, superstar forward Thierry Henry, will soon sign with the New York Red Bulls.
Born at the foot of the French Alps in Grenoble, Baudet was an outstanding skier as a youth and considered making a career of it. But his soccer skills were such that, at 15, he left home to pursue the dream of a French First Division. Five years later, he was a regular with Toulouse FC.
From 2001-09, he played with four professional teams in England — Oldham Athletic, Rotherham United, Notts County and Crewe Alexandra. In 2007-08 with Crewe Alexandra, he was voted player of the year by fans, but a year later he was lured to the Rapids.
In his home debut with Colorado, July 25 of last year, Baudet fell and suffered a gruesome, broken forearm. Thirty five days later, despite major surgery, Baudet declared himself fit to return and, in his first game back, scored the only goal in Colorado’s 1-0 victory over the Houston Dynamo. Baudet also has missed time with the Rapids because of two red cards. Smith loves that kind of aggression but does hope the cards stop at yellow.
“His play has been broken up,” Smith said. “But we’re a couple games into his latest spell of fun.”
No sane soccer observer would suggest the MLS is on a par, skill-wise, with the first divisions of Europe. Baudet might have had some preconceived notions about the quality of MLS play as well before coming to Colorado, but no more.
“It’s a very good league, and it’s only going to get better,” he said. “If guys like Thierry Henry are coming to the MLS, it can’t be too bad. It’s a different way of playing, of course, but it’s a fantastic league. I’m enjoying every second of it. As long as they want me, I’m here.”
Ritchie Kotschau, who played defense for the Rapids from 2001-05 and still lives in the area, thinks Baudet can extend his career a few more years because of his size and style of play.
“He’s a much more physical presence back there than, say, I was just because of his sheer size,” Kotschau said. “As you get older, you start to use your mind a little bit more and your past experiences. Going against the young, faster forwards, you just have to figure out a way to either get into their head or think before the play actually begins. Julien has a lot of experience and brings that kind of experience here.”
Adrian Dater: 303-954-1360 or adater@denverpost.com and
