The crowd began chanting his name - well at least the Red Army did. The rest of us, in the Reds game against Brisbane last weekend, were simply hoping like hell the team could hang on to their 2-0 lead. There has been earlier precedent this season to the contrary.
It was half-way through the second period and the man being summoned forth was Marcos Flores - the club's new Argentinean import. Seated down the southern end I was watching him warm up. There is something special about the first on-field appearance of a high profile signing - it's the anticipation factor, it's heading into the unknown or as my compatriot Stephen Daughtry wrote this week - it's about hope.
One is about to get an early sense for whether or not the player in question will live up to the hype and the YouTube highlights package and really deliver in person. Warming up beside Flores was Lloyd Owusu - hmmm, let's move on.
"One swallow does not a summer make..," said Aristotle (a Chelsea supporter from about 350 BC) - and wise words like these should be heeded. That said, the 20 minute debut of Flores was pretty damn impressive, in fact his creativity, positioning sense and trickery on the ball were a delight to watch. They are things that have been missing from the Reds midfield all season.
It's early days but if he manages to remain injury free, he could be to Adelaide what Carlos Hernandez is to Melbourne - essentially a real playmaker. Steve Corica at his finest has played a similar role at Sydney and maybe it is no coincidence that these clubs have been two of the most successful in the A-League. Adelaide themselves had a measure of success when Diego was able to fulfil the role.
I've commented a few times about how different the Reds season might have been if Paul Reid had managed to remain fit. The club has really missed his presence in the middle and although he might not possess quite the creative flair of Hernandez, he is none the less a crucial part of the Adelaide puzzle.
Which begs the question - could a fit Paul Reid be slotted in effectively with Flores beside him? It's an enticing prospect. One swallow doesn't make a summer but when you have two of them, well it just might mean some warmer days ahead.
