Sunday Q&A: Danny Cruz, Minnesota United forward

Danny Cruz is only 26, but he's a veteran of six Major League Soccer seasons. Minnesota United, which is playing in the North American Soccer League this year but is transitioning to MLS — quite possibly as soon as next season — signed Cruz recently to bolster its offensive attack. Cruz, a forward, chatted recently with the Star Tribune's Michael Rand:

Q You went to high school in Arizona and college in Las Vegas. Have you adapted yet to the Minnesota winter you were thrust into?

A The transition has been really good. It's a good group of guys, and the staff has treated me really well — both the front office and the coaching staff. It's never easy to make a move like this, when you have to meet new people and move across the country but it's been really good.

Q What was the attraction of the United in particular, as someone who has played in MLS and played last year in Norway?

A I did a lot of research before making this decision. For me, this club fell a little bit short last year but I made phone calls and spoke to the right people and wanted to make sure this is a professional environment. Ultimately, the goal is to win a cup, and I think we have a really good group of guys here. So for me it was the guys, the coaches, the staff and the professional atmosphere that really played a role. And the fact that the club is going to be going to Major League Soccer soon is exciting. I'm looking forward to all that.

Q Even though this is a transition year with no official timetable, how much of the move up to MLS specifically was a selling point to you?

A It's a huge sell. It really is. It's something that's obviously talked about. This is an exciting time for the club, and I think that's a huge sell for players. From the beginning of the season to the end, we're focusing on the season and winning — not only for the club but for the fans and city — but yeah, of course the fact that Major League Soccer is coming is huge. … Everybody wants it to happen as soon as possible. The sooner you can make that jump, the better for the club. But it's not a distraction. We're focused on the task at hand.

A I think I add a lot of pace and experience to the attack. I like to get in behind [the defense] and take guys 1-on-1 and get the ball in the box as much as possible. That being said, I think I'm good at getting on the end of things. I think I'll bring a good balance to how we play.

Q You have a training trip with three preseason games in a one-week span against MLS teams starting Sunday against Portland. How important is this kind of trip?