Twice a Cosmo - 2015 NASL season preview: The oppositionReshaping the American soccer landscape since 1971https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/52616/tac_fav.png2015-04-04T08:09:45-04:00http://www.twiceacosmo.com/rss/stream/80783982015-04-04T08:09:45-04:002015-04-04T08:09:45-04:002015 NASL Preview: Fort Lauderdale Strikers
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<figcaption>Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>It was a strange 2014 season for the Fort Lauderdale Strikers, who nearly won the North American Soccer League title despite having a goal differential at the end of the 27-match schedule of -1. The season also saw an ownership change in south Florida, and at the end of the season, massive changes to both the coaching staff and the squad.</p>
<p>Popular head coach Gunter Kronsteiner was shown the door almost as soon as the season came to a close, to be replaced by Marcelo Neveleff. Also leaving were Darnell King, Fafa Picault, and Mark Anderson, who were key players in last season's group.</p>
<p>The club didn't do much to replace those players early, instead getting a bit creative, and working out loan deals with several top Brazilian clubs. That patience landed PC Giro, Stefano Pinho, and Marlon Freitas for the season, before the Strikers captured the signature of former Brazil international Leo Moura.</p>
<p><b>Notable additions:</b> Leo Moura, Marlon Freitas, Stefano Pinho, PC Giro, Jordan Graye, Evans Frimpong, Jose Angulo, Frankie Sanfilippo, Karsten Smith, Stephane Guillame, Fabian Kling, <span>Joe Nasco</span>, Walter Ramirez, <span>Jonathan Borrajo</span>, Dani Sanchez, Ryan Adeyele</p>
<p><b> Key departures:</b> Mark Anderson, Justin Chavez, Marius Ebbers, Rafael Alves, Darnell King, Martin Nunez, Fafa Picault</p>
<p><b>2015 outlook:</b> The Strikers are one of the hardest teams in the NASL to predict, following the massive turnover this winter. They've dramatically increased the amount of talent in the squad for the 2015 campaign, and have generally looked good thus far during the preseason. I'd still expect some bumps in the road, however, as when NASL teams get a look at what the Strikers like to do, adjustments could be tricky for a squad that hasn't been together for very long.</p>
<p>I believe that the Strikers turn into one of the league's better sides, even if they're one of the more erratic ones as well. Look for this club to be challenging for a playoff spot this season, and to be a draw MLS sides won't be excited about in the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/us-open-tennis">US Open</a> Cup.</p>
https://www.twiceacosmo.com/2015/4/4/8343959/previewing-the-competition-for-2015-fort-lauderdale-strikersStephen Schmidt2015-04-02T11:45:02-04:002015-04-02T11:45:02-04:002015 NASL Preview: Tampa Bay Rowdies
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<figcaption>Steve Dykes-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Tampa Bay Rowdies weren't very good last season, finishing above just the Atlanta Siverbacks and a pair of expansion sides in the final North American Soccer League standings. That 7th place finish may have been a bit flattering as well, as their -14 GD was only better than that of the woeful Silverbacks, and their 50 goals allowed was level with Atlanta for the worst total in the league.</p>
<p>The Florida cub didn't waste any time before getting to work on those issues, replacing Ricky Hill with new coach Thomas Rongen almost immediately. With Rongen came sweeping changes to the squad, which were largely focused on shoring up a very leaky defense.</p>
<p>Darnell King, Brad Rusin, and Gale Agbossoumonde were all brilliant additions to the squad, and should leave returning goalkeeper Matt Pickens with far less fires to put out. Marcelo Saragosa should also help that new back line click, and the addition of Maicon Santos to the attack was an excellent addition.</p>
<p>With massive turnover come questions, but one thing that Tampa have going for them is that they made their moves early, giving that group as much time to gel as possible before the start of the season. Rongen has labeled 2015 as a 'transition year' several times this spring, but if the new players look cohesive early, this group could be very, very good.</p>
<p><b>Notable additions:</b> Gale Agbossoumonde, Stefan Antonijevic, Darwin Espinal, Juan Guerra, Martin Hernandez, Darnell King, Martin Nunez, Brad Rusin, Maicon Santos, Marcelo Saragosa, Ben Sweat, Verneri Valimaa</p>
<p><b> Key departures:</b> Evans Frimpong, Lucky Mkosana, Shane Hill, J.P. Rodriguez, Frankie Sanfilippo, Anthony Wallace</p>
<p><b>2015 outlook:</b> It's always hard to predict how clubs with such massive roster turnover will fare, but I really like what the Rowdies have done this winter. They've taken a defensive unit that was a huge question mark and added both quality and quantity to the group. They didn't stop with the back four either, continuing to shore up the defense with excellent midfield acquisitions as well.</p>
<p>Like last year's San Antonio Scorpions, I think the Rowdies have done enough over the winter to turn themselves into legitimate championship contenders, and have the sort of quality defensive corps that should make them a nightmare draw in any knockout competition. This is now a playoff-caliber squad with one of the best coaches in the US, and I expect good things from the Rowdies this season.</p>
https://www.twiceacosmo.com/2015/4/2/8330191/2015-nasl-preview-tampa-bay-rowdiesStephen Schmidt2015-04-01T16:29:31-04:002015-04-01T16:29:31-04:002015 NASL Preview: San Antonio Scorpions
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<figcaption>Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>After a slow start to the 2014 season, the San Antonio Scorpions had a great fall season in which they secured a home playoff match against the New York Cosmos. They'd win that match late, and evetuay wind up taking home the 2014 NASL title by defeating the Fort Lauderdale Strikers.</p>
<p>The Scorpions were a thorn in the side of the Cosmos last season, making a lot of noise about the boys in green throwing money at Hans Denissen, before defeating the Cosmos in all four matches that the two clubs played in 2014. While the first of those four appeared to be a fluke in which the Cosmos outplayed the Scorpions, the final three matches showed that the eventual champions were every bit as good as the 2013 title winners.</p>
<p><b>Notable additions:</b> <span>Nana Attakora</span> (DC United), Marvin Chávez (<a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://delete.sbnprivate.com/">Chivas USA</a>), Pablo Cruz (Atlanta Silverbacks), <span>Omar Cummings</span> (<a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.dynamotheory.com/">Houston Dynamo</a>), John Kempin (Sporting KC), Cristian Palomenque (Atlético Nacional), Zurab Tsiskaridze (Bangkok Glass), Eduard Zea (Deportes Quindío)</p>
<p><b>Key departures:</b> <span>Josh Saunders</span>, <span>Jonathan Borrajo</span>, <span>Greg Janicki</span>, Walter Restrepo, <span>Giuseppe Gentile</span>, Leone Cruz</p>
<p><b>2015 outlook:</b> Scorpions fans might have been celebrating at the start of the offseason, but I'l be interested to see just how much of that excitement carries over into the new season. The club have real depth concerns after losing four key parts this offseason in Saunders, Borrajo, Janicki, and Restrepo, and while they made some nice signings very recently like Cummings and Attakora that should help on that front, that pair haven't had a full preseason to settle.</p>
<p>At the moment, the Scorpions only have four defenders and two goalkeepers under contract, meaning that more signings are almost certainly coming in the very near future. Who those signings are and how they settle will go a long way toward determining just how successful the cub are in 2015.</p>
<p>Personally, I don't think the Scorpions have done nearly enough (yet) to push the Cosmos or Minnesota United over the course of a full season, and I believe they'll find themselves in a serious fight for a playoff spot which lasts deep into the fall. Whether they manage to gain that spot or not likely comes down to their luck with injuries, and how soon the new signings acclimate.</p>
https://www.twiceacosmo.com/2015/4/1/8327215/2015-nasl-preview-san-antonio-scorpionsStephen Schmidt2015-04-01T14:49:08-04:002015-04-01T14:49:08-04:002015 NASL Preview: Minnesota United FC
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<figcaption>Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The 2014 season was going about as well as possible for Minnesota United FC, until they were knocked out of the playoffs at the first hurdle by the Fort Lauderdale Strikers. That was likely the only moment of real disappointment during the season for the Loons, who had an exceptional campaign that saw them take home the Woosnam Cup for sitting atop the combined table.</p>
<p>Miguel Ibarra led the charge last season, and his incredible season was rewarded with several callups to the USMNT. That season somewhat overshadowed the tremendous season had by Christian Ramirez, who easily replaced the injured Pablo Campos after he suffered a severe knee injury during the pre-season.</p>
<p>Those two weren't the only players that had incredible seasons for the Loons. Tiago Calvano and Justin Davis both had seasons that earned them NASL Best XI recognition, while Aaron Pitchkolan probably should have gotten more recognition for the job he did in the midfield. Kevin Vanegas also put up some fine numbers, tying Ibarra and Ramirez for third on the NASL's assist list.</p>
<p>The winter was dominated by talk of a move to Major League Soccer, which culminated with last Wednesday's announcement that they'd become an expansion franchise in 2018. Returning coach Manny Lagos spent the offseason making a few notable additions to a squad he kept mostly intact, clearly hoping to finish this season by winning a NASL championship, on top of the Woosnam Cup.</p>
<p><b>Notable additions:</b> Johnny Steele (Newcastle Jets), Ibson (Bologna), <span>Kalif Alhassan</span> (<a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.stumptownfooty.com/">Portland Timbers</a>), Sammy N'Djock (Antalyaspor), J.C. Banks (Rochester Rhinos)</p>
<p><b>Key departures:</b> Matt Van Oekel (FC Edmonton)</p>
<p><b>2015 outlook:</b> Minnesota United will be one of the front runners to lift the title in 2015, and rightfully so. The only significant loss this offseason was goalkeeper Matt Van Oekel, and Cameroon international Sammy N'Djock is a very solid replacement, that could well end up being an upgrade for Lagos' side.</p>
<p>Alhassan, Ibson, and Steele will all provide competition for minutes, and it's hard to imagine this club not being even better than they were in 2014. With any luck, that improvement will lead to a deep run in the U.S. Open Cup, as the Loons went out in the fourth round of that competition last season, falling 2-0 to Sporting Kansas City in a match that most NASL fans thought they could win.</p>
https://www.twiceacosmo.com/2015/4/1/8326489/2015-nasl-preview-minnesota-united-fcStephen Schmidt2015-04-01T12:50:56-04:002015-04-01T12:50:56-04:002015 NASL Preview: Carolina RailHawks
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<p>The Carolina RailHawks may not be flashy, but they've consistently been on of the best clubs in the North American Soccer League since its formation in 2011. Not only have they traditionally been very competitive within the league, but they've made a habit of knocking MLS sides out of the U.S. Open Cup as well.</p>
<p>At the top, the RailHawks have remained stable, with Colin Clarke remaining in charge, as he has been since 2011. He's been busy during the winter months attempting to repair a leaky defense, starting with the signing of Futty Danso to help shore up the back.</p>
<p><b>Notable additions: </b>Mark Anderson (FTL Strikers), Simone Bracalello (Minnesota United), <span>Futty Danso</span> (<a href="https://www.stumptownfooty.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Portland Timbers</a>), Neil Hlavaty (FC Edmonton), <span>Wes Knight</span> (FC Edmonton), Chris Nurse (Fort Lauderdale Strikers), <span>Brian Sylvestre</span> (Harrisburg City Islanders), Blake Wagner (Tampa Bay Rowdies)</p>
<p><b>Key departures: </b>Jordan Burt, Uriah Bentick, <span>Jun Marques Davidson</span>, <span>Enzo Martinez</span>, <span>Gabe Latigue</span>, Akira Fitzgerald, Danny Barrera, Aaron King, Zack Shilawski</p>
<p><b>2015 outlook:</b> The RailHawks very quietly strengthened an already decent roster during the winter months, plugging in quite a few payers that have NASL experience. The club's ability to replace the stellar Akira FItzgerald will be the biggest question mark which Clarke faces this season, but the improved depth throughout the squad ought to allow them to get away with a few hiccups in goal.</p>
<p>Carolina has consistently been one of the better squads in the league in each of its four seasons, with points totals that finished first, fourth, second, and finally fifth in the league table. I don't see a first bottom half finish coming in 2015, and while I'm not sure this team has the firepower to finish in the playoff places, they're certainly good enough to challenge for one of those spots very ate into the season.</p>
https://www.twiceacosmo.com/2015/4/1/8321133/previewing-the-competition-for-2015-carolina-railhawksStephen Schmidt2015-03-31T17:30:26-04:002015-03-31T17:30:26-04:002015 NASL Preview: Jacksonville Armada FC
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<p>The Armada have yet to play a single match in the North American Soccer League, but already, it's easy to see that the club have lofty ambitions. The club has set their sights on <a target="_blank" href="http://news.wjct.org/post/jacksonville-armada-sets-attendance-record-goal-saturday">breaking the NASL attendance record</a> in their debut match, and given the crowd on hand for their first preseason friendly, it's certainly not unthinkable that it could happen.</p>
<p>As a club, the Armada have looked both ambitious and well organized since day one, something that can't be said for the two group's originally expected to be joining in 2016. While we'll certainly be keeping an eye on how the Armada fare off the pitch, how they do on the field is another matter entirely.</p>
<p>The Florida club will be coached by Jose Luis Villarreal, and judging by the personnel that they've assembled, it looks like they'll be attempting to play some very fast, counter attacking football. That approach was very much on display when they defeated the Philadelphia Union in their first home preseason match, an end to end affair that the home side eventually won 1-0. One major cause for concern with the Armada could be a propensity to turn the ball over due to a lack of understanding worth one another, an issue which was very much on display for much of the preseason.</p>
<p>The squad in Jacksonville isn't exactly star studded, but there's at east one name Cosmos fans should be very familiar with. Jemal Johnson had been with the New York club for both the 2013 and 2014 campaigns, and while he was injured for most of the title-winning season, he saw a ton of minutes in Gio Savarese's 2014 rotation.</p>
<p><b>Notable additions:</b> Jemal Johnson (NY Cosmos), Lucas Rodriguez (Minnesota United), Marcos Flores (Newcastle Jets), Alhassane Keita (St. Gallen), Lucas Scaglia (Rijeka), Miguel Gallardo (<a href="https://www.themaneland.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Orlando City</a>), Lucas Trejo (Atletico Central Cordoba), Fabricio Ortiz (Club Atletico Alumni), Jordan Gafa (Tampa Bay Rowdies), Akeil Barrett (Orlando City)</p>
<p><b>Key departures:</b> N/A</p>
<p><b>2015 outlook:</b> It's always hard to know what to expect from expansion sides, but if the preseason is any indicator, consistency and cohesion could be a major issue early on for the Armada. I fully expect the club to finish at or near the bottom of the NASL spring table, but improvement in the second half of the season wouldn't be surprising at all. At the end of the year, I think we'll see a club sitting close to the bottom of the table, but very, very close to the top in terms of attendance.</p>
https://www.twiceacosmo.com/2015/3/31/8321141/2015-nasl-preview-jacksonville-armada-fcStephen Schmidt2015-03-31T13:45:02-04:002015-03-31T13:45:02-04:002015 NASL Preview: Indy Eleven
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<p>In most ways, the Indy Eleven were a fantastic success story during their inaugural North American Soccer League campaign. The club sold out every match during the 2014 season, averaging over 10,000 fans despite playing on a college campus. It will be a huge surprise if they don't do the same again in 2015, filling Michael A. Carroll Stadium for every home match. They also produced a truly fantastic broadcast for fans to watch, something that much of the NASL failed to do, and were a step ahead in terms of social media all season.</p>
<p>On the pitch, however, the results had to be a bit disappointing for the Eleven and their fans. The nine match spring schedule saw Indy go winless, the only team in the league to accomplish that dubious feat. The fall season was significantly better, with the Eleven managing six wins and five draws from their 18 matches played, and producing a -5 goal differential after posting a -6 in the spring, despite playing only half the number of games.</p>
<p>The early struggles were probably to be expected from the expansion side, and management seemed relatively pleased with the progress made over the course of the full season. They'll be hoping that positive trend continues, as Indy made very few changes to the squad ahead of their second season.</p>
<p><b>Notable additions:</b> <span>Greg Janicki</span> (San Antonio Scorpions), Osman Melgares (Real Sociedad de Tocoa), Dragan Stojkov (<a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.lagconfidential.com/">LA Galaxy</a>), Wojciech Wojcik (Tampereen Ilves)</p>
<p><b> Key departures:</b> Mike Ambersley (St. Louis FC), Chris Estridge (Charlotte Independence), Jhulliam (Resende), Jermaine Johnson</p>
<p><b>2015 outlook: </b>It's hard to look at the changes made to the roster this winter and come away too excited, as this looks to be more or less the same core unit that finished ahead of only the Silverbacks in the combined table last season. I'd expect the Eleven to be closer to the team that finished seventh in the fall season as opposed to the bottom of the table squad from the spring, but even with the tremendous support the club is certain to get from the Eleven's very impressive fanbase, I have a hard time imagining them finishing in the top half of the table.</p>
https://www.twiceacosmo.com/2015/3/31/8320081/2015-nasl-preview-indy-elevenStephen Schmidt2015-03-31T11:52:03-04:002015-03-31T11:52:03-04:002015 NASL Preview: Atlanta Silverbacks
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<p>If you spent much time watching the Atlanta Silverbacks last season, you might as well just forget everything you saw. Over the offseason, the club has rebuilt completely, and should look vastly different than they did before.</p>
<p>First and foremost, the NASL has stepped in and taken over ownership of the club, in the process, ousting one of the least committed ownership groups in the league. The first thing the league did was to eliminate the dabbling with Skype management from Europe, and appointed an experienced, MLS Cup winning manager in Gary Smith.</p>
<p>Smith won't be working with a squad that looks anything like Eric Wynalda's random assortment of talent, as only four members of last season's squad will be returning. There hasn't been any sort of extravagant spending in Atlanta, but it does look as if Smith will have a more balanced squad to work with than any of his recent predecessors.</p>
<p>The 2015 Silverbacks should be just as interesting to watch as the 2014 group was, but for entirely different reasons. Last season's Silverbacks were a disorganized disaster that scored the fewest goals in the league while also conceding the most. They occasionally played some awfully fun soccer, but a league-worst 23 points taken from 27 fixtures was hard for fans to stomach. At the very least, Smith's side should be far more organized, and their progress as a unit could be the first steps toward a competitive club in the future.</p>
<p><b>Notable additions:</b> <span>Matt Horth</span> (Leiknir Reykjavík), Hans Denissen (NY Cosmos), Paul Black (Cheltenham Town), Simon Mensing (Livingston), <span>Steward Ceus</span> (Narpes Kraft), Dominic Oppong (AC Oulu), <span>Rauwshan McKenzie</span> (Portland Timbers), <span>Kyle Porter</span> (DC United), Michael Reed (Minnesota United), <span>Kyle Miller</span> (Oklahoma City Energy), Jon Okafor (Arizona United)</p>
<p><b>Key departures:</b> Deon McCauley, Kwadwo Poku, Pablo Cruz, Junior Sandoval, Junior Burgos, <span>Blair Gavin</span>, Eric Ati, Ryan Roushandel, and pretty much everyone else from last season's train wreck</p>
<p><b>2015 outlook:</b> Gary Smith is a very good coach, and there are some out there that are quite high on the 2015 Silverbacks because he's in charge.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p>Fearless <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NASL?src=hash">#NASL</a> prediction...league owned <a href="https://twitter.com/ATLSilverbacks">@ATLSilverbacks</a> could contend for a spot in the championship. Gary Smith that good a coach.</p>
— Kartik Krishnaiyer (@kkfla737) <a href="https://twitter.com/kkfla737/status/582186583429898240">March 29, 2015</a>
</blockquote>
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<p>I'm certainly not going to go that far, as I just don't think there's enough talent in this squad to make a sustained playoff push. The squad hasn't looked particularly dangerous in the preseason either, and while their defense has been decent against some pretty poor opposition, the attack hasn't clicked at all.</p>
<p>I think the Silverbacks have made some nice strides in rebuilding the mess created by ownership and management over the past several seasons, but feel they're most likely to finish near the bottom of the table while looking much improved as the season progresses.</p>
https://www.twiceacosmo.com/2015/3/31/8319253/2015-nasl-preview-atlanta-silverbacksStephen Schmidt