By: Jordan Kalt Three games in eight days. Thousands of miles of international travel. Such was the weight of exhausted repetition on FC Edmonton’s shoulders. And yet, somehow, the Eddies came out and looked much like the defensive squad of yesteryear. Indy Eleven’s perpetual challenges took a different but familiar shape. With what felt like nearly half the roster once again sidelined due to injury, Indy's starters didn’t have to begin the match fighting physical exhaustion in the same way as Edmonton. It was more a question of going full-90' with a will to win and break out of this drawn out agony. At the end, I believe they were found having rightly given all they had. Pulled up and clutching their knees alongside the weary Canadian travelers, the Eleven exhausted their options and their energy, but without a win to show for it. How many times must we repeat this? Turn! Turn! Turn! To everything a season. Exhaustion is a complicated season. It’s both physical and mental. Though they've never sprinted along the pitch for a single minute outside of the club's first home win, you can still tell supporters are in a state of exhaustion. Endless draws. Six in a row. The players are there, too. As much as the fans may want a win, nobody is as sick and tired of drawing these games as individuals on the Eleven's squad. Then There Were Positives Edmonton came out with strength and conviction but Indy Eleven absorbed the pressure until they were able to begin bending it back on their opponents near the end of the first half. Keeper, Jon Busch, and center back, Colin Falvey, seem comfortably inside their old groove again. Our defensive shape and organization was at a season best. This is directly attributable to Busch and Falvey’s leadership and communication, though Daniel Keller deserves a very special mention of his own for a remarkably good night filling in for the injured Vukovich.
Likewise, Indy’s midfield worked themselves into good shape after a slow start. Aerial duels began falling consecutively to the home side near the middle of the match as Edmonton’s fatigue started to show and experienced stalwarts such as Torrado and Ring tightened the screws. In this area of the pitch Ubiparipovic has really come into his own. The long injuries and uncertainty of last season are behind him and he appears to have that number ten role all to himself again. His masterful feeds have been key in seeing the team build play from the center midfield and the top of the box, dynamics which were decidedly on display Saturday evening. May the nights of forty hopeful crosses into the box never be seen again. And it must be said that on the front lines, Justin Braun and Eamon Zayed have never looked better. Their link-ups have become multifaceted and much more reciprocal. In this match, Braun developed a particularly titanic struggle with Edmonton center back, Pape Diakite, which every Eleven supporter was dying to see end in a self-satisfied goal. The Wise and Dissatisfied With a significantly shortened deck of players, Hankinson pushed the starting eleven as far as he possibly could and their conditioning held up well under the pressure. It was just before the 80th minute when the coach put in his first sub, newcomer, Jason Plumhoff, who made a notable impact. Hopefully Plumhoff will be yet another in a stellar series of player acquisitions by Tim Hankinson this year. The player budget has been notably reduced for 2017, but Hankinson has made the best of it. Yes, there have been many injuries which have certainly cost us early on and roster depth has been a constant struggle. But I never would have thought the team’s record would survive so many big-name injuries as it has and that is all thanks to Hankinson’s eye for talent and congruent pieces. A retention like Daniel Keller may have seemed a small thing in the offseason but could become a linchpin with Vukovich out now. Similarly, inconspicuous additions like Tanner Thompson and Jason Plumhoff promise to keep the club hungry and in the hunt through the rest of this injury stretch.
Tanner wants more. Eddies say, "no." Photo: James Cormack
You Already Know How This Will End Following a well-earned yellow card early in the match, Brad Ring got tangled with a flailing opponent in the 90th and was shown his second card and a path off the field. What hopes the Eleven may have had of a last second victory seemed to dissipate with the shift to a ten man lineup. The final attempt of the match fell inside the box to Justin Braun and as he lowered himself for the hopeful, traffic-jammed guess at a bicycle kick, the play at once became a fitting analogy for the overall feelings of these first six games. We are doing so much right. We are so often in the right place and at the right time. And we're still stuck in this cycle. The win still hasn't come. But I will say this... as healthy players begin returning over the next few weeks, some unlucky club is going to find themselves on the receiving end of a very angsty and talented Indy Eleven team. It will come.
Indy Eleven to win (-125, ★★★★★): This fixture couldn't come at a better time for the win-starved Eleven. FC Edmonton is a team in free fall; their identity as a physical defensive powerhouse all but gone. Since the departure of Lance Laing following the 2015 season, FCE's goals per game average has fallen from 1.37 (2015), to 0.78 (2016), and now to 0.60 (2017, through five games).
Unfortunately for Colin Miller, the Eddie's saving grace from a season ago (one of the greatest season-long defensive performances in American soccer history) has also evaporated. Despite keeping a majority of their defensive roster intact, Edmonton has already conceded 38% (8 goals) of their entire goals against tally (21) from 2016. Ouch. Unless Miller convinces Real Salt Lake to loan them Matt Van Oekel, expect Indy's draw streak to stop here.
New York Cosmos Draw No Bet (-160, ★★★★★): New York has yet to look convincing, but the league-leading Armada have yet to best anyone but the hapless Eddies. I'll continue to be skeptical until they do. It's difficult to imagine the Cosmos leave Jacksonville with anything less than a point.
Carolina Railhawks to win (-105, ★★★★): It's still early, but the Railhawks are showing significant signs of growth in 2017. As the team with the highest road loss percentage a season ago, earning four points from back-to-back road games -- and against quality opposition (Miami and Puerto Rico) -- is a massive step forward. Flashes of brilliance followed by inexplicable letdowns have been a hallmark of the Colin Clarke era in Carolina, however. Dispatching a talented Deltas squad -- even one which hasn't found the net in over 270 minutes -- would prove NCFC are a title threat. I like their chances.
Predictions:
We're tracking these predictions in a points-based system throughout the season: 3 points for correct game result, 1 point for each correct score (by team), and 1 additional point for a perfect game. Current Standings: Brian: 51 Caleb: 50 Jordan: 35 James: 29 Brandon: 27 Mark: 24
Have any questions about any of the numbers or terminology found in this post? Reach out to @CalebRamp on Twitter. Remember: All gambling and betting line discussion is for entertainment purposes only. If you do choose to gamble, be sure to do so legally and responsibly. Don't forget to follow Bloody Shambles on Twitter, and like us on Facebook!
FC Edmonton vs Jacksonville Armada - Under 2.5 Goals (-140, ★★★★★): Deja vu. With an extremely high number of weekly rematches, the NASL schedule presents its teams (and us) with a unique challenge in 2017. These back-to-back replays are, in my opinion, the most difficult type of games to predict in soccer. Not only is it easy to fall victim to simply overvaluing the previous week's result, but there are a large number of intangible variables which can have a much larger role than they usually would. Individual and team tactical flexibility and adaptability impacting these fixtures may be obvious, but even something as simple as the ability to effectively get under your opponent's skin (I would expect to see an above-average number of cards this weekend) can -- and often will -- change the result. In weeks like this -- particularly early in the season where our sample size is still so small -- finding a constant is key. Including last week, 27 of Edmonton's previous 32 matches have finished under 2.5 goals. Ride the wave. I strongly believe First Half Draw (+110, ★★) to be worth a play as well. Miami FC vs New York Cosmos - Both Teams to Score (-150), ★★★★): After successfully fading the Cosmos in the first two weeks of the season, we'll be relying on them to at least find the net in this one -- something they've failed to do thus far in 2017. Their opponent's net, anyway. Placing this much confidence in a team with more own goals (1) than shots on target (0) might be toeing the edge of the gambler's fallacy ("they're due for it!"), but Gio Savarese is still one of the best coaches in North America. If nothing else, have faith in his ability to make effective adjustments. Even if they fail to get a result, expect them to put up a much better fight.
San Francisco Deltas to Win (-110, ★★★): I said before the season opener that sleeping on Marc Dos Santos and the Deltas would be a mistake. Here's where I put my (proverbial) money where my mouth was. No team in the league lost more games on the road in 2016 than Carolina (68.75%). While their attack looks superb on paper, finishing problems plagued them against Miami. Defensive inconsistency appears to still be an issue as well.
Predictions:
We're tracking these predictions in a points-based system throughout the season: 3 points for correct game result, 1 point for each correct score (by team), and 1 additional point for a perfect game. Current Standings:
Have any questions about any of the numbers or terminology found in this post? Reach out to @CalebRamp on Twitter. Remember: All gambling and betting line discussion is for entertainment purposes only. If you do choose to gamble, be sure to do so legally and responsibly. Don't forget to follow Bloody Shambles on Twitter, and like us on Facebook!
Jacksonville Armada vs. FC Edmonton Under 2.5 Goals (-108), ★★★): Few teams in any league have seen a single consistent betting strategy be as profitable as FC Edmonton and the under were in 2016. Led by Golden Glove winner Matt Van Oekel (now starting for Real Salt Lake of MLS), FCE saw an incredible 26 of 32 (81.25%) matches end with two goals or fewer. The percentage grew even higher (87.5%) when away from home. It's unrealistic to expect this level of defensive dominance (paired with relative offensive ineptitude) again in 2017, but Colin Miller loves a clean sheet. Chris Konopka is a very suitable replacement for Van Oekel at this level (and boasts a similarly-monstrous wingspan), while the central duo of Albert Watson and Pape Diakite will continue to be the bedrock of a team with playoff aspirations. FC Edmonton Draw No Bet (-110, ★★★★): Shifting to the other side of the story, the Jacksonville Armada are beginning a campaign which many believe -- myself included -- will be a season-long struggle to escape the bottom of the table. Nothing will come easy for the league-owned team moving to a new stadium with a subpar roster (all while wearing sponsorless white t-shirts).
There's no reason to believe the Armada start the season with anything better than a point. FC Edmonton may not have enough to win outright, but I see very little risk in this play.
Miami FC Win/Draw Double Chance (-110, ★★★): Fading the Cosmos for a second week in a row (and this time in New York) is likely playing with fire, but I will continue to believe in the quality of Miami's roster -- several moments of precarious defensive play in their opener notwithstanding.
New York's home record is well known: Gio Savarese has his team riding the longest home unbeaten streak in NASL history. Even so, I have to love this value on a double chance line for a team I believe to have an MLS-caliber midfield, a team I (and many) believe to be the title favorites in 2017, and a team which has a very reliable track record on the road. Miami's loss percentage in 2016 (37.5%) was bettered only by Rayo OKC.
Indy Eleven vs Puerto Rico FC Draw (+345, ★): Obviously not the result I want in this one, but these picks must go where the value dictates. This line is blatantly disrespectful to a Puerto Rico side which finished with the 5th-highest draw percentage on the road in 2016 (36.36%), despite being at an obvious disadvantage by starting play midseason. Adrian Whitbread's squad were also in the top-half of the league in road points earned per game (0.91), and won or drew 54.55% of their games away from home (6th in the NASL). Indy's form at The Mike was otherworldly last season, and there's little reason to believe they'll fall off too drastically in 2017 (though matching perfection may be unrealistic) -- but nobody should be surprised if this match played out very similarly to the Eleven's home opener a year ago.
Predictions:
We're tracking these predictions in a points-based system throughout the season: 3 points for correct game result, 1 point for each correct score (by team), and 1 additional point for a perfect game. Current Standings:
Have any questions about any of the numbers or terminology found in this post? Reach out to @CalebRamp on Twitter. Remember: All gambling and betting line discussion is for entertainment purposes only. If you do choose to gamble, be sure to do so legally and responsibly. Don't forget to follow Bloody Shambles on Twitter, and like us on Facebook!
Before the first matches of the season, the contributors here shared our picks for the final combined 2017 NASL standings. At the same time we asked NASL fans to share their picks for the upcoming season. Below the results are compared:
2017 NASL Standings Predictions
Bloody Shambles
NASL Fans
1
Miami FC
Miami FC
2
New York Cosmos
New York Cosmos
3
Indy Eleven
Indy Eleven
4
San Francisco Deltas
FC Edmonton
5
FC Edmonton
North Carolina FC
6
North Carolina FC
San Francisco Deltas
7
Puerto Rico FC
Puerto Rico FC
8
Jacksonville Armada FC
Jacksonville Armada FC
Fans and pundits agreed on five of the eight picks, the top three and bottom two. The middle of the pack - the fourth, fifth and sixth - were only positions where the two groups differed. Of all the teams, the Deltas saw the most variety in their predicted finish, a difference of two spots (4th and 6th) between the polls. Some stats on the NASL Fan votes:
Most consensus on ranking: Miami (51.6% of 1st place votes); New York (55.2% of 2nd place votes); Jacksonville (72.4% of 8th place votes)
Fans from seven of the eight NASL clubs voted (Jacksonville, where you at? Not reading this blog, apparently.)
Indy Eleven fans made up 54% of voters
We'll check back during the season to see how our predictions are looking.
How will the clubs line up at the end of the season? Be sure to submit your prediction!
By: Brandon Cockrum After writing our season preview, the Bloody Shambles staff submitted their predictions for the upcoming season. My picks were clearly the best and most accurate, but, to save my less-informed peers a public shaming, I have aggregated each of our six ratings into one predicted table. Without further ado, here are the Bloody Shambles' 2017 NASL Predictions: Final Combined Standings
Miami FC
New York Cosmos
Indy Eleven
San Francisco Deltas
FC Edmonton
North Carolina FC
Puerto Rico FC
Jacksonville Armada FC
The Championship and Soccer Bowl Trophy Winner
Miami FC
In what seems assuredly to be a tight playoff race, our confidence in Miami taking both the combined season and championship trophies was nearly unanimous. FC Edmonton was the only other club to receive a vote for a first place finish in the combined standings. As for the the winners of the Soccer Bowl trophy, Miami received three votes, while Edmonton, New York, Indy each received one vote. As for the bottom of the table, FC Edmonton also received one vote from a Shambler for a last place finish, but was outclassed by a league-owned Jacksonville club that collected five last place votes.
What do you think? We'd love to see what the fans think, so we set up a poll for you too. We'll check back after the spring and fall seasons to see how our picks are faring.
Eight teams will compete in 32 regular season games for four championship spots in 2017.
By: James Cormack, Brian Cook, Jordan Kalt, and Brandon Cockrum FC Edmonton: (James Cormack) The Eddies have always been known as a tough side to break down, retaining Albert Watson and Papé Diakité is an important corner stone for that team to build around. At the other end of the spectrum Edmonton struggled to score goals last season, if they had to rebuild a back line as well that could see them struggle. However, they have retained probably more of their 2016 squad than any other team. Edmonton have bolstered their attack with the addition of Northern Ireland international Dean Shiels. If Dean can bring back the form he showed at Kilmarnock and Rangers in Scotland, he could be the answer to where goals will come from, he can create just as many as he can score, if chemistry can form quickly between Shiels and Tomi Ameobi the Edmonton attack could be much more potent in 2017.
Former Kilmarnock manager Kenny Shiels with his son and former Kilmarnock striker Dean Shiels.
On of the biggest roster losses for FC Edmonton in the off season has been that of Matt Van Oekel who departed for MLS side Real Salt Lake. Van Oekel was easily the top goalkeeper in the league in 2016 and the smart money would appear to be on former Toronto and Timbers keeper Chris Konopka filling the void.
With 2016 being the most successful FC Edmonton have had to date and having kept together most of that squad, you would have to consider them as a potential championship playoff team once again.
2016 - Finished 3rd in combined, lost in playoffs. 2015 - Finished 7th in combined standings. 2014 - Finished 6th in combined standings. 2013 - Finished 5th in spring, 6th in fall. 2012 - Finished 8th in standings. 2011 - Finished 6th in standings.
Indy Eleven: (James Cormack) Indy have kept a large core of the 2016 roster that made it to the championship final, but have also lost some players in one critical area. Other than not winning the final Indy Eleven know they have one area where they need to improve and that is gaining points away from home. Tim Hankinson is retained as coach after giving Indy their most successful season to date in 2016.
Dylan Mares, Duke Lacroix and Omar Gordon all shared time on Indy's left midfield and all three have now departed the team. Indy Eleven have added Ben Speas who has been playing in this position in pre season, but there is little depth for that role. The biggest changes in Indy Eleven's roster have come in midfield and it may take some time for them to find their way again.
Mexico star Gerardo Torrado returns to Indy Eleven in 2017
Along with Speas, the Eleven have added Craig Henderson, an experienced New Zealand midfielder who has played mostly in Sweden and Norway, and young Tanner Thompson who has been one of Indiana University's best attacking midfielders in recent years.
The back line may not start as expected with Colin Falvey still recovering from surgery but with Marco Franco, Lovel Palmer, Kwame Watson-Siriboe and Nemanja Vukovic in front of retained goalkeeper Jon Busch the back should be tight enough. There is a lack of depth though, Indy added Anthony Manning who has limited game time with Portland Timbers and Timbers II and can utilize Daniel Keller in central defense, any early injury or suspension could be costly.
Éamon Zayed and Justin Braun return in attack for Indy but again there is not a great deal of depth in this position should either player go missing. Indy added David Goldsmith from Butler University who has no real professional experience, and to date no sign of potential signing Dino Williams from Montego Bay, their season is still in progress in Jamaica.
Indy Eleven should make playoffs again, spring and fall positioning may depend on their performances away from home and finding chemistry with some new players. Despite some small roster shake up they still have the potential to win the NASL Championship. 2016 - Finished 2nd in combined standings, Spring Champions, Championship runner up. 2015 - Finished 9th in combined standings 2014 - Finished 9th in combined standings Jacksonville Armada: (James Cormack) Jacksonville Armada have now taken on the mantle of "league owned team" after the departure of owner Mark Frisch. Not an ideal position to be in as we have seen in the past with Atlanta Silverbacks. Mark Lowry who took over as coach from Tony Meola in 2016 has been made head coach full time.
Jacksonsville's first two years as a club have been disappointing, having finished 11th and bottom in their inaugural season they again finished 11th in 2016 and escaped being in last place in combined standings thanks to Puerto Rico only coming in during the fall season.
Armada have a smattering of experience left over from 2016 in players like Mechack Jérôme, and Charles Eloundou, and have added one or two recognizable players including a full contract for Zach Steinberger along with Aaron Pitchkolan, Drew Beckie, and Jack Blake.
I'll be honest a read through the roster hardly inspires confidence, its going to take a lot of work for them to get a settled back line, their best chances of goals are probably going to come from the midfield. There are only two listed forwards, 21 year old Derek Gebhard has only had 270 mins of playing time in last two seasons and Trinidad striker Jonathon Glenn who has been playing in Iceland for four years, scored no goals in 2016 at all.
I would love to be more optimistic, and I wish good fortune for JAX but I think it is going to be a very difficult season for them and I have to peg them for last place, operating on a budget provided by the league and playing at a new location having already seen dwindling attendances in 2016, it will take a very strong team bond and a lot of belief from this team to get anywhere close to mounting a challenge for a playoff spot. 2016 - Finished 11th in combined standings. 2015 - Finished 11th in combined standings.
Miami FC: (Brian Cook) While Miami can’t buy the Beatles love, the money they have spent in the first two seasons since joining the North American Soccer League might buy them a championship. That isn’t to knock their moves. The moves Miami FC have made since the beginning set a new standard for team building as well as raised their expectations and 2017 isn’t any different.
The addition of Dylan Mares from Indy Eleven as well as Stefano Pinho coming to Miami brings NASL experience as well as strong players (not to mention the host of other names Miami has brought in for 2017.)
The transactions by Miami FC have made it clear, they want the playoffs. Finishing last in the Spring and 5th in the Fall and 7th in the combined standings Miami FC’s transactions spell out the need to finish in the top four for the playoffs.
Money can’t buy you a title even in a league like NASL so Miami’s biggest obstacle is not to rely solely on the skill and the name on the back of the jerseys but bring the tactical awareness to utilize those names they brought in.
2016 – Finished 7th in combined standings.
Dylan Mares and Michael Lahoud will be aiming for a starting spot on the same team in 2017
New York Cosmos: (Brian Cook)
To say the worst off season (short of Jacksonville Armada) for any NASL team was New York Cosmos would be an understatement. There was a strong possibility they wouldn’t even be in the 2017 season but thanks to the checkbook of Rocco B. Commisso we are gifted with the return of NASL’s 2016 champion.
The biggest challenge for New York Cosmos was their need to rebuild their team following all the issues regarding the future of NASL and their club. They have done just that. Walter Restrepo’s return following a short spell in MLS/USL, Jimmy Maurer, who was a member of the title winning team last season, returns again. That's just the small list of it. While also returning quite a few names the Cosmos also worked to bring in new players that will surely meet the Cosmos standard they have set. Khalif Alhassan formerly of Tampa Bay Rowdies and Minnesota United has signed along with former La Liga midfielder Javi Marquez who will certainly help stabilize their midfield even more, and more recently Dejan Jakovic bringing international experience to an already rich team. New York Cosmos fans should be excited to see this team in 2017
The Cosmos have done a great job to rebuild a team that was all but dead. I think if they start off strong and with the names they brought back from last year they should be right back in line for the NASL title.
2016 - Finished 1st in combined standings, NASL Champions.
2015 - Finished 1st in combined standings, NASL Champions.
2014 - Finished 3rd in combined standings, lost in playoffs.
2013 - Finished 1st in fall standings, Fall winners, Soccer Bowl winners.
North Carolina FC: (Jordan Kalt) Re branded and renewed in their determination to push the growth of soccer in the state of North Carolina, jeering chants of “What the hell’s a RailHawk?” are now a thing of yesteryear.
Carolina's rebrand sees the orange out and the dark blue in, no more Railhawk.
Colin Clarke is still beloved by his supporters and returns to the manager’s seat hoping to lead his team to bounce back after a disappointing mid/low finish in the 2016 table. He’ll have many familiar faces to help him improve. Austin Da Luz, Connor Tobin, Tiyi Shipalane and Brian Shriver spearhead the returnees. With a deeply talented midfield, Clarke’s club has never relied on forwards to score their goals, but one player that North Carolina should hope to see more from will be 27 year old striker, Matt Fondy. A pickup before the Fall portion of last season following his brief and lackluster stint with Jacksonville Armada, remember that Fondy had impressed once upon a time. Two years ago he was a crucial part of Louisville City FC’s attack. With 28 appearances and 22 goals for City in 2015 he won USL’s Golden Boot and moved (at that time) up the ladder to the NASL. During his few short months last year in North Carolina, Fondy showed glimpses of promise but certainly fell below his potential.
The majority of North Carolina’s new signings have been pedestrian, picking up several from USL’s Colorado Switchbacks and from other teams in the recently reclassified D2 league. At goal, no move has been made to sign a replacement for Akira Fitzgerald, the “Irish Ninja” who handled the majority of goalkeeping duties for several years. So it seems likely that the young Mack Robinson, signed in April of last year, will receive further opportunity to turn his collegiate success at DePaul University into professional accolade. Given that many other NASL clubs have improved their rosters markedly, the question for this revamped North Carolina squad is whether they’ve made the right moves to top their disappointing finish in last season’s standings. 2016 - Finished 8th in combined standings. 2015 - Finished 6th in combined standings. 2014 - Finished 5th in combined standings. 2013 - Finished 2nd in spring and fall. 2012 - Finished 4th in standings, losing semi finalist.
2011 - Finished 1st in standings, losing semi finalist.
Puerto Rico FC: (Brandon Cockrum) Puerto Rico FC made a respectable debut in 2016’s fall season, finishing ninth out of 12 teams and near the end of the season going unbeaten in seven games. With 8 goals and 4 assists in 19 games, striker “Pito” Ramos was the club’s most outstanding player; however, the team’s offense left much to be desired, averaging only 0.86 goals per game. It’s tough to win scoring at that rate, even tougher when you concede 1.41 goals per match, as PRFC did last year. Ramos returns to the Orange in 2017, along with defender and captain Cristiano Dias, as well as young player of the year nominees Kyle Culbertson, Sidney Rivera and “Jackie” Marrero. With their key players and young talent in the fold, club leaders looked for more experienced players to add to the roster this off season, resulting in upgrades across the board. Forwards Conor Doyle (Derby County, DC United) and Jairo Puerto (CD Marathon, Honduran national team) bring international experience to the attack, while midfielders Walter Ramirez (Indy Eleven, Tampa Bay Rowdies) “Yuma” Monsálvez (Rayo Vallecano, Rayo OKC) and Jordi Quintile (Sporting KC, Barcelona B) bring diverse skills to give the club multiple options for situational needs. Less heralded but solid additions to the defense should help the backline improve upon their 2016 performance as well.
Jack-Jorge take on Pito-Jackie. There can only be one winning team and the loser doesn't see it coming. Literally. ⚽🙅😂 #SomosNaranja🔶 pic.twitter.com/Sy4ojj0nyl
With participation in three tournaments since the end of the 2016 season PRFC have been the league’s most active team on the field. In early March, the squad competed in the most competitive of those tournaments, the Caribbean Club Championship, finishing second place in their group. It was not enough for them to advance to CONCACAF Champions League but the match time should help the team’s readiness for the NASL season. A strong start could give the club the positive vibes and confidence needed to gel as a team and compete for a playoff spot. 2016 - Finished 9th in fall, 12th in combined standings (did not play in spring) San Francisco Deltas: (Jordan Kalt)
Workers installing seats from Candlestick Park in Kezar Stadium, home of SF Deltas.
Previewing inaugural seasons are tricky. Who is this guy? He has no identity within this team. He’s just another in a pack of assorted pieces that are supposed to be able to work together. There are no team stats to look back on. Relationships are few or non-existent between the new teammates. “Well, he formerly…” precedes the only info anyone can give you.
Looking ahead to 2017 all we can go on is what these guys have been and what they have done. So, formerly… Danny Szetela, of Cosmos fame, was a foundational presence in New York’s midfield and remained their rock through four years of largely successful roster changes and three championships. Head coach Marc Dos Santos comes to San Francisco on the heels of back to back runner-up finishes. Those recent successes came with NASL’s old Ottawa Fury in 2015 and most recently at the helm of Swope Park Rangers in the USL 2016 Cup. Two experienced Brazilians, winger Jackson Pereira and centerback Reiner Ferreira, have also signed with the club. Both are versatile players who have successfully held a variety of different roles at former clubs, notably as right and left backs. They will be joined by a couple faces more familiar to the NASL in Greg Jordan (a former Minnesota United fan favorite) and defender Nana Attakora, who has spent the majority of his years in MLS before most recently playing for the NASL’s Scorpions and Strikers.
To cap off an already intimidating squad, head coach Dos Santos has been reunited with Romauld Peiser, former Ottawa Fury star and one of the best goalkeepers the NASL has seen in the modern era. Sure, they may be sporting the ugliest logo in the league and a questionable team name but CEO Brian Helmick and his team of techy investors have clearly worked very hard to drum up excitement for the beginnings of this club and have put the money down to back it. First years are always difficult to predict, but at the very least this team looks combustible with potential. Dangerous.
