Could Indy Eleven Attract Another Vancouver Connection?

Kenny Miller captained Vancouver under head coach Martin Rennie. (Photo: USA Today Sports)

By: James Cormack

Firstly, I will begin by saying everything written here is 'mostly' speculative. One or two things that I have observed in recent months across the world of Internet have caused me to connect a few dots, but this article at the end of the day is based on a "what if" scenario and those dots may have appeared before my eyes as a result of standing up too quickly.

When I first heard that Martin Rennie was going to be the new head coach of Indy Eleven the very first name that popped into my head was Kenny Miller and whether he could be a potential signing for Indy Eleven after his contract runs out at the end of the 2017/2018 Scottish Football season.

Kenny Miller is now 38 years old and at the center of a row at Rangers FC. Following a 4-0 defeat by rivals Celtic last weekend in the Scottish FA Cup semi-final. Miller who was an unused sub in the game along with injured defender Lee Wallace were involved in an off the field altercation within the stadium which ended with both players being suspended. It is unlikely now that Kenny will ever play for Rangers again competitively, and even if his contract is not terminated he will be available for free in the summer transfer window. 

(Kenny Miller scoring for Vancouver against former Eleven keeper Jon Busch)

In a recent Inverted Triangle Podcast with Neil Morris and Martin Rennie, the Indy Eleven coach had said that between jobs in South Korea and Indy he had spent time in Scotland and England visiting various clubs. Indy Eleven has a reasonably small roster compared to some clubs in the USL and has international spots open, there is still a possibility our roster could be expanded during the course of the season.

I have never hidden my allegiance to a particular club in Scotland but it would have no bearing on signing such a player. Kenny Miller is a true professional and is a player I respect. He is one of only five players in Scottish football history to have played for both Celtic FC and Rangers FC, a small list which also includes former New York Red Bulls and Toronto FC manager Mo Johnston. Miller and Johnston probably the two most publicized, for those interested the other three are Alfie Conn, Steven Pressley, and Mark Brown.

He is in a position as a player now where he has to consider his future options. A spell in the USA or any other country away from the sometimes rancid and highly intrusive Scottish Press may be a beneficial move for Miller. There is potential that Kenny Miller could come to the US for a reasonably low wage to continue being involved in the game around people he knows.

Indy Eleven has looked at other Scottish International players before and showed interest in signing James McFadden back in 2015 before he returned for a third and final spell at Motherwell. With McFadden I was not so sure, it was a big risk that would have paid off well but the potential for injury was high. McFadden is now 35 and playing with Queen Of The South but has only played 20 games in three years.

Scotland legend James McFadden was once on Indy Eleven's radar (Photo: Record Sport)

Considering that this is something that may never even happen, if signing Kenny Miller was an option available to Martin Rennie and Indy Eleven, what would the pros and cons of signing a veteran international striker be?

Pros...

The USL season is long and drawn out, it may not have as many games as some leagues in Europe, but considering lower division clubs in the USA generally have smaller rosters, it can be quite taxing on a squad if a few key long-term injuries pop up. Kenny Miller can play as the lone forward or behind a striker playing out of attacking midfield. To have such a player at your disposal is a luxury because even at his age when Kenny takes to the field, Kenny produces.

With a wealth of international and club experience, Miller would bring an added level of knowledge and professionalism to the training ground as well as to the field on match days. If he were to decide to hang up his boots right now he could pretty much walk into a junior coaching role anywhere. Kenny has a combined 77 caps for Scotland, 69 of which are at full senior international level. 

Miller celebrates scoring against England at Wembley in 2013 (Photo: Getty Images)

On the domestic front, Miller has made over 600 professional appearances the bulk of which were at Rangers FC and Wolverhampton but also Hibernian, Celtic, Derby County, Bursaspor, Cardiff City and Vancouver Whitecaps.

Martin Rennie knows Miller and he knows what he will get from him, just as he knows what he will get from Matt Watson. Rennie knows he does not have to train or develop Miller in any way, he knows where he can put him and reap the benefits. If the coach believes he really needs a Kenny Miller and can convince an already out of pocket owner he could increase his chances of winning a USL championship by adding this player it might happen.

I will touch on age in both sections. In Scotland people might say "he's no Spring Chicken!" well he is not, but he is a very fit player, some players play long some don't but Kenny Miller is someone who looks after himself very well. He could easily play out the rest of 2018 at a higher level than USL and possibly another season. From my experience of Kenny Miller and from having seen him play this year and last, age is far from being a concern.

Cons...

Do we need another striker? Kenny Miller is pretty much an out and out striker, but like other aging strikers in Scotland like Scott McDonald, he can slip back into a number 10 role and play behind the forwards as an attacking midfielder. Kenny's vision and distribution I would never question, he is a very technical player and combined with time served in the professional game most of his touches on the field are instinctive

Indy Eleven has numerous striking options including Jack McInerney, Justin Braun, Soony Saad, Eugene Starikov and Ben Speas. Adding another striker into the mix could be seen both as a luxury and a disruption. Indy Eleven is on three wins from four matches and three of our four goals have come from strikers so why bother?

Kléberson preseason 2015. Indy has had mixed success with marquee players. There is always a risk.

Then there is the financial side versus the risk. We all know Kleberson was a big risk, he likely sucked up a large portion of an inaugural team player budget and spent a lot of time injured. Since then Indy has signed Gerardo Torrado at age 36 and Jon Busch at age 39 who were both an important part of reaching a championship final in 2016. While Torrado and Busch paid off there is still the chance that could all have gone wrong as well.

Indy Eleven leaks money as most lower division US teams do, playing catch up in a new league and in a new stadium is probably not helping, it's not really a time for taking risks and if Kenny Miller expects to be paid well then its a no go area for me.

Kenny Miller is 38 years old and is still incredibly fit but it would only take one bad turn on field turf or one crunching lower division tackle to potentially turn him into a money pit for the rest of the year. I don't think that would happen but it always has to be considered as a possibility.

Is Kenny Miller a household name? Not in this country, probably not. He is not a Didier Drogba, nor is he as well known to the average Joe in the USA as Kleberson, Torrado, Busch or Joe Cole may be. Paying a large amount for him to come here is probably not going to see a huge rise in ticket sales. Followers of MLS will have heard of him, he played 43 games for Vancouver Whitecaps from 2012-2014 scoring 13 goals.

Note. Now that I have mentioned the Drogba, he is 40 years old and scored for Phoenix Rising last week in a 1-0 victory over LA Galaxy II... age shmage.

Would I sign Kenny Miller if I was given the green light?

Short answer, yes. It's a difficult one though, if it was financially viable then I definitely would, I don't see it as a huge risk as he is still playing at the top level in his country and still producing, he is physically fit and probably more fit than most players at his age. Miller is a well-disciplined professional, he looks after himself well and when you see him play now that is highly visible. The big question, as mentioned earlier, do we need such a player?

I am highly impressed with the squad of players we already have and there is ample competition for starting positions up front. I think I would not be against it provided it does not cause a disruption amongst the team, I don't think it would and honestly I don't think Kenny Miller would come here expecting to go straight on to the field, he would come here to help in whatever capacity he can for a former coach. Kenny Miller is very much from the old school of thought where you don't just get something for turning up, it has to be earned.

(Kenny Miller scoring on April 7th, 2018 against Dundee in the SPL)

Even though Indy Eleven may not need another striker right now, I do think it would benefit to add one or two players to this roster given the injury problems we have already seen and the amount of games left to play including potential postseason matches.

That will probably be the hardest part, convincing an owner and the general supporter that we need to bring in a player who is, without doubt, a huge player, but is not a name that is going to make everyone go "Woah, really?".

Also consider, given that I am a die hard Celtic fan and have taken the time to even write about a current Rangers player and even post a video of them playing fitba (yuck) speaks volumes about the respect Kenny Miller commands as a professional and a Scottish International. He is definitely not the type of player who sets out to be hated, and I certainly would not complain if he lands in Indianapolis.

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Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and our website BloodyShambles.com. The Bloody Shambles Soccer Show podcast will returning during the course of the season and is available on iTunes or directly from Soundcloud. 

Eleven Degrees of Separation: Carlyle Mitchell, From Joe Public to Indy Eleven's First League Goal

Joe Public FC at Mapfre in 2010. Carlyle Mitchell Back row right #19 (photo Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)

By: James Cormack

I am sure you have all heard of the "Six Degrees of Separation" where the theory is any two people or things can be connected through other people or incidents. It's one of my favorite things to do especially with players in US Soccer where contracts are often short and the soccer landscape can change regularly, is to find connections between various players and Indy Eleven.

It's one of those things when you start you can for sure get lost down a rabbit hole and find literally hundreds of connections, some are uninteresting, some are funny and occasionally you get some mind blowing wow moments. With me it usually starts by looking at a players club history and finding an interesting starting point in their career or an unusual club name... and then I start clicking until my mouse batteries need replacing.

You can find these connections in football all over the world of course, a good example would be Daniel Sturridge. How many of you knew he began his playing career at Cadbury Athletic, a team Affiliated to Cadbury's Confectionary and nicknamed "The Chocolate Men"? 

So from there you look at other former players or connections from Cadbury FC and follow a paper trail that can lead you to anything from Carlyle Mitchell playing against Lionel Messi in an international friendly or even former Indy Eleven assistant coach Paul Telfer. I won't go into how I arrived at those but needless to say its a lot of fun and at times fascinating, and maybe a little bit nerdy.

So welcome to the very first Eleven Degrees Of Separation, 'Eleven' of course in reference to our team name, the number of degrees may vary from less than six to way too many. As always I try to be as accurate as possible in sourcing information but it is a Bloody Shambles after all.

Carlyle Mitchell And Indy Eleven's First League Goal...

Joe Public Crests.

I know what you are already thinking, the obvious connection between Carlyle Mitchell and Indy Eleven is Martin Rennie and the fact he is now part of our roster. Where is the fun in that? 

A quick glance at the playing history of Carlyle brings you to his first professional club Joe Public FC. Now a team name like that is going to attract my attention right away, its fantastic, almost as amazing as their club logo at the time when Mitchell played for the team in Trinidad.

In 2010 Joe Public FC played in the CONCACAF Champions League and were drawn into Group B with Municipal of Guatemala, Santos Laguna of Mexico and Columbus Crew from MLS. A tough group for any team, Joe Public finished the group with one draw against Municipal and five defeats.

Carlyle received a red card in the 5-1 defeat against Santos who finished top of the group and missed the final game against the Crew. Santos moved on to play Cruz Azul in the first playoff round and suffered a 5-1 defeat over two legs. Cruz Azul captain and former Indy Eleven midfielder Gerardo Torrado featured in both matches. 

Cruz Azul in turn were dismissed from the competition by Monterrey who went on to defeat Real Salt Lake in the final round. In the second leg of the final, five minutes before the final whistle another former Indy Eleven player, Paulo Junior came off the bench for RSL.

Kareem Moses was also included in the Joe Public roster who you may be familiar with from his time at FC Edmonton and North Carolina FC, Moses started in place of Mitchell in the final 4-1 defeat against Columbus Crew. Almost the entire Joe Public FC roster for this tournament were from Trinidad and Tobago, except for two players, Yu Hoshide of Japan and Gayson Gregory of Antigua and Barbuda.

Information on Joe Public FC is a little sketchy after this, it appears this was their final year as a club. Carlyle Mitchell moved on to Vancouver Whitecaps where he began his relationship with coach Martin Rennie. Gayson Gregory returned home to play for Antigua Barracuda in the newly announced USL Pro division.

Okay I know I am stretching things a bit here but if the name Antigua Barracuda sounds familiar to you Indy Eleven nerds, it was the club where former Eleven goalkeeper Nathan Sprenkel played before signing with us in 2014. From the limited records I can find Sprenkalenk started one match for Barracuda against Orange County Blues FC (now Orange County SC) in 2012.

Nathan Sprenkel (photo Reid Sprenkel)

That match ended 1-0 to Orange County and also saw an appearance from Indy Eleven defender and former OCB player Cory Miller. Matt Fondy who people may remember from Louisville City, Jacksonville Armada and North Carolina was an unused sub for Orange County. The only goal in that match that got past Nathan Sprenkel was scored by Orange County forward Maxwell Griffin.

Sprenkel as we know moved on to Indy Eleven (eventually) and in 2013 Maxwell Griffin was signed by former NASL side Minnesota United. Griffin made 14 total appearances for the Loons that year including 8 starts and scored one goal for the club, against Fort Lauderdale Strikers on August 11th at Lockhart Stadium.

Minnesota won the game by three goals to one, Griffin scored the opening goal after the game had been tied at 0-0 for almost 75 minutes, it finished in a goal flurry. Alongside Griffin in the starting lineup in Florida were Indy Eleven new guy Kevin Venegas and Indy Eleven old boy Siniša Ubiparipović. Ubi however was subbed out in the 82nd minute and replaced by.... wait for it.... MIKE AMBERSLEY!

After the 2013 NASL season Ambersley moved on to sign up for Indy Eleven's inaugural season in 2014 and scored their very first league goal in the home opener against the Carolina Railhawks (North Carolina FC). The match ended 1-1 and the rest, as they say, is history. Carlyle Mitchell is now an Indy Eleven player and brings with him a wealth of experience playing at the very highest levels and hopefully he will help bring success to Indianapolis.

Akira Fitzgerald looks on as Mike Ambersley celebrates (photo Indy Eleven)

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Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and our website BloodyShambles.com. The Bloody Shambles Soccer Show podcast will returning during the course of the season and is available on iTunes or directly from Soundcloud. If you are interested in being involved in supporter media with Bloody Shambles Soccer, possibly you have an idea for a supporter related article about your experiences or the team or you have an idea for a podcast please email jcormack@bloodyshambles.com or contact us through Twitter. Indy Eleven needs more supporter driven content and we are more than happy to give fans a platform to express their opinion on the team or just relate their experiences from match days, road trips, community events etc.

Timony Snicket's: A Series of Unfortunate Soccer Events

“I suppose I'll have to add the force of Miami to my list of enemies.” 

By Brian Cook

Speechless. I think that might be the closest way to describe how the 2017 season has gone for Indiana's team. Whether it be good or bad the results have not been what the club nor the fans had expected going into the season after a runner-up NASL title season in the year 2016.

Harder than watching the results of this season is trying to pin point where exactly the problem lie and on whose shoulders do they rest on. Clearly the on the field results rest squarely on the head coach, the leaders of the team (Falvey, Busch, etc) and on rest of the players in that order. On the field Indy Eleven are stuck in the shadow of last season's results. It seems that while Hankinson has stressed to both the players and fans that you have to earn what you get from this team that the club has failed to adapt and grow on their performance from last year.

I always recall seeing the massive change in the club when it moved from the very staggered 4-2-3-1 formation that clearly wasn't working to the 4-4-2 that this was the new Indy Eleven. A club that has been destined for greatness and more importantly has been able to see the issues and fix them 

The argument now rests on whether or not it's fair to hit the panic button on the season and the correct answer is yes and no

“Never trust anyone who has not brought a winger with them.”

It is fair to panic. Miami FC is clearly the strongest and most well built team in NASL for a number of reasons. But even against a Cosmos team that was built in a similar fashion of building a team outside the general scope of how NASL clubs are built Indy Eleven found a chance to win. The team this season remains largely intact from the 2016 campaign and fans are expecting better from a club that put up four goals on the last day of the Spring Season to win the Spring Championship.

It also isn't fair to panic. The general understanding (when looking at the table) is that with another win or two the club would literally be back into the pile at the top half of the table. With the restructuring of the schedule for the 2017 season the Spring season is far less than a sprint and much more of a jog unlike previous years. The injury bug also plays a huge part into the performance this year. Indy Eleven has been far from healthy and their strongest first eleven really hasn't gotten the chance to hit the field year.


There are also plenty of distractions and issues on and off the field outside of the general scope of how the season has gone.

On the field:

Eamon Zayed: 

One of the largest question marks since the beginning of the season has been the on again off again place of Eamon Zayed in the starting lineup of Indy Eleven. It's safe to say the biggest change seen in the team in 2017 was the first game of the season not having Eamon Zayed in the starting eleven. Nothing was ever officially confirmed about the reasoning behind this move though there was plenty of speculation. Nevertheless the holder of the team's scoring record hasn't gotten off to the best start so far and one only wonders if the beginning of the season plays into that. 

Ben Speas 

There is a moment in the movie MoneyBall (with Brad Pitt) where Billy Beane realizes you can't replace a player directly but rather replace their results they give you. What he was talking about was the struggle that the Oakland Athletics (on a much lower pay wage than most of MLB) would have in replacing the bats of Jason Giambi, Johnny Damon and the arm of pitcher Jason Isringhasen. The three of them had brought tremendous amounts of success for Oakland Athletics the season before the infamous Moneyball season and were huge losses for the A's. 

“It is one of life's bitterest truths that endtime so often arrives just when things are really getting interesting.” 

Cue the analogy, Ben Speas for all intents and purpose was dog eared to be the replacement for an outgoing Dylan Mares who moved onto the sunny beaches of Miami FC. Ben Speas, who last season averaged four goals and four assists against Mares five goals and seven assists as a member of the Boys in Blue was tailor made to come and fit the role Indy would be lacking which was a wing based playmaker and for the most part he truly hasn't failed at that.

He's just struggled to keep up the pace and I think Speas' performance shows more about how you wouldn't be able to play the same system as last season and use Speas the way you used Mares. Speas skill set allows you borderline more attacking presence than Mares did but Mares skillset was much more at hand with what Indy had on the field last season. 

Centerbacks 

When it was announced that Colin Falvey would be out for a portion of the beginning of the season due to surgery I think everyone gasped. . Colin Falvey and Jon Busch's work in the backline last season was all but key in the overall success of 2017. Losing Colin Falvey not only lost a great defender but a great leader and with no Cory Miller you were left with a versatile Daniel Keller and someone new to Indy Eleven, Kwame Watson-Siriboe.

In a previous blog, the positive impact of Colin Falvey's presence was discussed so it was no secret why it was vital he get back on the field as soon as possible. Early into the season with Falvey it was clear the defense needed another leader besides Jon Busch. Keller, who has been with the club for two years, has played nearly every position in the backline has the ability but not the leadership at least not what's been seen. 

Truthfully I'm still waiting for the moment where we understand what Hankinson saw in signing Kwame Watson-Siriboe because up until now he's been a loose cannon in the backline leaving huge gaps and causing more issues for the defense than preventing them. Even Falvey's return to his leadership role hasn't curbed Kwame from running up and playing a stopper role and leaving Falvey alone to stop an attack. 

While the return of Falvey clearly had a difference in how the backline work and rotated but even with Falvey's return the Indy Eleven defense is nothing compared to how strong the defense was in 2016. 

Coach Hankinson

It's pretty safe to say that the honeymoon phase is over. Last season was amazing but it's pretty clear that last season's successes rest right there. Last season. I'm not entirely sure what the plan was for this season but whatever it is it's not working. Between the roster building leaving huge holes in the structure of the team and decisions involving benching Eamon Zayed have left a lot of people, quietly, questioning what's going on in the mind of Indy Eleven's head coach. 

Some of this is on the field, some of this is general team cohesion but nevertheless it shouldn't a question. Speaking on the US Open Cup match against the Michigan Bucks, which removing the faces and names is an amatuer side that Indy Eleven should have at least beaten if not been comfortable in the victory even with squad rotation.

“Well-defended people are less likely to be evil.” 

It's not even to say that Hankinson is the problem. Clearly people need a direction to point and it's easier to point at the head coach than anyone else. There is a fair argument given last season's successes that Hankinson is definitely performing below expectations. His choices in the lineup, both at the beginning of the season to now, have left some questions out there.

Injuries have also played a huge part. Indy Eleven isn't the youngest team in the league by all means and as a result they have gotten ripped apart for lack of a better word by the injury bug and have struggled to maintain consistent performances. 

Off the field

The off the field troubles are pretty clear. A lack of a stadium, a lack of good results, losing good players, weather. All things that have impacted what every sport's team struggles with and lower division soccer in America is no different. 

The bottom line.

In an interview about the infamous Stadium for Indiana deal Ersal Ozdemir pulled no punches when he said:

“Without a new stadium, we have some serious decisions to make,” he said.

-Source

The stadium, which was reproposed for a fourth time, is an healthy 100 million dollar plus deal which would have Ersal and his 'ownership group' paying the fee for getting an expansion club and other expenses while resting the bill for the stadium on a 'public - private partnership' which would have the city and state pick up most of the tab. (At this moment we haven't reached out to the club on a comment for this quote)

The public movement of the bill (or lack there of) has weighed heavily on the shoulders of staff and players. What does it say when the owner of a team eludes to the possibility it could be the last year for his club and thus the last year for a lot of people to work for the club? Whether it was a tactic to help motivate those who have the ability to get financing for the stadium or just Ersal making his everyday stresses public the statement has hurt the club, players, staff, as well as the fans.

Whatever the case may be. This club is in the thick of it. Since the beginning of the season it's been like watching a roster collectively grab shovels and slowly dig a hole down. While they are working together in that regard it's hard for players to be motivated to win games, it's hard for staff to hear that the club is struggling financially and above all else it's difficult for casual fans who base their decision of attending games off of the performance of the team to feel inclined to come watch Indy struggle. We hope that this is just a rough patch on the road and things eventually turn around for a team that should clearly be performing better than it is. 

Picked Apart: Indy Eleven vs Miami FC REVIEW (5/20/2017)

Frustration was the theme of the night when Indy Eleven faced league leaders Miami FC.

By Brandon Cockrum

Entering Saturday’s match head coach Tim Hankinson described the Eleven’s meeting last weekend as "being ripped apart" by Miami. This week the Eleven lined up with three defensive midfielders in an attempt to stymy a Miami attack that Hankinson said goes right down the middle of the park. The result: rather than being torn apart, Miami cooly picked Indy apart, taking advantage of two defensive errors from the Eleven to claim a 2-0 victory. The loss humbly ends Indy’s NASL record 21-game unbeaten streak at home.

The Eleven lined up with a full-strength back four, however Kwame Watson-Siriboe paired with Colin Falvey at center back to allow Lovel Palmer to shift forward into a central defensive midfield role next to Brad Ring. Gerardo Torrado was deployed in front of them, creating a defensive cone in the center of the pitch to deflect Miami attacks away from Indy’s core.

Ben Speas and rookie Tanner Thompson were split wide of Torrado as attacking midfielders with Justin Braun as a lone striker. Clearly, with just three true offense-oriented players, defense would be a priority for Indy and the strategy would be to manufacture a goal through heart and hustle rather than a refined attack.

For 25 minutes Indy held on with just a few breaks in their defensive shield and seemed to be gaining their footing. Jon Busch was forced to make a nice save from a corner kick header in the 10th minute and a Miami attacker shanked a shot high from seven yards out in the 16th minute.

In the 27th minute Indy looked poised to manufacture the game’s first goal as Justin Braun, after tackling the ball from Miami defender Rhett Bernstein, went one-on-one against goalkeeper Daniel Vega. But, Vega was up to the challenge and stopped Braun’s attempted flick dribble around him.

A rapid Miami counter after Vega's stop of Braun was halted by an Indy foul near the top of the penalty box. While Indy dropped their heads or turned their attention to the referee Miami quickly restarted play. Robert Kcira made a simple pass to Vincenzo Rennella waiting on Busch’s doorstep and the experienced striker calmly finished the play.

In a matter of one minute, Indy went from looking like they had the game’s first goal to being down 1-0 and staring up a large mountain with inadequate climbing gear.

The first half concluded with Miami content and Indy unable to create and possibly the only highlight after the goal being an animated discussion during a stoppage in play between Ring, Falvey, Marco Franco and Hankinson.

Defender Marco Franco looks to spark an Indy attack.

The second half continued similarly with Miami probing and testing the Indy defensive but not causing much trouble and Indy struggling to build anything resembling a threatening offense. Possession was frequently lost by the boys in pinstripes in the midfield through poor passing or lack of control. Only once in the game did the Eleven manage a shot from their opponents penalty box.

In the 72nd minute another defensive error from Indy provided Miami with another clear opportunity on goal. Away from the play, a slow moving Watson-Siriboe kept Miami’s Kwame Poku onside and allowed Michael Lahoud to play a through ball that beat Poku’s defender and put the attacker in on goal where he calmly beat Busch with a shot.

2-0, with Miami in front and not looking over their shoulder,

The sport’s most dangerous lead was never threatened as Indy continued to struggle creating offense. Mild urgency at the end was easily dealt with by the visitors as they saw the game out and claimed their league leading 17th point of the season.

Four Takeaways

Mares eagerly waits to take the field in Indianapolis.

Mares Thriving in Miami

It's bittersweet to see, but Dylan Mares has been a key cog for the league's top team. The plucky attacking midfielder has 2 goals, 1 assist and is a league leader in chances created. The Eleven would have liked to have kept the homegrown product but higher wages, sandy beaches and youthful ambition drew him to Miami. While highly respected, it might have taken a move away for Mares' quality to be fully appreciated by everyone in Indy.

M.I.A.

The Eleven offense, currently missing in action, has now gone four matches without scoring a legitimate goal. Sure, they registered two goals last week in Miami but one was an own goal and one was due to a miscommunication between a defender and goalie on a ball that both had covered, a figurative gift from Miami for a clearly surprised goalscorer, Braun.

Among eight NASL teams, the Eleven are fifth in shots take and seventh in shot accuracy. So, they're not getting many shots off and those they do get are poorly taken.

A healthy Eamon Zayed and Don Smart should help the club find it’s lost attack but neither was even available for action on Saturday. It may be a few weeks (or more) before both return to full form and, even when they do, can we confidently say this team is poised for takeoff? More importantly, what do we do until then?

Roster Makeup

There has been pressure on coach Hankinson due to the poor results but he has lately been forced to put lipstick on a pig. A coach can only do so much with the ingredients he is given. Injuries should have been expected with a roster that is the league’s oldest club, however after the top 14 or so players there was a distinct drop-off in skill and experience. 

Now that injuries and poor form have hit the coach has few options to try. Two goalies are often part of our seven available subs on match day. Rookies David Goldsmith and Thompson have been required to play a lot of minutes, but this is a league that is very difficult for professional rookies to make an impact. Three in-season acquisitions have been feckless, to the point that none of them sniffed the pitch against Miami. On Saturday Daniel Keller was brought in late in the game with Indy needing to find goals. Last season, Nicki Paterson, Sinisa Ubiparipovic or other strong options were available off the bench for Hankinson. (Nothing against Keller but his skills are best utilized keeping the ball out of the net rather than putting it in.)

The club currently sits in sixth place (out of 8), well behind the top five. If club owner Ersal Ozdemir wants things to turn around it seems that he'll have to open up the checkbook for a key summer signing (or two).

Downward Spiral

The club’s poor results - six draws and three losses leave the club as the only pro team in the US without a victory - are now threatening the status of players and coaches. 

"If the downward spiral continues there will be changes, whether that’s coaching staff or players,” Hankinson told Greg Rakestraw on "Soccer Saturday" the morning of this match. 

With another poor result later that evening it seems that someone will be held accountable by the next match - the question is who and will it have a positive effect?

Sixes and Sevens: Miami FC v Indy Eleven Preview (05/13/2017)

Ben Speas, Marco Franco and Adrian Ables on the bench behind the bench.

By: James Cormack

There are times when fate can conspire to make life tough, and then there are times when fate just seems to be having a laugh. Indy Eleven have now had their fair share of misfortune, with a mounting injury list and now suspension, one wonders how much longer it will be before Lady Luck smiles upon us again.

In the run up to Indy Eleven's sixth consecutive league draw last weekend there was a feeling that the time was right for Indy Eleven to get their first win, and prior to the match we saw the unwelcome sight of Marco Franco not dressed to play and sitting on the bench reserved for those unable to play any part in the game.

Franco's unavailability brought our injury list to six which also includes Don Smart, Ben Speas, Nemanja Vukovic, Anthony Manning, and Adrian Ables. Against FC Edmonton only four outfield players were available as subs and only two of those were signed for the commencement of the 2017 season, Craig Henderson and David Goldsmith. Jason Plumhoff and Brandon Poltronieri were announced as signing for the team just days before the match and both saw time on the field.

As if things were not already bad enough, head coach Tim Hankinson had to leave the match knowing he would be without starting center mid Brad Ring for the next game after two really unnecessary yellow cards. Will that be the straw that breaks the camels back, or will this roster continue to galvanize and support each other in avoiding defeat?

Don Smart in good spirits.

When life gives you lemons....

If all matches were decided on paper, then I could end this preview now by telling you that Indy Eleven have suffered their first defeat of the 2017 season at the hands of Miami FC, current league leaders and many a pundit's favorite to dominate NASL this year.

Yes on paper Miami FC have a roster that most other teams in the league would just like to have half of. Their list of players is strong to the point that even with an injury crisis of their own they could still field an enviable starting team.

Indy Eleven will play three games in seven days starting with Miami FC in Florida followed by a US Open Cup match in Pontiac, Michigan against Michigan Bucks before meeting Miami FC again in Indianapolis on May 20th.

Brad Ring will be an obvious omission from this weekends starting lineup due to suspension but the starters and bench will most likely be a mystery unsolved and presumably based on the importance on the following two games. One other certainty to be missing is Nemanja Vukovic, a relative newbie to the injury list, we may not see him again until Indy Eleven return to action at Carroll Stadium.

Prior to kickoff last Saturday I was informed Marco Franco's condition was not too serious and mostly precautionary, it is likely he will be available to start against Miami. Don Smart looked chipper and even had time for some impromptu pre-match free styling. Ben Speas looked comfortable on his feet but bored as he took a seat to watch the game. Both Smart and Speas look ready for some game time, the question is do you start them in the first of a series of three games away from home?

I highly doubt that Don Smart or Ben Speas will start against Miami, if either do it is more likely to be Don, it would be an aggressive move from Hankinson and an unnecessary one. If I were to prioritize the importance of the next three games then the home game against Miami and the USOC game in Michigan are probably going to take precedence.

Indy Eleven have come through six games defiantly and remain undefeated, still without a win but proving very difficult to beat. There will be a little bit of juggling this week again, Gerardo Torrado will be without Brad Ring for the first time and will hold down the center of midfield most likely with Ubiparipović in front of him. Hankinson can opt for a little pace on the flanks this week if he chooses to start Plumhoff and Thompson together or even David Goldsmith.

Sixes then Sevens?

Miami FC's Dylan Mares traded dark blue for light and Indy will debut their new white Adidas kit this weekend.

It's going to be tough, but we still have enough to be able to make this game difficult. I am as tired of draws as the next man, and as cliche as it is I have to say "I will take the draw now!". Indy Eleven have played six games, drawn six games, scored six goals, conceded six goals and sit on six points. Will all those sixes change to sevens this week, it's highly possible.

If Indy Eleven can come away from Miami still undefeated it could be a very pivotal result when it comes down to the end of the regular season. Miami are the team to beat this year, but there is no insurmountable gap between them nor any other team so far. We may not be able to start the players we want to, nor play the way we wish to, but we can still force teams to drop points in their own house as we proved in Jacksonville.

If there is a way to win this game there is no doubt Indy will look to exploit it, but the main objective will be not losing and this is achievable, we may have to put up with one more tied game before we see a win, and I'm okay with that and staying 5pts from Miami FC. We will then have an opportunity in the US Open Cup to perhaps dabble a bit and give returning players more game time in preparation for Miami's visit to Indianapolis.

"We seem to be back to the Indy Eleven of old where we're hard to play against, we just need to turn the corner now and find the back of the net and turn those one points into three because that's what it's all about" - Colin Falvey following 0-0 tie with FC Edmonton.

If you have not seen the 3rd round matchups for the US Open Cup, Indy Eleven if they progress will play either NPSL's FC Wichita or USL's St Louis FC on the 31st of May at Carroll Stadium with a 7pm kick off. 

Unbeaten and unsatisfied: Indy Eleven vs SF Deltas Review (4/22/17)

Solid play from Marco Franco and Colin Falvey helped earn Indy their first clean sheet of 2017.

By: Caleb Ramp

The start of the 2017 NASL season has been frustrating for supporters of Indy Eleven. Spoiled, perhaps, by the ease in which they would dismantle teams at home in the latter stages of last season -- outscoring opponents 25-5 in the fall season. 

Four draws from four matches (including a squandered 2-0 lead) have left many trying to determine who or what to blame. Being held scoreless at home for the first time in the Tim Hankinson era only adds fuel to the fire. 

Soccer is a game of thin margins, however. If a few pivotal moments thus far had gone Indy's way -- had Braun's third goal against Puerto Rico not been disallowed, or had any number of painfully close chances from Indy's forwards this season found their target -- the narrative would undoubtedly be different.

The impact of key injuries should also be taken into account -- though it could be argued that the very apparent lack of depth (especially when compared to last season) is a failure in and of itself.

Broken Wings:

Injuries to Don Smart and Ben Speas (both expected to miss another few weeks, per Tim Hankinson) resulted in Gerardo Torrado and Craig Henderson starting on the outside of a 4-4-2 diamond. Unsurprisingly, neither looked particularly comfortable. 

Torrado, to his credit, linked up well with Sinisia Ubiparipovic (who found himself in the starting lineup for the first time in 2017) -- but the Indy attack repeatedly fizzled in the final third. After the game, Hankinson criticized the number of unnecessary touches and low-percentage passes the Eleven had taken: "We weren't thinking productively enough."

On the right, Henderson had a game to forget. Turnovers, misplayed passes, inaccurate cross attempts, and defensive errors plagued him from the opening whistle. The absence of Don Smart -- and the lack of a suitable replacement -- dramatically limited the area of the pitch San Francisco was tasked with defending. Unable to find consistent success through the midfield, Indy often opted to bypass it altogether -- a less-than-ideal strategy when playing into wind gusts of 20+ MPH.

LEFT: Ben Speas and Don Smart vs SF Deltas (3/25/17)
RIGHT: Gerardo Torrado and Craig Henderson vs SF Deltas (4/22/17)

It's not all bad for the Boys in Blue, though. Despite doing so in a fairly unimpressive fashion, drawing the Deltas meant setting an NASL record with 20 unbeaten home matches, and the extended 16-game Spring season grants Indy a bit more time than usual to get healthy.

Four games, four draws -- but only four points from the top of the table. League-leading Jacksonville Armada await.

That's a new one.

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Post-Game Audio (with Tim Hankinson):

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There Was No Joy In The Brickyard - Eleven vs Cosmos NASL Final REVIEW (11/14/2016)

Indy's Greg Janciki succesfully fended off New York attackers all evening. Photo courtesy of NASL, Michael Stobe.

By: Brandon Cockrum

Oh, somewhere in this favored land the supermoon was shining bright;

a supporters band was playing somewhere, and somewhere smoke was lit,

and somewhere men were laughing, and somewhere children had shouted; 

but there was no joy in the Brickyard - the mighty Eleven had missed out.

Deciding the league championship with penalty kicks, after 33 games and 120 minutes of battle, will always be a difficult pill to swallow for whichever club misses out. And while narrowing down a game of such import to a few kicks just 12 yards from the goal seems harsh it remains the only, best way that has been found to decide a match winner when none can otherwise be found. It’s tempting to say, Let the player’s play, but as seen on Sunday evening, pushing the 22 men on the field any further, many of whom were cramping, limping, and had nothing more in their tanks, begins to seem torturous.

For two hours at tiny Belson Stadium in Jamaica, NY, the Indy Eleven and New York Cosmos played a final worthy of a much larger audience. Despite the final 0-0 scoreline, the match featured end-to-end action from the first kick, the teams trading off control of play, and narrow misses by both sides. Only the Cosmos found joy at the end of their journey but the Eleven had much to be proud of, for the only thing that separated the two squads were just a few kicks out of thousands.

The Eleven were unlucky to not get on the scoreboard 10 minutes in after a clever turn and shoot from near the top of the penalty box by forward Eamon Zayed. With his only official save of the night, New York goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer dove to his left, reached out a hand and parried the ball out of danger.

Indy continued to control the match for the next ten minutes, primarily through the efforts of right midfielder Don Smart. The winger repeatedly beat his opponents on that side of the pitch, midfielder Yohandry Orozco and right back Ayoze, finding good positions to deliver crosses and shots that tested the Cosmos defense.

Indy's Don Smart threatened New York's goal for 90 minutes and make a key defensive play. Photo courtesy of NASL, Michael Stobe.

By the 30th minute, the Cosmos had found their footing and were leading the run of play, finding four quality chances over the next ten minutes. Big defensive plays by Indy’s goalkeeper Jon Busch and Don Smart were able to keep the Cosmos off the scoreboard. 

At halftime, Eleven coach Tim Hankinson swapped out left midfielder Dylan Mares for Gerardo Torrado, a defensive midfielder. Mares had a quiet first half in the attack and the Cosmos found some of their success through his side of the field. Clearly the Eleven were trying to shore up their defense in favor of offense.

The match slowed first for the first 20 minutes of the second half as the teams dug in for the season’s final half of play. The Cosmos played with more possession and were able to threaten Indy but Busch again came up big as he commanded control of his penalty box. Torrado scuffed both a pass and a shot in dangerous positions, raising eyebrows among the Eleven faithful.

In the 70th minute, the resilient Don Smart popped up again, working with Torrado to create the game’s most electric moment. Near the top of the penalty box the two played a give-and-go, with Smart launching a streaking shot that beat a diving Maurer but that could not beat the crossbar.

For the remaining twenty minutes of the match the Cosmos controlled possession and missing hopeful attempts at the Eleven goal. The Eleven dodged a weak penalty shout in the 82nd minute and with hopes of playing hero, New York’s David Diosa and Eleven’s Zayed both missed opportunities in injury time to punch in a match winner.

Indy's Brad Ring shielded the defense and played quality football all evening. Photo courtesy of NASL, Michael Stobe.

The two 15 minute periods of extra time saw the match slow as the intensity of the previous 90 minutes took its toll. By the end of extra time players on both sides were playing primarily to not give up a goal and struggling to stay up with the play, or even upright, in a few cases.

In the end it doesn’t matter which players made or missed penalties, only that one team made more than the other. It would be unfair to attach blame to any of the those brave enough to put themselves in position to miss a shot or not make a save in the penultimate moment of the season because there was so much that happened prior that could or even should have decided the outcome of the match. And while the Cosmos and their supporters left the stadium late Sunday with the trophy and all the joy, the Eleven walked away with just as much honor.

Indy Eleven Man of The Match: Don Smart, midfielder
New York Cosmos Man of the Match: Jimmy Maurer, goalkeeper

Match Statistics
Match Highlights