Atlanta Soccer » NASL

MLS Southeast Expansion & NASL Expansion

Scott — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 15:24:27 +0000

Major League Soccer President Mark Abbott was invited by the Carolina RailHawks, of the NASL, to visit the Triangle area and have an open discussion regarding the potential of MLS expansion. Other attendee’s included David Downs, commissioner of the NASL, and Aaron Davidson, vice president of Traffic Sports. The event opened with a fan forum, and included an invite only meeting of local business, community, and soccer leaders. The day concluded with a media round table at WakeMed Soccer Park, home of the Carolina Railhawks.

“We are not about jumping the gun and putting cart before the horse,” RailHawks President Curt Johnson said. “Those things evolve in time.”

“What we’re trying to do is build the largest possible fan base that we can have here and let other people decide what at the end of the day will be the future. Those people will be the owners, MLS and the NASL and the fans and corporate partners.”

The fan base will now have room to grow as WakeMed Soccer Park, which is owned by Wake County, is undergoing a $6.3 million expansion that will add 3,000 seats and move the capacity up to 10,000 seats. The project is scheduled to be completed by the September of this year.

Abbott said “I’m a firm believer there are markets in the Southeast that can perform at the level of the Pacific Northwest.”

MLS has indicated that it is focused on establishing a 20th expansion team in New York. But an expansion timetable beyond 20 teams, and specifically a plan for the Southeast, has not been established according to league officials.

Abbott also continued to communicate the three key factors that MLS evaluates in potential expansion targets: an ownership group financially capable of operating the team, a stadium seating between 20,000 and 25,000, and a market that can draw roughly that many fans while generating corporate support.

So while the MLS may not have any immediate plans for expansion is seems as though the NASL will be expanding soon. In addition to Ottawa joining in 2014, Indyweek Sports reported that the NASL is poised to announce two expansion franchises within the next 30-45 days. The league has finalized contractual terms with one club and is in the latter stages of negotiations with the other. One is an existing soccer club while the other is an upstart franchise. Moreover, Davidson indicated one will be stationed in the western U.S. while the other will be located within the NASL’s current main geographic footprint.

USL side Orlando City seems to be the most logical team to join the NASL. They have a great team, strong fan-base, and MLS ambitions that would all make sense for them to step up into the next level.

In regards to the western club Downs did rattled off a few potential expansion locations including: Phoenix, San Diego, Indianapolis, and Detroit. Phoenix has shown some great promise in recent friendlies and would give the San Antonio Scorpions a nearby team to help foster a rivalry.

See this MLS article on the visit and vote for Atlanta in the poll “Which Southeast market do you think will emerge as the frontrunner for expansion?”.

Video of the Fan Forum can be located at www.carolinarailhawks.com

So what markets do you think the NASL should expanded to next?

Countdown to Opening Kick: The League

Scott — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 12:30:06 +0000

The Atlanta Silverbacks will kick off a new season at home on Saturday, April 7th against expansion club San Antonio Scorpions FC. It’s a new year and a lot has changed not only with the Silverbacks, but also with the NASL. During this countdown to opening kick we’ll look at several of the changes that have taken place over the last few months.

Last year the NASL went through the pains of not only creating a new league, but doing so with the demands of USSF that proved to be more difficult than perhaps first expected. In this struggle was a Silverback organization that was tasked with relaunching a team that had been dormant. Last year was about creation and surviving the infancy of the new league and team. This year with more time to plan and increased continuity the league, and team, are taking steps forward.

On March 3rd, 2012 the USSF granted the NASL full sanctioning which will enable them to continue to move forward with a more stable league that is necessary for continued growth. One of the requirements the USSF has in place for the NASL to retain their Division II status is the expansion of teams over the next few years. The Silverbacks first opponent, San Antonio Scorpions FC, are the only expansion team in 2012. Yet the number of teams will remain the same as last year as the Montreal Impact made the jump to Major League Soccer. Currently the only other organization that has been awarded a future franchise is the Ottawa Fury who will begin play upon the completion of renovations being made to Lansdowne Park.

The only other changes in NASL teams were in name only. The 2011 NASL Champion NSC Minnesota Stars made a slight adjustment by dropping the NSC and adding FC to the end to be known as Minnesota Stars FC going forward. We also saw FC Tampa Bay acquire the rights to the “Tampa Bay Rowdies” name that dates back to the original NASL.

One change that will make many NASL fans happy is the leagues inclusion in the US Open Cup. It’s a great opportunity for the U.S. based division II clubs to add some excitement to the season and show what they can do against MLS teams. Last year due to the timing of the provisional sanctioning the NASL was excluded from the tournament.

So do you think the 2nd and 3rd division are finally starting to settle into a solid hierarchy of soccer in North America? What markets do you think should join the NASL next?

Silverbacks say adiós to Pérez, welcome Nationally Ranked Conor

CMartz — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 16:38:11 +0000

On Thursday the Atlanta Silverbacks made the news official that Mexican midfielder Mario Pérez would be leaving the team and returning to the Mexican Primera Division. Wednesday night, during the Silverbacks’ 2-1 victory over Montreal, the annual free-for-all known as the Primera Division draft was taking place in Playa del Carmen, just south of Cancun.

Pérez’s rights were transferred from Necaxa to Estudiantes Tecos, a team located in the Guadalajara suburb of Zapopan. Pérez will be returning to Mexico where he has not played in a league match since suiting up for Atlas on March 20, 2010.

The Mexican defender started the 2011 season with the Silverbacks and made an immediate impact. As one of the more experienced players on a young team, Pérez brought stability to the back line and his forays forward were one of the team’s best attacking options. His three assists lead Atlanta this season, and Pérez also contributed a goal in the Silverbacks’ 2-1 loss to Fort Lauderdale on April 23.

Pérez will be unavailable for Sunday’s match against FC Tampa Bay, as he has already left the team to return to Mexico and sort out the details of his transfer.

To help combat the loss of Pérez, the Atlanta front office announced on Friday the signing of Real Salt Lake forward and Star Kick spokesman Conor Chinn.

Chinn had not played for Real Salt Lake this season but did play in nine games for the New York Red Bulls in 2010, five in MLS play and four in the U.S. Open Cup, where he scored three goals.

He will also be rejoining his former college teammate, Silverbacks defender Tyler Ruthven. The two played together at the Univesity of San Francisco in 2006.

Chinn is well-known to many viewers of Fox Soccer Channel as “Nationally Ranked Conor” in a commercial for Star Kick. Chinn has also used the alias of “Amateur Player Guillermo Ortiz” in a Spanish-language version of the commercial.

The newest Atlanta Silverback will not be joining the team in time for Sunday’s game at FC Tampa Bay but looks to be ready to hit the field for his new team before the head to Puerto Rico on June 19.

Silverbacks Defeat Impact 2-1 For First Win Of Season

CMartz — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 10:58:32 +0000

It was a long time coming, but the Atlanta Silverbacks finally won their first game of the season Wednesday night, defeating the Montreal Impact 2-1 in front of 2,880 at Atlanta Silverbacks Park.

The home side took the lead in the 13th minute when Mario Perez found himself along the end line to the left of Montreal goalkeeper Bill Gaudette. Perez played the ball back to Raphael Cox at the top of the box who coolly slotted his shot past the veteran goalkeeper to put Atlanta up 1-0 early.

Cox’s goal snapped a goalless streak for the Silverbacks that ended at 508 minutes of play. In addition, it gave Atlanta their first lead at any point of any game this season, a lead they would double just over 20 minutes later.

Jordan Davis, Raphael Cox and Matt Horth celebrate with Silverbacks fans after Cox's 13th-minute goal on Wednesday night.

In the 34th minute, Gaudette received a back pass from a defender and attempted to clear the ball. Raphael Cox, however, was pressuring the Montreal keeper and forced him into an error. Cox deflected the ball towards the end line and managed to keep it in play. As he dribbled in along the end line and with Gaudette guarding his near post, Cox crossed the ball along the ground across the mouth of the goal to a streaking Matt Horth who merely had to tap the ball into the empty net for his second goal of the season.

After scoring just three goals in their first nine games, Atlanta found themselves with a two-goal advantage a little more than a third of the way into the game, sending the fans into a wild celebration.

Montreal would strike back just before halftime. Impact midfielder Idriss Ech Chergui sent in a cross from the right side. The cross found the head of Mignane Diouf inside the six-yard box and the Montreal forward headed it off the underside of the crossbar and into the net, cutting the lead to 2-1.

Both teams struggled the put many shots on goal in the second half until late. Zurab Tsiskaridze attempted a shot in the 85th minute that floated over Atlanta goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer and glanced off the crossbar and out of play.

After Impact midfielder Antonio Ribeiro was sent off in the 89th minute for a second yellow card, Ciaran O’Brien and Moussa Toure both forced Gaudette into action with a couple of long-range shots that the Montreal keeper was able to push away.

The three points moved the Silverbacks to five on the season through 10 games. Montreal remains just ahead of Atlanta in the NASL standings with eight points from nine matches.

The win was the first for the Silverbacks since defeating the Vancouver Whitecaps in Atlanta on August 5, 2008. Atlanta now travels to Florida where they will face FC Tampa Bay at Al Lang Stadium on Saturday night.

495 Minutes

CMartz — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 16:40:55 +0000

These kind of celebrations have been few and far between for Mario Perez (center) and the rest of the Atlanta Silverbacks this season.

495 minutes. Five and a half games. That’s how long it has been since the Atlanta Silverbacks scored a goal. Last night’s 2-0 loss at home to the NSC Minnesota Stars extended this streak into June, a streak that began in April and continued through all four games in May.

Not since Willie Hunt’s goal in first-half stoppage time on April 30 in Tampa have the Silverbacks hit the back of the net. Two goals from defenders, one from a forward. In total, three goals in nine games played this season.

It’s not surprising when one looks at the NASL table and sees Atlanta languishing at the bottom with just two points from nine games when you take this into account: The Atlanta Silverbacks have not led at any point of any game this season. Nine games, 810 minutes played, ZERO minutes leading a game.

One can point to the fact that Atlanta has also allowed the most goals of any team in the NASL, 15 in nine games. There have been points dropped due to goalkeeping errors, most notably in the first month of the season.

But none of these arguments can hold a candle to the simple fact that this team simply cannot put the ball in the back of the net. Imagine if the Silverbacks could get a lead. How confident would the players be and would the defense tighten knowing they’re not chasing the game as they have been all season?

As much credit as the Atlanta front office deserves for putting a team together in five months, the inaction shown this far into the season is bordering on criminal. It has been shown time and time again that the roster in its current shape and form is incapable of competing in the NASL this season.

It is one thing for the front office to preach patience and player development while at the same time asking fans to continue to shell out money in this economy to support a clearly inferior product.

Jose Manuel Abundis is in his first season as a professional head coach, these players have never played together, many of the players are lacking in professional experience, this roster was put together in a short period of time, Junior Sandoval’s injury took away the team’s best attacking option. The excuses are numerous and all have merit, but they are just that, excuses.

It has been made abundantly clear that the current roster isn’t capable of generating the goals to make this team competitive, and it is also clear that there will not be any big signings to come in and save the team. If the team is going to continue with their “player-development” mantra, they should look to the NPSL Southeast Division.

These players have already been playing for months, can be brought in for little money, and in some cases already have their international clearance. Tornubari Nyonebue of the Atlanta Silverbacks Reserves has already trained with the Silverbacks first team and could provide a different option up front, as his speedy, physical style of play is something Atlanta is lacking.

Other players of note that are in the immediate area and have stood out are Chris Ochieng of Chattanooga F.C. and Jamal Harewood of the Georgia Revolution. Both are big, athletic target forwards who have shown well for their teams in the NPSL.

One of the questions I raised at the news when the Silverbacks announced their return last November was whether the team would actually be competitive or if they were merely coming along for the ride to complete an eight-team league mandated by the United States Soccer Federation in order for the NASL to receive sanctioning.

Nine games into the season and it appears the latter to be the case. It has already been a frustrating season for both the Silverbacks and their supporters, and unless changes are made soon, it will continue to be an even longer season.