The Athletic contributor, lawyer and founder of socceresq.com Miki Turner hops on the podcast to offer his insights on the #SaveTheCrew fiasco, NASL vs. USSF lawsuit and Seattle Sounders’ 2018 campaign.
Miki touches on everything from how he thinks the lawsuits will shake out to his postgame cigar and beverage preferences.
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Image credit: NPSL
On Friday, the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) released its Conference XI, a list of the best 11 players plus a manager from each of the league’s conferences across all four regions. Here is the full list of 2018 NPSL Conference XI selections:
East Conference XI Head Coach Dale White, Erie Commodores FC Goalkeeper Nicolau Neto, Erie Commodores FC Defender Casey Bartlett-Scott, Erie Commodores FC Defender Max Flick, Fort Pitt Regiment Defender Chris Cvecko, Cleveland SC Midfielder Craig Quinn, Erie Commodores FC Midfielder Rafa Godoi, Rochester Lancers Midfielder Joe Falcone, Syracuse FC Midfielder Nicholas Kolarac, Fort Pitt Regiment Forward Cam Philpot, Erie Commodores FC Forward Vinny Bell, Cleveland SC
Forward Kendell McFayden, FC Buffalo
Great Lakes Conference XI Head Coach Lewis Robinson, Grand Rapids FC Goalkeeper Michael Novotny, AFC Ann Arbor Defender Stephen Carroll, Detroit City FC Defender Trent Vegter, Grand Rapids FC Defender Joseph Stanley Okumu, AFC Ann Arbor Midfielder Derek Sutton, Grand Rapids FC Midfielder Nick King, Kalamazoo FC Midfielder Brad Centala, Detroit City FC Midfielder Marc Ybarra, AFC Ann Arbor Forward Scott Doney, Grand Rapids FC Forward Damani Camara, FC Columbus
Forward Yuri Farkas, AFC Ann Arbor
North Conference XI Head Coach Adam Pribyl, Minneapolis City SC Goalkeeper Jan Hoffelner, Duluth FC Defender Maxwell Kent, Minneapolis City SC Defender Ryan Tyrer, Duluth FC Defender Nicholas Itopoulos, Med City FC Midfielder Niklas Roessler, Med City FC Midfielder Max Stiegwardt, Minneapolis City SC Midfielder Joe Watt, Duluth FC Midfielder Nigel Nielsen, Sioux Falls Thunder FC Forward Claudio Repetto, Med City FC Forward William Kidd, Minneapolis City SC
Forward Ncengetere Jacques, Dakota Fusion FC
Keystone Conference XI Head Coach Sacir Hot, FC Motown Goalkeeper Matt Perrella, Atlantic City FC Defender Thomas Judge, FC Monmouth Defender Kouassi N’Guessan, Junior Lone Star FC Defender Hani Nasr, FC Motown Midfielder Yaya Fane, Junior Lone Star FC Midfielder Matt Nigro, FC Motown Midfielder Andreas Bartosinski, West Chester United SC Midfielder George Akampeke, FC Monmouth Forward Dilly Duka, FC Motown Forward Anthony Allison, Junior Lone Star FC
Forward Jordan Saling, FC Monmouth
Mid-Atlantic Conference XI Head Coach Brandon Quaranta, FC Baltimore Goalkeeper Quantrell Jones, FC Baltimore Defender Colin Verfurth, Northern Virginia United Defender Kevin Morris, FC Frederick Defender Jordi Davis, Virginia Beach City FC Midfielder Chris Welsh, Northern Virginia United Midfielder William Eskay, FC Frederick Midfielder Jade Mesias, FC Baltimore Midfielder Fernando Casero, Charlottesville Alliance FC Forward Joshua Fawole, FC Baltimore Forward Sebastian Refi, Virginia Beach City FC
Forward Jacob Gosselin, FC Frederick
North Atlantic Conference XI Head Coach Carlos Mendes, New York Cosmos B Goalkeeper Hami Kara, Hartford City FC Defender Jonathan Borrajo, New York Cosmos B Defender Dominick Falanga, Brooklyn Italians Defender Andrew Geres, Hartford City FC Midfielder Danny Szetela – New York Cosmos B Midfielder Miguel Carneiro, Elm City Express Midfielder Starvros Zarokostas, Rhode Island Reds FC Midfielder Juan Parada, Kingston Stockade FC Forward Bljedi Bardic, New York Cosmos B Forward Shaquille Saunchez, Elm City Express
Forward Ryan Taylor, Hartford City FC
Heartland Conference XI Head Coach Will Montgomery, Little Rock Rangers Goalkeeper Walid Birrou, Little Rock Rangers Defender Ben Watson, Little Rock Rangers Defender Uzi Tayou, FC Wichita Defender Jair Hernandez, Saint Louis Club Atletico Midfielder Nelson Landaverde, FC Wichita Midfielder Declan Fitzpatrick, Tulsa Athletic Midfielder Brayan Lopez, Saint Louis Club Atletico Midfielder Guilherme Barbosa, Ozark FC Forward Chevaughn Walsh, Saint Louis Club Atletico Forward Alex Guadron, Little Rock Rangers
Forward Damieon Thomas, Tulsa Athletic
Lone Star Conference XI Head Coach Dana Taylor, Laredo Heat SC Goalkeeper Carlos Herrera, Laredo Heat SC Defender Younes Boudadi, Laredo Heat SC Defender Antone Jarvis, Dutch Lions FC Defender Rio Ramirez, Fort Worth Vaqueros FC Midfielder Andres Felipe Rodriguez Becerra, Midland-Odessa Sockers FC Midfielder Jacob Powell, Dutch Lions FC Midfielder Hayden Tucker, Shreveport Rafters FC Midfielder Jamie Lovegrove, Fort Worth Vaqueros FC Forward Guillermo Diaz, Laredo Heat SC Forward Kalle Sone, Fort Worth Vaqueros FC
Forward Nathan Regis, Midland-Odessa Sockers FC
Southeast Conference XI Head Coach Bill Elliott, Chattanooga FC Goalkeeper Phil D’Amico, Chattanooga FC Defender Juan Sanchez, Chattanooga FC Defender Jack Gurr, Georgia Revolution FC Defender Samir Bihmoutine, New Orleans Jesters Midfielder Juan Hernandez, Chattanooga FC Midfielder Kristian Moore-Cowell, Asheville City SC Midfielder Jack Hoey, Greenville FC Midfielder Oliver Roberts, New Orleans Jesters Forward Isaac Promise, Georgia Revolution FC Forward Bruno Andrade, Asheville City SC
Forward Mason Walsh, New Orleans Jesters
Sunshine Conference XI Head Coach Paul Dalglish, Miami FC 2 Goalkeeper Brian Holt, Jacksonville Armada FC Defender Daniel Navarro, Miami United FC Defender Mason Trafford, Miami FC 2 Defender Mechack Jerome, Jacksonville Armada FC Midfielder Daniel Meneses, Boca Raton FC Midfielder Dylan Mares, Miami FC 2 Midfielder Val Feeney, Palm Beach United Midfielder Javier Monsalvez Carazo, Jacksonville Armada FC Forward Derek Gebhard, Jacksonville Armada FC Forward David Ochoa, Miami United FC
Forward Jaime Chavez, Miami FC 2
Golden Gate Conference XI Head Coach Sergio Sousa Jr., Academica SC Goalkeeper Javier Valdez-Raya, Napa Valley 1839 FC Defender Brennen Canfield, Academica SC Defender Jorge Lualua, Napa Valley 1839 FC Defender Francisco Garcia, El Farolito Midfielder Alex Bettencourt, Academica SC Midfielder Miguel Lara, Sonoma County Sol FC Midfielder Miguel Acevedo, FC Davis Midfielder Alexandre Gonzalez, El Farolito Forward Cody Golbad, Academica SC Forward Edson Cardona, El Farolito
Forward Omar Nuno, Sonoma County Sol FC
Northwest Conference XI Head Coach Mike Pellicio, Spokane SC Shadow Goalkeeper Bryan Hernandez, Spokane SC Shadow Defender Spencer Wolfe, Spokane SC Shadow Defender Jack Sluys, Kitsap Pumas Defender Alex White, FCM Portland Midfielder Ryan Middleton, FCM Portland Midfielder Alvaro Rubio, Kitsap Pumas Midfielder Ryo Asai, PDX FC Midfielder Tanner Williams, Spokane SC Shadow Forward Freddie Braun, FCM Portland Forward Uriel Herrera, Kitsap Pumas
Forward Michael Ramos, Spokane SC Shadow
Southwest Conference XI Head Coach Paul Caligiuri, Orange County FC Goalkeeper Hugo Gomez, Orange County FC Defender Cody Shelton, Orange County FC Defender Jakub Waligorski, ASC San Diego Defender Raphael Santana, FC Golden State Midfielder Daniel Crisostomo, Orange County FC Midfielder Enrique Cardenas, FC Golden State Midfielder Shane Shelton, Riverside Coras Midfielder Ignacio Nacho Cancela, FC Arizona Forward Dakota Collins, Orange County FC Forward Dallin Cutler, ASC San Diego
Forward Allisson Faramilio, FC Golden State
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Sports Illustrated senior writer Grant Wahl joins the panel to discuss the differences between Bruce Arena and Jurgen Klinsmann, young Borussia Dortmund and U.S. national team phenom Christian Pulisic, and the cities most likely to have their Major League Soccer bids accepted.
Use the hashtag #SocTakesPod to join the conversation on social media. And make sure to subscribe to Grant’s own excellent Planet Futbol podcast on iTunes, etc.
Thumbnail photo credit: Sports Illustrated
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Photo credit: Mediacom Communications Corp.
As originally reported by ESPN’s Jeff Carlisle, New York Cosmos owner and de facto NASL leader Rocco Commisso had extended his “let’s talk about this” deadline to the USSF until May 31.
On May 30, a letter from USSF secretary Dan Flynn was emailed to Commisso. U.S. Soccer provided Soc Takes with a copy of the letter.
The USSF made its position clear:
What that essentially means is that the federation would not be dissolving the Pro League Standards (PLS) and the NASL would not be provided with the 10-year runway they desired. The NASL asked for said runway to be able to populate its clubs and set them up for success without interference from the USSF.
The letter also addressed other concerns about the $500 million investment:
This morning, Soc Takes spoke to NASL interim commissioner Rishi Sehgal about the communication from the USSF. He said that due to that communication, the $500 million offer has now expired. This was confirmed by a letter released this morning by Commisso. This means the NASL’s future now hinges upon the two lawsuits they have filed against the USSF. In absence of success in those lawsuits — or a potential settlement similar to last November — the NASL’s future remains bleak.
“The whole thing is ridiculously disappointing,” Sehgal said. “What is the harm in allowing us to play? We didn’t ask for money, we just asked for a change of standards that have fostered no stability.”
Sehgal added that U.S. Soccer had communicated that the league would be able to apply for sanctioning under current USSF PLS standards in the future. That application would be reviewed by the Pro League Task Force currently chaired by Chris Ahrens, Lisa Carnoy and Dan Flynn.
As things stand, the NASL is not interested in availing that opportunity, as they believe the review process is not fair and as Sehgal puts it, “… full of conflicts of interest.”
(Update: An earlier version of this article, incorrectly identified Bylaw 413, Section 2)
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Photo credit: Pittaya
Daniel Farke’s bumpy inaugural tenure at Norwich City certainly hasn’t been without hiccups. But based on current form — if you’re into that sort of thing — the Canaries have looked the part lately under the first-year manager.
The historic English club’s youthful attack has gotten healthier and rounded into form in recent weeks, while the defense has remained stout.
With seven points accumulated over its previous three matches, two of which were away from home, the Canaries are finding their stride in the wintertime. Norwich isn’t flirting with promotion, but relegation is rapidly appearing more distant in the rearview mirror. The club currently sits 10 points clear of the relegation zone.
A 2-nil road triumph at Birmingham City began the run of good form, followed by a shared point at Burton Albion. The Canaries then snagged three more points in a return to Carrow Road on Monday against Millwall.
“It was a brilliant start to the New Year,” Farke told the team’s website. “We had four points out of the two away games, and I spoke to the lads before the game and said winning this home game would make it a really decent run. And now we can look up the table a bit more, because we’ve improved our distance to the teams below us.”
It’s likely not a coincidence that Norwich’s three-match unbeaten streak has coincided with midfielder Alex Pritchard’s return to full fitness and form following a lengthy spell from a nasty ankle injury that required surgery. And the continual development of central attacking midfielder James Maddison has further awoken the Canaries from a midseason slumber. The 21-year-old maestro has emerged as a dynamic No. 10, creating chances for others while often finding the scoresheet himself.
A healthy Pritchard and blossoming Maddison seem to have quite a solid rapport.
“They both can make a difference, and when they’re both together it’s really complicated for the opponents to stop us,” Farke added. “When they’re both on the pitch our game is on a higher level. I’m not worried if they attract interest because it means they’re playing well. I’m thankful I’m able to work with these two boys, but also with all of the lads.”
Maddison tallied and assisted in the Canaries’ takedown of Millwall, with his goal having been served up by Pritchard. And in the Birmingham City victory, Pritchard notched a goal on an assist from Maddison before connecting with winger Josh Murphy to record an assist of his own.
The Norwich defense, meanwhile, has only conceded 31 times in 26 matches. Angus Gunn has impressed in net, while a steady rotation of central defensive midfielders and defenders in a 4-2-3-1 have helped shield things in front of him.
With a deep pool of talented midfielders and the offense finally clicking, the Canaries may prove a difficult out for EFL Championship contenders down the stretch.
The side’s next league test is a Jan. 13 away date at Bristol City, where Norwich will hope to schlep its fine form.
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The United Soccer League (USL) has continued its expansion through successful D2 expansion as well as its soon-to-be-launched USLD3 division with a rumored 8-12 teams. However, lapses in franchise registration filings in a number of states may pose a problem for the league’s expansion hopes. Soc Takes has learned that the USL currently lacks up-to-date franchise registrations in 12 states, including several locations where USL announcements are expected in coming years.
The USL is a registered franchisor that offers franchises across the United States. Thirteen states require franchisors to meet annual registration requirements in order to maintain active status as franchisors in those states. These requirements include paying a nominal fee and/or filing annual franchise disclosure documents (FDD). This only applies to new franchises, and does not affect the status of existing franchises.
These FDDs reveal critical details about how the franchise of interest operates (in this case, the USL), in accordance with the “Franchise Rule” as stated by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) including manuals and audited financial disclosures.
According to the FTC, “the Franchise Rule gives prospective purchases of franchises the material information they need in order to weigh the risks and benefits of such an investment. The Rule requires franchisors to provide potential franchises with a disclosure document containing 23 specific items of information about the offered franchise, its officers and other franchisees.”
Put simply, these required documents inform potential investors if the franchise is a good financial and ethical decision.
The USL has been filing publicly available documents annually since 2010 in most of these states. Yet, for an unknown reason, the USL stopped filing FDDs in all but one state since 2017.
And as a result of this cessation of filing, the USL is currently not an active franchisor in 12 out of the 13 states requiring those documents. Without active franchisor status, USL cannot offer new franchises in many of these states.
Soc Takes contacted each state department to better understand the USL’s status.
One work-around for franchisors is to seek one of a myriad of exemptions. These exemptions allow successful franchisors to not file annual FDDs if they meet certain metrics. These metrics include a high net worth of the franchisor (in this case, the USL) and/or the parent company (in this case, NuRock). However, as indicated below, in many cases, even filing under exemptions requires submission of paperwork.
Soc Takes was unable to determine whether the USL and/or NuRock met exemption requirements. Though, it must be recognized that the league has been operating under significant profit recently.
The states requiring FDDs are: California, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin. Out of these states, Soc Takes has learned, via online searches and phone calls made to respective regulatory agencies, that the USL is currently an active franchisor only in the state of Wisconsin.
Interestingly, neither the now-dormant North American Soccer League (NASL) nor Major League Soccer (MLS) count as franchisors, while the USL does. The reason is that MLS owns all its teams, while the USL does not. On the other hand, the NASL did not operate as a franchisor, as independent owners controlled and owned the league as opposed to the reverse.
Here is a state-by-state summary of the same:
California – USL has not been an active franchisor in the state of California since 2017. Their last filing was in March 2016. Yet, On WRALSports, Jake Edwards spoke about multiple California teams who were interested in USLvD3. Additionally, discussions have taken place about USL teams in Walnut Creek, San Francisco and San Diego.
Hawaii – No filing on record.
Illinois – Correspondence with the office of the Illinois Attorney General revealed that the USL’s status (File No. 537-16) has been inactive since April 2017. A representative at the office said that even if the USL were offering franchises under an exemption, they would have to indicate that they were doing so via filed paperwork to the Office of the Attorney General. Chicago is expected to be a site of future USL expansion.
Indiana – Correspondence with Indiana’s Secretary of State revealed that the USL’s status as a franchisor in Indiana expired in October 2016. The Indy XI joined the USL as a new franchise team in January 2018. It is possible that the USL could offer franchises under one of the many exemptions under Indiana’s code title 23. One of those exemptions allows a single franchise in a 24-month period to be offered without FDD filing. Indy XI was the only franchise offered during that time, although discussions about USLD3 expansion to Lafayette and Evansville have emerged.
Maryland – The USL’s active status expired in January 2016, per a phone call to Maryland’s Securities Division. A representative suggested that the USL would need to file a request for exemption in order to file under any exemption laws. The USL has not started new franchises in Maryland since expiration, though rumors of a Baltimore franchise have long persisted.
Michigan – The USL’s status in Michigan has been inactive since Oct. 6, 2016. A representative at Michigan’s Attorney General’s office was unable to determine whether the USL could file under any exemption law. The USL has not publicly offered franchises in Michigan since expiration. Meanwhile, USLD3 has been linked with a possible expansion into Lansing.
Minnesota – In an interview with The Athletic Soccer’s Jeff Rueter, Minnesota United FC owner Bill McGuire discussed the difficulties associated with getting a USL franchise off the ground. One additional problem may include the fact that the USL’s status with Minnesota’s Department of Commerce was canceled on June 30, 2017. A copy of the publicly available letter of cancellation can be found above.
A representative for Minnesota’s Department of Commerce informed Soc Takes that the USL would need to file a document to claim an exemption, and that in order to become an active registrant once more, it would need to file a new application. He intimated that review of any new applications would take at least two months.
As things stand, USL-Minnesota is not happening any time soon.
New York – Inactive since Feb. 21, 2017. A representative at the Office of the Attorney General suggested that exemptions allow a franchisor to offer franchises without filing FDDs if the franchisor is worth $3 million and they file a letter of “consent of service” through the secretary of state. The USL has not publicly offered new franchises in New York since 2017.
North Dakota – The USL’s franchisor status expired on May 15, 2017. An exemption letter would need to be filed in order for the league to offer franchises, per a representative at North Dakota Securities Department. The USL has not publicly offered franchises in North Dakota since that time.
Rhode Island – Status has been expired since April 2017. The USL has not publicly offered franchises in Rhode Island since that time.
Virginia – Status expired in 2015. A senior examiner at the Examination Section of the State Corporate Commission clarified that while exemptions are offered in the state, all exemptions require franchisors to file a specific form (Form H). The senior examiner said there was no Form H filed by the USL. Recently, Loudoun United was announced as an affiliate of D.C. United, and will begin play in the 2019 season.
Washington – The USL’s status expired in 2015. A representative of the Department of Financial Institutions in Washington informed Soc Takes that they do not have any system to track exemptions. Therefore, theoretically, the USL could continue to offer franchises in the state without the knowledge of the state even though they are not active franchisors. The USL has not publicly offered franchises in Washington since that time.
Wisconsin – The USL’s status in Wisconsin expired on March 2017, but the league re-activated their status on July 24, 2018 at the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions. Madison-USLD3 was announced as an expansion team in May 2018.
Therefore, as things stand, the USL is unable to offer franchises in multiple states. None of this, however, prevents them from offering franchises in non-FDD-requiring states. But, it does seem to suggest that potential teams in Baltimore, Minnesota, California, etc., may not happen anytime soon. Additionally, it remains unclear why the USL stopped filing FDDs and allowed inactivation of their status as state-approved franchisors. Finally, it is unclear which, if any, exemptions were used by the USL to announce Indy XI and Loudoun United as franchisees in 2018.
A USL spokesperson responded to the information revealed in this article:
“For USL and USL Division III, we have submitted registrations (or equivalent required notices/exemptions) in accordance with applicable state law.
Note that, in the case of Indiana, state law only requires registration when the franchisor sells more than one franchise within the state within one 24-month period. Should it be necessary, we will register in Indiana in due course.
Additionally, we intentionally let our Minnesota registration expire in 2017 because at the time we were not planning to sell any franchises in that state in 2018 or 2019.
As we turn toward new expansion markets for 2020, additional state registrations will be submitted as required by state law.”
Amongst other things, USL’s statement does not clarify how USL were able to announce a Madison franchise before actively registering in Wisconsin, and how they were able to announce Loudoun United without filing form H in the state of Virginia.
Neil Morris, Wes Burdine and Kartik Krishnaiyer contributed to this story.
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Photo credit: Jacksonville Armada FC
As the news of Indy Eleven to the United Soccer League (USL) became official, priorities immediately changed to the search for a new coach to replace Tim Hankinson, whose contract was not renewed by the club.
While Indy owner Ersal Ozdemir confirmed on Twitter that the search for candidates was underway, the identity of those candidates has remained unknown until now.
It has been a very busy & a great week for @IndyEleven with @USL. Started interviewing coaching candidates.
— Ersal Ozdemir (@ErsalOzdemir) January 11, 2018
According to sources, the club has narrowed down the candidate pool to four individuals: Trevor James, Jimmy Nielsen, Martin Rennie and Mark Lowry.
Trevor James has been involved with American soccer at multiple levels. Having previously worked at Colchester United, LA Galaxy and Chicago Fire, James served as Tim Hankinson’s assistant at Indy XI last year. While James’ knowledge of Indy XI is an advantage, much of his career has been spent as an assistant or a scout. An infamously risk-averse Ozdemir is likely to count that against him.
Jimmy Nielsen made over 500 appearances as a top-level goalkeeper including stints at Millwall and Sporting Kansas City before retiring in 2013. From 2014-17, Nielsen served as head coach of Oklahoma City Energy. Under Nielsen, OKC Energy reached the conference playoffs from 2015-17, reaching the final in two of those years. While Nielsen clearly stands apart from the other candidates due to his knowledge of the league, questions about his exit from OKC Energy remain.
Having coached the Carolina RailHawks (WTF is a RailHawk?) and Vancouver Whitecaps in MLS, Martin Rennie possesses the strongest resume of the four candidates for the Indy XI hot seat. Yet, the Scotland-born Rennie has been away from the American game for four years having coached in South Korea from 2014-16. Rennie has not had a top-level coaching job since leaving the second-division Korean side Seoul E-Land FC in June 2016. Rennie is “a very nice guy whose teams were generally organized,” noted one MLS insider, adding that “he had a habit of shoehorning as many defensive midfielders into the XI as is possible, with predictable results.”
A name familiar to all NASL supporters, Mark Lowry is the current coach of Jacksonville Armada. Lowry famously led the Armada to a strong opening to the NASL 2017 season in spite of working with a shoestring budget at the time. At that time, the team was owned by the league and therefore Lowry achieved strong on-field results in spite of any semblance of stability. Yet, Lowry’s limited experience as a head coach — he has been a head coach for 17 months — may yet count against him.
Soc Takes understands the club flew in two of the four head coaches for on-site interviews this week, and Ozdemir is also interested in hiring a technical director before the 2018 season to assist in identifying players.
Another coach that many in Indy wanted at the club, NASL championship-winner Marc Dos Santos, has joined the coaching staff at LAFC — info first reported by Soc Takes contributor Kartik Krishnaiyer.
Sources tell me former @sfdeltas @OttawaFuryFC & @SwopeRangers Head Coach Marc Dos Santos, one of the best available North American-based coaches on the market is in talks to join Bob Bradley’s staff with @LAFC . Stay tuned, should learn more in the coming days.
— Kartik Krishnaiyer (@kkfla737) January 3, 2018
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Photo credit: Dakota Fusion FC
For his hat trick in a 5-3 win against NPSL North Conference foe Minnesota TwinStars, forward Jade Johnson of Dakota Fusion FC has been named the Mitre National Player of the Week for Week 19 of the NPSL season.
The three-goal outburst raised his his season total to 17, which moved him into elite company among the top few goalscorers in the league.
“Jade had been an integral part of our team and our success in our inaugural year with the Fusion,” said Dakota Fusion FC coach Jim Robbins in the press release announcing the award. “He possesses a unique combination of size, strength, speed, power, and goal scoring ability. He is very difficult to defend in 1v1 situations and he can beat defenders and score with either foot. Most teams try to double team him whenever possible, sometimes they even try to defend him with three. He has earned his place as the top goalscorer in our conference and is one of the top goal scorers in the entire NPSL.”
Photo credit: Dakota Fusion FC
The win left Johnson and the rest of his Dakota teammates with a second-place finish in their conference. The club ended up with a stellar 9W-0D-5L record, 27 points and — most importantly — a playoff berth.
“This is more of a team achievement to me than an individual accolade based off of what we’ve been able to accomplish over the past two weeks,” Johnson said. “The preparation and dedication in the offseason, as well as the sacrifices made over the best months of the year in North Dakota, is beginning to pay itself off heading into the regional playoffs this weekend.”
***
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Reno 1868 FC forward Sidney Rivera guests on the latest edition of the Soc Takes Pod to tackle topics ranging from his quick turnaround in joining Reno from Atlantic City FC midseason to his experience with Puerto Rico FC in 2017, including coping with the devastating effects of Hurricane Maria.
Rivera also hosts his own pod, The SidR10 Podcast, available on iTunes and elsewhere.
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Photo credit: Matt Schlotzhauer/Indy Eleven
INDIANAPOLIS — As the Indy Eleven’s 2018 roster begins to take shape, one thing is blatantly evident: New head coach Martin Rennie wants an entirely revamped defense.
Just days after ex-captain Colin Falvey announced he wouldn’t be returning to the club, fellow defenders Marco Franco and Nemanja Vukovic became the latest castoffs.
1/2 Thank you for the memories & the tremendous support over the past 2 years. It was honor & privilege to have captained your club. pic.twitter.com/ZhwiPCBhgH
— Colin Falvey (@falvey32) January 21, 2018
Vukovic, typically a left fullback, had converted to left midfielder toward the end of the 2017 season. Former manager Tim Hankinson described the move as a way to mask his defensive deficiencies while allowing his offensive game to flourish.
Regardless of how Rennie felt about Vukovic’s unique skill set, it’s clear the Montenegrin wingback wasn’t in Rennie’s future plans. Vukovic officially announced his departure from the club Saturday morning via Instagram.
Franco was the club’s primary starting right back for the past couple seasons. He had been with the club since 2014 after a standout career at UC Irvine.
Drafted in the first round of the 2014 MLS SuperDraft by the Chicago Fire with the 13th overall pick, Franco was soon loaned to Indy where he ultimately carved out a permanent role among the back four. He took to Twitter on Friday to bid the fans farewell.
It’s been a pleasure playing for this city the past 4 years. Grateful for everyone that made it feel like my second home and a big thanks to all the fans for your unwavering support. Wish nothing but the best for this club. Looking forward to what God has planned next ✌🏽 pic.twitter.com/8n2wq3QhKI
— marco franco (@marco3franco) January 27, 2018
Who will replace Falvey, Franco and Vukovic? The Eleven unveiled three new defensive signings earlier this week: Reiner Ferreira, Brad Rusin and Kevin Venegas.
Falvey has already found a familiar landing spot with Ottawa Fury FC after being inked by his former team earlier this week. Hopefully Franco and Vukovic will draw interest and land on their feet elsewhere in the USL or a comparable league. Veteran goalkeeper Jon Busch wasn’t retained by Indy and is seeking a new team as well.
Wanted to thank the best fans in the game! It has been my honor and privilege to play for you the past two years. I wish you all the best! Thank you for all your support!@The_BYB @BYBBattery37 @Indy11EastEnd @sh19indy @11thOldSoldier
— HPG (@HPG_GK) January 23, 2018
The Eleven defense was the most porous in the NASL last season. The unit conceded a league-worst 56 goals in 2017. Clearly, revamping the entire defense was at the top of Rennie’s priority list upon landing the gig.
Rennie expects his men to report to training around Feb. 7, so look for plenty more player news — both incoming and outgoing — from the club in the near future.
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