With Louisville City FC and the Swope Park Rangers squaring off for the USL Cup tonight, it’s time to unveil the USL Cup radial bracket:
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Image credit: NASL
As Soc Takes revealed on Twitter last week, the NASL and USSF were in discussions to facilitate a continuation of the league at the D2 level. This story was independently confirmed by former Empire of Soccer editor-in-chief Dave Martinez and Jeff Rueter. Since then, reports from Michael Lewis of Front Row Soccer revealed that talks had broken down, while Jeff Rueter’s reporting suggested that NASL/USSF were still having conversations at the time.
Yet, one of the key reasons why these discussions fell apart has not been revealed.
Per sources with direct knowledge of the negotiations, the USSF approached the NASL about a settlement which, on approval, would’ve afforded the NASL with D2 sanctioning. NASL personnel, who happened to be in New York at the time, were interested in the premise of the settlement, and met with USSF personnel to discuss the details.
During Friday’s meeting, NASL representatives — including interim commissioner Rishi Sehgal, chairman Rocco Commisso and others — posited that the league should be given three-year relief from sanctioning in order to allow stabilization of the NASL. To NASL representatives, this was a critical requirement and they believed that the USSF was amenable to their request for three years.
The NASL is also understood to have asked the USSF for a clause to “prevent MLS and USL teams from snatching up NASL teams.”
On Nov. 13, however, the league was presented with a settlement proposal that changed the temporal length of this clause and introduced a clause unacceptable to the NASL hierarchy:
On Nov. 15, the league voted against the settlement, citing issues with the reworked proposal — which begs the question: Why did the league not agree to a one-year D2 sanctioning if it was certain it could meet D2 requirements?
Based on conversations with multiple sources, NASL personnel remain unconvinced that the USSF would give them a fair shake next year. “The same anti-competitive practices, they’re not going to change,” a source said.
Additionally, sources close to the issue were perturbed by what some called a “bait-and-switch” approach by the USSF. Given the trust issues between the NASL and USSF, ongoing litigation, as well as the toxicity of the rhetoric between the two parties, the propensity for a breakdown in conversations was likely.
Sources informed Soc Takes that there are no further conversations planned. At this point, the only chance of the NASL’s survival is a successful appeal of the lawsuit.
The NASL decided to pursue the lawsuit instead of agreeing to one year of survival. Whether it was a good business decision is unclear. But it shows unity and a clarity of vision that is not often associated with the NASL. What is that vision? To see the lawsuit through and to expose any skeletons in the closet of U.S. Soccer.
(An earlier version of this article incorrectly attributed Rueter as suggesting talks had broken down. This has now been updated to reflect Rueter’s reporting more accurately.)
Follow Nipun on Twitter: @NipunChopra7.
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Photo credit: Tommy Thompson
NOBLESVILLE, Ind. — Footballing brothers Tommy and Tanner Thompson aren’t twins. They’re just joined at the hip.
Both excelled on the pitch growing up in California, then headed to Indiana to play college soccer before moving onto the pros. Tommy played only one year at Indiana, departing to become a homegrown signing by the San Jose Earthquakes. Tanner completed his degree and got drafted by Minnesota United FC in the 2017 MLS SuperDraft, but ultimately wasn’t offered a contract and ended up signing with the Indy Eleven.
Now the two bros are linking up to run their own youth soccer camps, aptly named TT Skillz Soccer Camps. The first camp — for kids ages 5-14 — will be hosted by Noblesville United Soccer Club on July 27 and 28 from 5-8 p.m. ET. Click here to register and for more information.
New soccer camp formed by ex-IU standout & @IndyEleven Tanner Thompson & his bro Tommy. Check it out https://t.co/nK8QmGWf00 @ttskillzsoccer pic.twitter.com/BH53YvWAMB
— Bruce Kopp (@BruceKopp13) July 18, 2017
“There will be some guest appearances,” Tanner told reporters following the Indy Eleven’s 2-0 home win over Jacksonville Armada FC on July 15. “There are four coaches. All the information is on the website. We’re looking forward to having a great turnout.”
Several Indy Eleven players are among the guest appearances: defender Daniel Keller, forward David Goldsmith and goalkeeper Christian Lomeli. The Thompsons’ plan is to eventually branch out to California for future camps in Sacramento, per their website.
As sons of Gregg Thompson, a former U.S. men’s national team player, the brothers certainly possess the “skillz” to instruct and motivate the next generation of footballers. Here’s a clip of Tommy showing off his otherworldly ability via SJEarthquakes.com:
Registration for the TT Skillz Soccer Camp is still open.
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TS: For the most part, Nashville has been good both home and road on the defensive end of the pitch. It’s the scoring (1.6 per game at home with the only scoreless contest at Nissan Stadium rather than First Tennessee, 0.88 on the road) that is the bigger change, and a lot of that is just comfort with the surface, coming out a little more aggressively to set the tone, and then there’s always the fan support. Gary Smith is a little bit more ambitious in sending guys forward at home because he knows getting an early goal will allow the fans to take over and intimidate the opponent out of the game.
KJ: What are some of the hallmarks of a Gary Smith-coached squad?
TS: Defense, defense, defense. Smith’s teams are always sound defensively, and that’s been the case both home and road so far in 2018. That’s persisted through the tactical change (which was oriented more toward opening up the offense), and doesn’t show any signs of stopping. The offense has indeed improved since the move to a 4-4-2, with false-nine Lebo Moloto and a rotating cast of wingers keys to setting up the scoring, with a couple different strikers ready to finish.
KJ: Which Nashville player(s) has/have been the most pleasant surprises this season?
TS: Bradley Bourgeois is the first one that comes to mind. The 5-11 centerback was pushed into action after MLS vet London Woodberry suffered an injury in the first game… and hasn’t relinquished a starting spot. He’s a danger on set pieces despite his size, and has been very sound at the back. Another would be Brandon Allen, but the surprise comes from the fact he’s on the team, rather than the fact that he’s scoring at a pretty good rate. He was in the opposing lineup for Nashville’s game at Bethlehem Steel, and as soon as his transfer was complete, he started scoring almost immediately. That’s the offensive punch the Boys in Gold needed.
KJ: How do you expect Nashville to line up Tuesday night and what’s your score prediction?
TS: Plenty of the spots are rock-solid with the starters not questioned, with a couple that there’s still something of a positional battle (front-back, L-R):
Moloto-Allen Jome-Akinyode-Reed-Washington Davis-Doyle-Bourgeois-Woodberry
Pickens
Allen could sit in favor of Ropapa Mensah (both will play, Mensah likely the final 35 minutes or so), the right winger and right back have seen a few different contributors, with Alan Winn certain to play the former (whether he starts or comes on as a sub) and Kosuke Kimura/Ryan James possibilities at the latter.
I see a two-goal Nashville win, either a 2-0 scoreline (Allen and Moloto the goal scorers) or a 3-1 (add Washington to Nashville, and the hated Soony Saad for the Eleven).
Now for the Indy Eleven perspective:
TS: When last these teams played, Indy looked like one of the East’s best, while Nashville was hoping for a comfortable spot in that next tier. They’ve flipped roles since. What’s led to a bit of a dropoff from the Eleven, and is there faith they’ll bounce back?
KJ: Injuries and a lack of attacking identity have been the main culprits for the dropoff in form. The club hasn’t scored a ton of goals from the run of play; they’ve mostly come from set pieces and penalties. The midfield and forwards seem to be gelling at a tortoise’s pace.
As for the injuries, Tyler Pasher and Carlyle Mitchell were both sorely missed while dealing with knocks. Mitchell has since returned and given Indy’s defense a massive lift the past few games, but Pasher remains out and his timetable to return is unclear. The Eleven offense hasn’t looked the same without him.
Indy should eventually mesh and sneak into the Eastern Conference playoffs, but hardly looks like a legit title contender.
TS: Have there been any major changes in personnel or formation since the game in Lucas Oil?
KJ: Besides normal rotation to cope with injuries, there haven’t been too many drastic changes. Some to note are Brad Ring returning to his natural CDM spot after filling in at right back based on need, Kevin Venegas getting fully healthy and drawing a few starts at right back, and Seth Moses possibly taking over Nathan Lewis’ starting gig at right midfielder. Lewis had a brutal multiple-match stretch and played himself out of the job.
Jack McInerney has also somewhat inexplicably struggled. He seems to be playing with a reckless chip on his shoulder after departing the top flight, often exhibiting a lack of body control by flying wildly into challenges and earning silly cautions in the process. He’s still in the forward rotation, but no longer seems locked in as an every-week starter.
TS: Indy has been a better team on the road than at home. Is that just a quirk of the schedule, or is there something to it that should have Nashville worried?
KJ: It’s likely just a schedule quirk mixed with a hint of Lucas Oil Stadium having a difficult surface to play on. I’d expect that trend to start reversing soon though. Indy’s home schedule has been significantly tougher than its road one thus far, and I don’t think there’s any deeper meaning behind it, e.g. I don’t think this Eleven side has a special knack for rising to the occasion away from home or anything like that.
TS: With nearly half a season in the books, how has the transition to USL met expectations? It seems like Louisville and Cincy have earned the majority of Indy rivalry ire, but is there a bit of a rivalry feeling with Nashville that could play a role?
KJ: It seemed as though maybe Nashville and Indy could grow into natural rivals, but the disappointing travelling Nashville SC contingent when the teams met in Indy — combined with Nashville soon departing the USL for greener pastures — leads me to believe that’s it’s a stretch to call Nashville-Indy a rivalry. I’d love for it to be a burgeoning rivalry, but that simply doesn’t appear to be the reality of the situation.
TS: Finally, what’s your lineup prediction for Tuesday night. Any other specific predictions (including a final score)?
KJ: Coming off a brace in Indy’s 3-1 win over Toronto FC II, forward Justin Braun probably earned himself another start up top. I’m actually going to project the exact same lineup from that match, something resembling a 4-1-4-1 from left to right: Fon Williams; Ayoze, Ouimette, Mitchell, Venegas; Matern; Saad, Guerra, Watson, Moses; Braun. My official prediction is a 1-0 Nashville SC win.
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Attacking midfielder Matt Clare (left) and his FC Wichita teammates had valuables and personal items stolen from their locker room while playing Wednesday. Photo credit: GS Memorymaker Photography
While FC Wichita’s players were on the field playing NTX Rayados in the U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday, someone broke into the locker room and robbed the team. Phones, wallets, passports and other valuables were stolen. The latest value estimate is $20,000.
FC Wichita is an amateur team, and some of these players are college students, making this loss even rougher for the team and players. Therefore, the FC Wichita supporters’ group Air Capital Firm has started a GoFundMe to help the team recover.
Click here to visit the GoFundMe.
NTX Rayados won the match 3-2 to advance to face the Houston Dynamo at BBVA Compass Stadium on June 6 in the fourth round of the Open Cup.
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Image credit: FC Indiana
Entering Friday’s NPSL season finale at Michigan Stars FC with an already woeful record of 1W-1D-11L, things seemingly couldn’t get any worse for the FC Indiana Lions. But things did go downhill alright — boy, did they ever.
The Lions found themselves up early after an eighth-minute tally by Mehdi Himmich. A goal in the 21st minute and another in the 38th, both by winger Kevin Amaizo, took FC Indiana into halftime with a 3-nil advantage.
Surely this was to be the Lions’ elusive second win of their difficult 2017 campaign. Sigh.
The 3-0 scoreline held until the 56th minute, when the home side pulled one back through Jacob Prud’homme. Still, as the waning stages of the match approached, FC Indiana clung to a 3-1 advantage. Victory seemed imminent.
Sure enough, a Stars goal in the 86th minute by Michael Beckett created some extra tension for the Lions. And the home side was just getting warmed up.
Alexander Ofeimu and Brandon Katona both scored in stoppage time for Michigan Stars FC, propelling the hosts to an improbable 4-3 comeback win over the deflated Lions. Ugh. Ofeimu’s goal was particularly impressive, coming on a headed throw-in.
Also credit Stars goalkeeper Anthony Mwembia; he kept his side within striking distance. Despite conceding thrice, he earned a nomination for NPSL Mitre National Player of the Week with his nine-save performance, three of which came from point-blank range.
As amazing as the Stars’ finish was, much of the blame fell squarely on FC Indiana. Midfielders stood around in the final minutes as Stars attackers dropped in deeper behind them, unmarked. The Lions’ back line also joined the don’t-mark-anyone parade, looking downright befuddled and out of sorts in the final five minutes plus stoppage time.
“The changes we made at halftime were tactical,” Stars assistant coach Eric Perilla told MichiganStarsFC.com. “We talked about how Indiana was pressing and how we could expose them. Coach Nathan (Smith) found a way for us to do that and from there everything just fell into place.”
The entire club had a complete mental and physical meltdown. The Lions looked like they truly didn’t believe they could win the match. In a season marred by perpetual disappointment, for it to all culminate in such a heartbreaking fashion seemed oddly poetic.
Image credit: NPSL
With the loss, FC Indiana finished its lackluster NPSL season at the bottom of the Great Lakes Conference table with a 1W-1D-12L record and four points. The Lions will need to tinker with their roster to drastically improve, as the main issue this past season seemed to be a general lack of talent — on both sides of the ball. Their anemic offense pitched in just a shade over a goal per match, while their scant defense allowed 3.71 goals per contest.
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AFC Ann Arbor’s Martieon “Moco” Watson scores a stoppage-time header to secure three points against Detroit City FC. Photo credit: Els Wenner
From supporters having a run-in with the police to witnessing arguably one of the worst teams in NPSL history, the first half of the Great Lakes Conference has been interesting thus far to say the least.
Here are the current Great Lakes standings through June 17:
Image credit: NPSL.com
We’re over halfway through the season and it has provided for very entertaining action on and off the pitch. Here is a look at each team’s season so far, as well as some predictions regarding the final standings.
AFC Ann Arbor has continued their remarkable spell of results from 2017 as they remain atop the table yet again in 2018. The “Mighty Oak” have proven themselves as the best soccer team in the state of Michigan and the team to beat as they are yet to lose in 2018. Madonna University standout Yuri Farkas leads the team with five goals this season, not to be outdone by Jordan Montoya who has had three important goals leading Ann Arbor to victory. A season sweep of Detroit City FC as well as a comfortable 2-0 home win against second-place Grand Rapids FC have been the Mighty Oak’s most impressive results so far. And despite a surprising 1-1 draw against Milwaukee at home two weeks ago, Ann Arbor fans and the Main St. Hooligans supporters’ group should have nothing to worry about for the remainder of the season as they have a favorable schedule remaining with two home matches, one against Columbus and the other against the lowly FC Indiana side.
Final prediction: AFC Ann Arbor should coast through the rest of the year in first place and win the Great Lakes Conference yet again.
Grand Rapids FC has also had a hot start to the season and sits in second place through eight matches played. After finishing in third last year and missing out on the playoffs — the top two teams advance — GRFC have only lost to Columbus and undefeated Ann Arbor, and have amounted six wins with the help of Davenport University forward Matt “Super Matty” Whelan, who leads the team with six league goals. New Zealand native Scott Doney has also notched four goals in the NPSL so far, including the game winner in Detroit on Sunday night that secured the club an important three points. Although the “Boys in Blue” have a comfortable cushion ahead of Detroit and Columbus right now, their difficult remaining schedule is a potential concern for Grand Rapids fans and the Grand Army supporters’ group, as they still have to play Detroit, Ann Arbor and Columbus, a team they’ve already lost to this season. Grand Rapids is definitely in the driver’s seat to close out this playoff race, but there is certainly room for error.
Final prediction: It will become a tight race for second place; however, Grand Rapids FC will fend off Columbus and archrival Detroit to remain in second place to close out the season.
FC Columbus is the new kid on the block in this conference, and the team has put together a competitive and respectable team in their first year of NPSL play. In what has to be one of the more bizarre storylines of the season so far, FC Columbus’ supporters’ group, Wolf’s Ridge XII, endured an incident involving police due to alleged foul language during a home match against Kalamazoo. I was streaming the match online and was definitely confused and slightly amused as to why an entire supporters’ section had gone missing after halftime. Accusations flew on social media that the club called the cops on its own SG, which the team firmly denied in an official statement following the incident. Despite an absent supporters’ group, Columbus had a comfortable 3-1 victory over a decent Kalamazoo side. These guys are definitely dark horses in the conference and are going to have a realistic shot at taking down second-place Grand Rapids for the coveted playoff birth. Not many people have been talking about this team, however a 3-0 smashing of Grand Rapids on the road as well as another 2-0 road win against Kalamazoo two days later should get people’s attention. I finally got to see them team play in person last week and liked what I saw. “C-Bus” is a very athletic and physical team that uses its speed to an advantage. FC Columbus still has five games remaining, two of which are against FC Indiana. Expect them to pick up six points there and a few more in their remaining three matches.
Final prediction: Unfortunately for FC Columbus, Grand Rapids fends off their lead in the standings — barely — and C-Bus finishes in third place.
Chris Odhiambo scores the lone goal of the match as AFC Ann Arbor beats Detroit City FC 1-0 at Keyworth Stadium on June 10. Photo credit: Dustin Johnston
Detroit City FC, the face of the Great Lakes Conference and home to arguably the best fan base in the entire NPSL, has certainly not had an ideal start to its league season. However, all hope is not lost as they still have somewhat of a shot at chasing down Grand Rapids for that second playoff spot. It’s been a busy summer so far for “Le Rouge,” as they made it to the second round of the U.S. Open Cup where they took last year’s Open Cup semifinalists and soon-to-be MLS side FC Cincinnati into extra time before conceding three goals late in the match. Days later, they hosted 2. Bundesliga team FC St. Pauli in a historic international friendly in Detroit that was even televised regionally in Michigan. Some of these high-profile, out-of-league matches might have taken the team’s focus and energy away from the NPSL and could be a reason for their lack of early success. Yes, City has won three games so far, but two of those came against FC Indiana, a team everyone has beaten this season. Getting swept by Ann Arbor and a 2-0 home loss to Grand Rapids are concerns. However, this team does have good talent and myself — as well as the ever-vocal Northern Guard supporters’ group — expect this club to turn things around and make a push for the playoffs. After a loss in a crucial match to Grand Rapids this past weekend, which seriously hurt their chances of playoff qualification, City still has plenty of winnable games left on their schedule with matchups against Kalamazoo and Milwaukee on the horizon. This should make the standings a little tighter and give them a fighting chance at second place.
Final prediction: This one is a tough call, but I’m going with Detroit finishing in fourth place. Grand Rapids is currently six points ahead and in better form right now, and Columbus will overtake Detroit due to their two remaining matches with FC Indiana.
The Milwaukee Torrent have bounced back quite nicely this year after a terrible 2017 campaign. Head coach Andreas Davi, a former Bayern Leverkusen player infamous for his feisty competitiveness — and receiving red cards from the sideline resulting in suspension — has turned the Torrent into tying machines with four draws, the most in the conference. These ties have been against strong opponents, most notably their 0-0 tie against Grand Rapids and their 1-1 tie against Ann Arbor on the road. With that being said, their failure to win matches has now taken a toll on their chances to qualify for the playoffs. Although they are technically only a point behind Columbus, they have played three more matches than them and are far behind in the Pts/GP category.
Final prediction: Expect the Torrent to slip in the standings and finish in sixth place.
AFCAA’s Jordan Montoya controls the ball in the air against Kalamazoo FC in Ann Arbor on June 15. Photo credit: Dustin Johnston
Kalamazoo FC showed promise early in the season as they strung together some positive results and looked to be playoff contenders for the first time in the club’s history. However, their struggle of getting three points at home has been an issue as they are yet to beat an opponent in Kalamazoo outside of FC Indiana. A turning point in their season, in my opinion, was a home a match against Ann Arbor in front of a large crowd with great weather. Although they got a 0-0 tie, KZFC had plenty of quality chances to score and should have beaten the undefeated Ann Arbor side. A win there could really have been a big confidence booster and a momentum swinger for this team, but instead they have down-spiraled ever since. Two weeks later at home, Kzoo had a 2-1 lead at the half against Grand Rapids but quickly squandered it, resulting in a home loss and dooming the club’s shot at playoff qualification.
Final prediction: Expect Kalamazoo to fight with Milwaukee for the fifth position in the standings and come out victorious.
Out of protest to how lousy this club is, I almost decided not to write about FC Indiana at all. But this is too funny of a story not to cover. FC Indiana has lost all eight matches thus far and conceded 48 goals, and only scored two. This gives us a grand whopping total of -46 goal differential, the second worst in the entirety of the NPSL. They lost 11-0 at home to Detroit. Some of their more modest performances included a 5-0 loss to Kalamazoo and a 4-0 loss to Grand Rapids. Their proudest achievement this season was a 3-2 loss to Milwaukee where not only did they score multiple goals for the first time ever, but they actually played in a competitive, regular-scoring soccer game. In all seriousness though, the league needs to question the legitimacy and commitment of FC Indiana because what we have seen from this team so far is beneficial to no one.
Final prediction: They win a game. Just kidding. Zero points.
Follow Jack on Twitter: @JackRenwick22.
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National Independent Soccer Association (NISA) founder Peter Wilt joins the panel to discuss the newly forming league, his former clubs and all things U.S. Soccer. Wilt helped launch the Chicago Fire, Chicago Red Stars and Indy Eleven, to name a few.
Soc Takes contributing writer Kartik Krishnaiyer also guests alongside regular co-hosts Aaron Gunyon, John Lenard and Kevin Johnston in this information-packed episode.
Thumbnail image credit: NISA
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Photo credit: Josh Hallett
INDIANAPOLIS — The antiquated confines of IUPUI’s Michael A. Carroll Stadium have served as the home of the Indy Eleven since their inaugural 2014 campaign. For all the charm “The Mike” possesses, the beyond-dated venue has some significant drawbacks.
A lack of proper locker room facilities and sufficient plumbing negatively affect both the players and fans. The nearest showers are across the street at the Indiana University Natatorium, while standing “water” is too often a staple of the built-in restrooms fans use behind the grandstand. Using on-site portable toilets is the other option. No brick-and-mortar concessions nor kitchens exist on the premises. There’s also no true concourse for fans to seek shelter during foul weather.
Alas, the USL-bound Indy Eleven are now in talks to call Lucas Oil Stadium their home pitch. And oddly enough, the pitch itself might be one of the hang-ups currently stalling an agreement between the two parties. The club’s former public relations and communications director John Koluder recalled a FIFA compliance issue with the stadium’s turf, which was designed specifically for American football.
I think the turf at LOS is going to be an issue though. When doing ICC a few years back was told the turf (at the time) did not meet FIFA standard and was (obviously) geared towards 🏈 and not ⚽️. Interesting to see if an upgrade would need to occur.
— John K. Koluder (@JohnKoluder) January 6, 2018
In 2013, Chelsea bested Inter Milan 2-0 at the $720 million mega-stadium, home of the Indianapolis Colts, that comfortably seats over 62,000 with the potential to hold up to 70,000 for some events. The match, part of the International Champions Cup, drew nearly 42,000 supporters. The caveat? Natural grass was brought in for the match, a move that’s likely too expensive to even be in play for the Eleven. An artificial surface is the only practical option.
The city’s Capital Improvement Board (CIB), which operates Lucas Oil Stadium, might be unwilling to pay for an expensive, entirely-new surface that satisfies FIFA regulations, leaving the Eleven in a pricey quandary. In addition to purchasing the new turf, there are likely substantial labor costs associated with installing and uninstalling the surface to alternate from football to fútbol.
FIFA bylaws state that an artificial playing surface “must meet the requirements of the FIFA Quality Concept for Football Turf or the International Artificial Turf Standard, unless special dispensation is given by FIFA.” The criteria outlined in the FIFA Quality Concept for Football Turf is quite complex, and it’s unclear which specific categories the current Lucas Oil Stadium turf isn’t up to par in.
Moreover, potential NFL scheduling conflicts will need to be manuevered around. The NFL won’t release its 2018 schedule until April, which further complicates matters.
Standard overhead costs — what some might think present the most sizable obstacle in the deal — may actually be reasonable given the two parties were unlikely to sit at the negotiating table in the first place were they not.
While a move to Lucas Oil Stadium would be a massive upgrade for the club, a couple hurdles still need to be leaped for that to happen. But it’s entirely possible if a few kinks are worked out.
The Indy Eleven will make their USL debut March 24 on the road against the Richmond Kickers before hosting FC Cincinnati in their March 31 home opener — in whichever stadium the financial and political winds take them.
Soc Takes staff writer Aaron Gunyon contributed to this story.
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Miami FC CEO Sean Flynn. Credit: Miami FC
On Wednesday, Miami FC announced that they will play a team in the NPSL. This story was originally reported by Soc Takes. Soc Takes reached out to Miami FC CEO Sean Flynn, via email, to ask a few questions about Wednesday’s news:
Nipun Chopra – Jacksonville Armada has introduced a loan option for players to go to other clubs while paying for their salaries. Will Miami FC follow suit? Would Miami FC be willing to pay for a portion of wages for players that might wish to play professionally?
Sean Flynn – We are looking at each player and situation individually and will try and do what is best for the player and Miami FC.
NC – Will all current Miami FC players be available to play in the Miami FC 2 team? If not, which players will play?
SF – We are working with Coach Dalglish on what the NPSL roster will look like, but we anticipate a mix of current Miami FC players and new signings.
NC – There were reports that Miami FC was exploring the option to join USL a few weeks ago. Were those reports accurate?
SF – The Miami FC’s focus has always been playing in the NASL in 2018.
NC – If the lawsuit appeal fails, will Miami FC release its players after the NPSL season?
SF – Our focus remains on getting ready for a 2018 NASL season come August.
NC – Will Miami FC and/or Miami FC2 be able to play in the US Open Cup?
SF – Miami FC has submitted its application to play in the 2018 US Open Cup. We are hoping to hear an answer soon from USSF on when we will enter the competition.
Follow Nipun on Twitter: @NipunChopra7.
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