Category: Sidewinder Insider

For those of you keeping score, I wrote a salute to Atlanta Silverbacks FC back in March, 2018.

The club was a couple of months away from competing in the National Premier Soccer League, and I was happy the ol’ gorillas were still alive and grunting.

You know the story … the team started as the Atlanta Ruckus in 1995, morphed into the Silverbacks in 1998, and competed in the A-League, USL First Division and “new” North American Soccer league before its reserve team wound up in the NPSL and retained the identity.

But while the last time I wrote about the Silverbacks was 10 months ago, today might be the last time I write about the Silverbacks, period.

They are no more – renamed Atlanta SC because Boris Jerkunica (who owned the NASL Silverbacks) and the team are officially divorced. Jerkunica still owns the “brand” as well as Silverback Park, so he got custody of the name.

Atlanta SC will have to play somewhere else starting in May.

“After three years of running the Silverbacks as owner, general manager, and head coach, we have had some success and challenges on and off the field,” Atlanta SC owner and President Phoday Dolleh said in a statement released by the NPSL on January 4. “Both the Silverbacks Park ownership and myself have come to an agreement to move in a separate direction. The park will keep the name, giving us no choice but to rebrand. We want to continue to be a key player in the development of soccer in (the) best soccer city in the U.S.”

On the plus side, this is a club that finished 7-4-3 a year ago. In terms of coaches and prospects, it should certainly be a key player in the Southeast Conference Division of the NPSL South Region.

But there doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of positive energy behind the new/old team at the moment – at least none that’s apparent to me.

Westside 109, the original supporters group for the Silverbacks, are in wait-and-see mode, which is understandable.

I get the impression they want to continue to wave the flag, so to speak, but want to see how and where they fit in.

The Atlanta Ultras, an independent supporters group, released a statement via Twitter on Tuesday announcing they won’t support Atlanta SC. The gist of the statement is that the evolution of the club “doesn’t reflect our ideas at all,” and, “… a club without any connections to the Silverbacks, besides the GM, is nothing we can and will follow as an Ultra crew.”

And what about the Silverbacks Trust?

Its goal was to raise $100,000 to contribute to the club’s operating expenses, which would lead to partial ownership.

I assume “Silverbacks” is now taboo in relation to the team, so the trust will have to change its identity if not its focus.

Look – I’m not an insider. All I know is what I’m hearing from some of the team’s supporters, who seem glad the club is no longer in the hands of Jerkunica but extremely upset at what they see as a case of identity theft.

I get it.

Even though the current iteration of New York Cosmos shares only a name with the original NASL Cosmos, that name – that identity – has kept me a fan.

They are far removed from Pele, Chinaglia and Beckenbauer in both years and star power, but to me they’re still the Cosmos and they remain my favorite American soccer team.

If they changed ownership and became the New York Whatevers, things wouldn’t be the same.

That might sound silly, but it’s the truth.

And that’s the challenge facing a hardcore group of people who love the Silverbacks.

The new team’s colors are peach and green and feature what is – to me – an uninspired logo.

And even though the players on the field this summer will look familiar, they might as well be in disguise to anyone hoping for a Silverbacks callback.

By all accounts, moving on from the old regime is the best path forward for the club.

Moving away from Silverbacks, however, is sad – especially since those with skin in the game had no choice in the matter.

With the calendar flipped to 2019, the National Premier Soccer League moves a step closer to its 17th season.

And while the big news going forward is the NPSL Founder’s Cup – the organization’s professional venture that begins this fall – the foundation of the circuit is still in its 90-plus grassroots teams.

Asheville City Soccer Club head coach Mick Giordano is excited to see the league branch out, even though ACSC – for now – is remaining part of the amateur alignment.

“The (NPSL Founders Cup) will be another wonderful opportunity for fans to engage with the professional game in more markets across the country,” Giordano said. “It allows us to continue to grow the game in local communities similar to what you see across the world. The access to a professional team for some fans will be just minutes away instead of a few hours due to the size of the U.S. The buy-in to the sport will continue to grow due to this, and help it grow more across our country. We think future of the NPSL will be bright with more clubs taking the next steps forward.”

Chattanooga FC, Detroit City FC, Miami FC, Miami United FC, Milwaukee Torrent and New York Cosmos comprise the Founders Cup East, while the West features ASC San Diego, Cal FC, California United Strikers FC, FC Arizona and Oakland Roots.

“You look at the lower leagues in England, National League North and National League South for example, they began and are run in a similar fashion,” Giordano said.

ACSC moving forward as a “traditional” NPSL club is fine with Giordano; there is plenty of time to grow.

“As for Asheville City SC, our focus will continue to be on solidifying the foundation of our club to enable us to be around for many years to come, to inspire younger generations of boys and girls in (Western North Carolina) and have a top club they aspire to play for one day, and to make a difference within our community and fan base,” he said.

The 2019 campaign, which begins in May, will be second for Giordano as manager. His first edition of Blues finished 5-6-3 in the Southeast Conference Division of the South Region, qualifying for the playoffs and advancing to the second round of the knockout tournament.

Midfielder Kristian Moore-Cowell and forward Bruno Andrade represented Asheville on the all-conference team.

Miami FC, playing out of the Sunshine Conference Division of the South Region, won the NPSL title last season. Chattanooga FC, which finished atop the Southeast Conference Division, was No. 23 in the 2018 NPSL power rankings.

“The standard of the NPSL is a lot higher than people give it credit for, especially the Southeast division,” Giordano explained. “For me, I feel the level was raised from 2017 to 2018, but I was not surprised by it. You look at the Atlanta Silverbacks, who made a run to the Regional final losing to eventual winner Miami FC. We beat them home and away in the regular season, as did Chattanooga.

“My point being, in our conference, everyone can find a massive result on any given day. There are loads of good players on every team.”

Giordano points specifically to ACSC’s Manny Perez, a North Carolina State standout who is working on a deal with Celtic FC of the Scottish Premier League, and Silverbacks standout Keka Kamara, a UCLA product who signed with German club SC Paderborn.

“There are loads more though,” he said. “You’ve got top managers as well; coaches that really know what they are doing. There is a reason we will see NPSL teams continue to make runs in the U.S. Open Cup, especially teams from the Southeast.”

And while Giordano is no longer a rookie NPSL coach, he says he hit the ground running the minute he got the job.

“I’d like to think I was comfortable from the start,” said Giordano, who was assistant head coach for the Wofford College men’s team in 2018. “I had a few nerves on opening day at Memorial Stadium in front of an awesome crowd of 2,200 Blues faithful, but I’ve been fortunate to be on a staff that won the ACC regular season and tournament titles, as well as play in a National Championship. One thing my head coach during that time always said was, ‘The moment is never too big. We are meant to be here in this moment. Enjoy it and thrive in it.’

“I try to take that with me everywhere I go. That being said, I know I will enjoy year two even more than year one and not let the small stuff linger. I have the opportunity to work with the best ownership, staff, and players in the entire country. I couldn’t ask for more than that.”

Giordano graduated from UNC Asheville and was a two-year starter for the Bulldogs. Before coaching at Wofford, he spent time on the staff at Wake Forest.

This year he returns to his alma mater as an assistant coach.

“I am back at UNC Asheville working for (head coach Mathes Mennell), which is great,” Giordano said. “He is one of my mentors and has done a lot for me in my short career thus far.”

However, the difference in coaching college soccer and the sport at the elite amateur level does have its differences.

“For me, the biggest difference is the level and mindset,” Giordano said. “In the summer for City, we are strictly football and community relations. We don’t have to manage the boys’ time with classes, study hall, tutors, etc. Also, at City we are working with some of the best players in the entire country; truly elite footballers and athletes.

“In the college game, you are managing player development and helping players manage all the distractions of being a college athlete. At UNC Asheville, we focus on three areas: player growth as a footballer, player growth academically, and overall growth as an individual to make a difference in society.”

For now, though, it’s all about the Blues, and prep for a new season has already begun.

“The process for our roster is well underway,” Giordano said. “The staff has worked tirelessly since August scouting games and developing a large player pool. From there we have been able to break that large number into a smaller group. Then add in personal relationships with college coaches and we have another group of players. Our goal from the beginning of this process has been to identify the players that will fit our brand and standard, both on and off the field.

“We hope to build on what we did last year with several returners dashing the Navy and White again.”

For more information on ACSC, go to www.ashevillecitysc.com.

Woods new coach of ACSC women’s club

The Asheville City women’s side, which competes in the Women’s Premier Soccer League, has new leadership in 2019.

The club on Friday announced that Lisa-Marie Woods has been named head coach, taking the reins from Stacey Enos.

The club had a successful inaugural season in 2018, finishing 9-1-1 while competing in the Carolinas Conference of the South Region.

An Oslo, Norway, native, Woods earned her coaching license in 2003 and is currently on the staff of the Creighton University women’s team.

As a player, her career spanned 14 years and nine different countries. She captained Norway’s U-19 team in the UEFA Women’s Under-19 Championship in 1998, and in 2010 she was named the top player in Norway’s premiere women’s league, the Toppserien.

As understatements go, calling 2018 a challenging year for Motorik FC Alexandria ranks right up there with the classics.

The grassroots soccer team made a huge leap forward when it joined the 2nd Division of the Maryland Major Soccer League, and managed a 3-1-6 record while competing in the South Division of the promotion/relegation circuit.

But wins, losses and draws don’t come close to telling the season’s tale.

There were player defections that kept the roster in flux and, sometimes, made the squad shorthanded on match day; coaching changes that came in-season; occasional practice challenges (such as players not showing up); and the club even had difficulty securing a pitch for its home matches.

Growing pains are to be expected; the hair-pulling pains are much worse.

Still, club founder Kenneth Tebo knew going in there would be many obstacles to overcome and hurdles to clear.

Part of grassroots soccer is planting the grass and then giving it time to grow.

The good news is that Motorik survived the volatile campaign thanks to a core of fully committed players.

“Last season was very tough,” said midfielder Roger Castro, who joined the club during its Summer shakeup. “A lot of guys left, and left us to die in a hole. But we managed to bounce back and get two more wins under our belt, and just narrowly missed the playoffs.”

The hackneyed saying – “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” – has some merit in this case.

“Last season we had a lot of ups and downs,” forward and team Golden Boot winner Ibrahim Kabba said. “But we have a tryout January 13th so I hope new, better and more dedicated players come and see what great opportunities Motorik FC has in store for them. Clubs at this level don’t give what Motorik and the president offer, to be honest. You only find these things at pro academies, and it always comes with a hefty price.

“But here at Motorik you spend maybe about $200 for the season, and you’re set.”

Kabba was an object lesson in perseverance last season, overcoming a major ankle injury – and some self-doubt – to win the Golden Boot and emerge as one of the club’s leaders.

“The worst part of the season was a game against Rockville where I sprained my ankle and was out for basically half the fall season,” he said. “I missed four games, and at that time I had only one goal for the season, so mentally I was dealing with thoughts of maybe quitting or maybe I just wasn’t good enough for my position.

“But knowing my mentality and how hard I work, I just blocked those thoughts and continued to recover, and ended up coming back stronger and setting records.”

Kabba finished the season with five goals and one assist in league play and nine goals and two assists overall, and he and his mates won’t have to wait long to get back to work.

After the January 13 tryouts at Loisdale Park in Springfield, Virginia, the squad plays El Salvador de Manassas FC in a friendly on January 26.

Then, Motorik begins Stewart Cup play on February 3 when it faces 1st Division club Academy FC in Columbia, Maryland. That competition dates back to 1932 and determines the amateur champion of Maryland. The winner advances to the United States Adult Soccer Association Region I qualifiers for the US Amateur Cup.

Between friendlies, cup competitions and Spring and Fall seasons, Motorik is in almost constant motion.

And the players who saw things through to the end in 2018 are proud they helped hold things together.

“I think Motorik is the best fit for me right now because of how well-connected everyone is and how everyone pushes each other to strive for greatness, and that can only help you in positive way,” Castro explained. “We’re building something truly special to become a championship team, and with our dedication, there is nothing that can stop us.”

Both Kabba and Castro says the naming of Walter Cobb as the club’s new skipper has been arguably the biggest offseason boost.

“The coach is phenomenal,” Kabba said. “I personally train with him and he has helped me improve a lot on my finishing and turning towards the goal. These are the kind of coaches you want when you want your team to go forward.”

Castro agrees.

“Walter Cobb is an amazing coach,” Castro said. “His play style is one that all players love – a possession base style where we don’t force any balls and are comfortable with the ball and scanning our shoulders constantly and limiting our touches to help us play the game faster.

“And if we are two seconds faster than the other team, we will surely make the jump to first division in the Maryland majors.”

Motorik FC has already expanded its footprint by entering into a working relationship with Nigerian club FC Leyenda, with the goal of acquiring a couple of its players on loan.

Closer to home the club has a tentative agreement to play a pair of high profile friendlies against Chattanooga FC – one of the founding members of the fledgling professional wing of the National Premier Soccer League and a shining example of grassroots soccer.

Supporters can also become patrons; for a minimum contribution of $250, members of the Motorik FC Player Sponsor Program can have their name and/or logo placed on the back bottom of a player’s jersey with the investment split evenly between the club and player.

And while there are sure to be more challenges ahead – even unexpected ones – there is no lack of enthusiasm on the part of the players.

“I’m really looking forward to lifting a trophy with Motorik this season,” Kabba said. “This will be our second season playing together so we’re still working on the chemistry. We already have individual talent. This season for me our main strength will be defense and midfield.

“If we can get those two parts better with the help of our new coach, we’ll be looking at our first league trophy.”