Analyzing Martin Rennie’s tenure at Indy Eleven

Martin Rennie currently holds the record for most matches as the Manager of Indy Eleven after taking the job in the early days of 2018. Rennie was the Successor to Tim Hankinson the former 2016 NASL Coach of the Year following Eleven’s exit from the North American Soccer League joining the United Soccer League. In this article we will look at Rennie’s statistical impact on the Club as well as taking a look at the future of the Club.

(Records are (W-L-T) ) (Records are as of June 14, 2021)

2018: (13-11-10) 7th in USL Eastern Conference (1st Playoff Appearance)

The USL era began in Indianapolis in the early months of 2018 following Eleven’s departure from the NASL. This would be a bit of a rebuild year looking back given the club basically cleaned house following a weak 2017 season compared to the competitive 2016 NASL Finalist year. Rennie would lead the Club to a 7th Overall finish in the USL Regular Season Standings triggering a playoff birth in the 2018 USL Cup Playoffs. Statistically speaking Indy finished the Regular Season with a 13-11-10 Record. Indy Eleven would bow out of the Playoffs to the eventual USL Cup Champion Louisville City FC (4-1). Key Players from this season include Striker Jack McInerney scoring 10 Goals for the Club in 31 Appearances. Assist Leader this season was Eleven Captain Ayoze with 8 Assists in 29 Appearances. GK Owain Fawn Williams would have 11 Clean Sheets this season.

2019: (19-9-6) 3rd in USLC Eastern Conference (2nd Playoff Appearance)

Indy would have it’s best season in the Rennie Era during the 2019 Season finishing 3rd in the Eastern Conference Standings with a 19-9-6 overall record. Eleven would make a deep run in the USL Cup Playoffs making it to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in the Club’s History falling to Louisville City FC 3-1 After Extra Time. Statistical Leaders this season included Fan favorite Forward Tyler Pasher scoring 13 Goals in 35 Appearances, Assists Leader(s) was a 3 way tie between Kenney Walker, Dane Kelly, and Ayoze. GK Evan Newton would join the Club this season ending the year with 9 Clean Sheets. Jordan Farr would also have 5 Clean Sheets this season.

2020: (7-7-2) 3rd in USLC Group E, 9th in USLC Eastern Conferences (DNQ for USL Cup)

2020 was the first season of the Group format in the USL Championship due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Indy Eleven would play in Group E finishing the Season with a 7-7-2 Record. A few important issues to note here is the Season had a late start due to complications with the Pandemic. This would also be the only year of the Rennie Era that Eleven did not qualify for the USL Cup Playoffs. Also another important note is this season the USL would eventually cancel the Cup Final due to Tampa Bay Rowdies Players testing positive for COVID-19. Neither the Rowdies or Phoenix Rising would play for the USL title. Statistical Leaders this year would include Tyler Pasher scoring 10 Goals in 15 Appearances, Assist Leader would be another tie between Ayoze and Andrew Carleton with 3 Assists. GK Evan Newton’s Final Season would conclude with 3 Clean Sheets in 15 Appearances.

2021: (3-3-1) 4th in USLC Central Divison of the Eastern Conference, 8th in the USLC Eastern Conference:

The 2021 Campaign (as of June 14, 2021) prior to the Pittsburgh Riverhounds Match on Tuesday June 15th puts Eleven 4th in the Eastern Central Division with a 3-3-1 Record. Eleven has only secured 1 point of a possible 9 points prior to Tuesday’s Match. There are still 25 Matches to play this year. This is also the first season that Eleven will play outside of the Eastern Conference facing off against Western Conference opponents such as El Paso Locomotive, and Real Monarchs SLC. (Fun fact Monarchs are currently the Defending Champs of the League Title) There are still 75 Points to be played for this Season. Current Statistics Leaders include Eleven Newcomer Jordan Hamilton with 3 Goals in 7 Appearances, Gordon Wild is currently leading the Assists Bracket with 3 Assists. Jordan Farr currently has 2 Clean Sheets for the year. It’s important to note this year will see a 32 Game Schedule. Along with no outside competitions to be focused on since the US Open Cup is playing with smaller format due to the Pandemic.

Overall:

In his 4 years in charge of the Club statistically speaking (Note this statistic is USL Championship Regular Season Records) Martin has a (42-30-19) Record. USL Stats equal up to an overall of 91 Matches. Rennie has a Playoff Record of (2-2-0) (4) and finally Coaching 3 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup matches with a (1-2-0) Record (3rd Round being Eleven’s best result in his tenure. Totaling 91 Regular Season, 4 Playoff Games, and 3 US Open Cup Matches in charge totaling 98 Competitive Matches in Charge of Indy Eleven for a Club Record 4 years in Charge.

USL	USL Cup Playoffs	U.S. Open Cup
42-30-19	2-2-0	1-2-0

Grand Totals: 45 Wins, 34 Losses, and 19 Draws in 98 Competitive Appearances

Looking Forward (Ayers’ Opinion):

There is still 25 Matches to contend for a Playoff Spot during this Year’s USL Championship. As it stands Indy Eleven is in the hunt to make the USL Cup Playoffs. If Eleven can manage to make a Playoff Push after an average start to the 2021 Campaign I can definitely see Rennie getting the nod to return for a 5th Season. I think complications caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic is a big reason many may see Rennie’s Tenure as a failure but it’s really important to be mindful that when it comes to USL Championship it’s more important you make the playoffs compared to winning a Regular Season Championship. It’s a cool piece of silverware to obtain but aside from a number 1 overall seed and home field advantage in the Playoffs it really doesn’t mean anything. If Eleven makes the Playoffs especially after almost completely overhauling the roster. I’d consider the year a success.

***Statistics found in this Article come from the USL Website (For USL Stats) and the Cup.US (for US Open Cup Records) This blog is always open to fact check for the betterment of the Platform.

Looking back on Indy Eleven’s inaugural USL Season

INDIANAPOLIS:

Indy Eleven concluded its first regular season campaign falling 1-0 to Louisville City last weekend across the “Ohio” at Slugger Field. Despite the loss, Indy Eleven clinched its first playoff berth in the United Soccer League securing the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference. Despite some bad performances late in the Season Indy Eleven will finish the season with a 13-11-10 record for their first USL Championship campaign. This article showcases 3 important impacts that the club has had in the 2018 Season and a quick preview for their upcoming playoff match against Louisville City.

 

The Players:

Indy Eleven cleaned house at the end of the 2017 season. Of course, finishing second to last that season definitely called for that. But acquisitions such as Jack Mcinerney who scored 10 goals for the Club in 30 Appearances, Eugene Starikov from the New York Cosmos (6 goals) and of course Soony Saad. Ayoze Garcia was a solid pick up for the backfield banging in 4 goals in 28 appearances. Don’t forget the homecoming of household names such as Dylan Mares and Zach Steinberger back in Indy as well. Overall the team is an absolute 180 degree turn from the 2017 squad and we have a lot to look forward to following the Playoffs. A few questions do rise early on for Zach Steinberger’s future. Will, Steinberger sign with North Carolina FC after going on loan and almost salvaging their season? Only time will tell. 

Martin Rennie:

The acquisition of Martin Rennie to Indy Eleven was (and is) a solid addition to the team. Having a coach with experience from the entire US Soccer Pyramid along with a UEFA Pro License from his time managing abroad. On the North American side, however, he’s best known for leading the Vancouver Whitecaps to their first MLS Cup Playoff appearance and a Cascadia Cup. Rennie helped Indy Eleven take the USL by storm this season by gutting the existing roster and creating a new one along with a good run of form midseason saw Indy’s first playoff birth in the United Soccer League. It’s a good start. There definitely will be a lot to look forward to next season. 

Lucas Oil Stadium:

Many have their reservations playing at Lucas Oil Stadium, of course, competing with American Football lines on a Soccer pitch can definitely be an issue. However, having Indy Eleven play in a “new stadium” has it’s plus sides. 1. Expansion. Indy Eleven is up in attendance this season averaging 10,163 fans according to the United Soccer League’s attendance figures. Currently ranked 3rd in League attendance the long-term move to LOS is starting pay off statistically speaking this means Indy is 1,209 fans from 2017’s average of 8,954 attendees. The long-term strategy for the Club is to build a Soccer Specific Stadium in the City of Indianapolis but right now for the time being at Lucas Oil Stadium is good for the Club. There are some kinks that still need to be worked out in how the Brickyard Battalion will continue to operate having so much more space to cover in having a larger section but overall the experience continues to get better.

Indy has made it clear last offseason that they intend to continue to use Carroll Stadium at IUPUI in the event that different events at LOS conflict with the Eleven.

 

Looking on to Louisville:

The Louisville City – Indy Eleven rivalry has been a spectacle to watch since Louisville was established in 2015. The all-time record of the clubs is (2-2-2) in all competitions One of the most notable performances was Indy Eleven’s win over LCFC at home in the 2016 US Open Cup. Omar Gordon and Indy Eleven all-time leading goal scorer Eamon Zayed scored in the match to carry Indy Eleven to the next round of the Cup. As for the 2018 USL Campaign Indy Eleven and Louisville are still quite equal sharing a 1-1-1 record. The most recent result, of course, was when the Eleven fell to Louisville at Slugger Field 1-0. As for the Playoff match Expect a tough match. On paper the teams match up pretty evenly, however, there are a few different details to note with this match. Louisville City is the defending USL Cup Champions. On top of this, they have a great history when it comes to the Playoffs in the USL. Indy Eleven’s only playoff experience was in the 2016 NASL Championship where they went on to play in their first playoff final against Cosmos where they would fall to New York on penalties. As for this season, however, expect a good showing from the Eleven. Geographically this will be an awesome match because you will see a full away section of fans from the BYB on site for the match. Indy Eleven can win but it will indeed be tough.

 

Author’s Final Word:

Overall, I’m quite impressed with how Indy Eleven has navigated the 2018 campaign. The new coach, new atmosphere, and new players has definitely paid off for the Eleven this season. I expect Indy to come in on all cylinders to upset City and move on in the playoffs. It’s going to be an awesome match. Below is a picture we took on an away day match against North Carolina back in the Spring. 

 

 

Saying Goodbye to the City that raised me (A Farewell to Indy)

How do you say goodbye to the City that raised you? Some people put heartfelt messages on Social Media, some have farewell parties. Well, why not a farewell blog post?

In its entirety, I have spent 18 years, and about 6 months living in the Circle City. Aside from my stint in Evansville some 3 years ago. Since 2014 I have had the pleasure of connecting with the local soccer community working on different media outlets such as the Inscriber Magazine based out in Cleveland, and the most notable outlet was with Midfield Press in 2015 and 2016.

Following the completion of the 2017 Season, I will be taking a pause in blogging, and any media activity to pursue a career in the United States Marine Corps. I am slotted to attend Recruit Training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot – San Diego on November 27th or even earlier if called. This also means I will be moving away from Indianapolis (and Indiana for the first time) I’ve never lived outside of Indiana. The farthest I’ve traveled is East Coast, and farthest west is Oklahoma City. It will definitely be a huge cultural change.

For the last 3 years, I have found my best work in blogging about Indy Eleven and doing podcasts with my partner in Media hysteria Colin Steitz with the Two Americans Podcast. There is so much to talk about when you think about the last 4 years at Indy Eleven. From the build-up years of 2014 and 2015 to the stellar 2016 Spring Season, The first time Indy beat the Cosmos at the Mike, The home semi-final against FC Edmonton, to the heartbreaking defeat in the Championship Final and the disappointing 2017 campaign there has been a lot to talk about when it comes to the Indy Eleven. If it isn’t about the Eleven there has always been the fantastic tifo displays put together by the Brickyard Battalion and don’t forget to mention the politics and mediocrity that is US Soccer.

But what has been most important to me has been the personal experiences that I have had when it comes to Indy Eleven, Indianapolis and beyond that.

First, I want to thank the front office personnel at Indy Eleven for giving me the opportunity to cover the team more specifically I want to send a shout out to John Koluder and Scott Stewart for making that possible. Also, Good luck at Louisville City Scott! I want to also give a shout out to the Media Corps of Indy Eleven (You know who you are).

Secondly, Jason Bruzzichesi I want to thank you for your guidance these last few years when it’s come to blogging, NASL DG, and joining the Marine Corps. You are one of the best friends one could have and I hope to finally get to share a beer with you when I find myself in North Carolina next summer. You are the embodiment of what makes a great Marine.

To my friends, I have made in my time in Brickyard Battalion I want to wish you all the best. Here are a few people I’d like to mention in that: (these are done by the date we’ve met)

Shane Linker, I want to personally thank you for being the first person that welcomed me into the deeper side of Indy Soccer in 2015 in that match against the Carolina Railhawks. I’m not sure what the result of that fixture was exactly but that match definitely sprung a friendship I definitely will cherish while I’m away, and when I’ll return.

Gus and Danielle Ochoa, You guys are the best, I am very thankful to have you guys around. Gus, it was a blast getting to jump in a few interviews with you and the radio show. I definitely will be stopping by the Ochoa household when I return on boot leave from the Marine Corps. I owe you both a lot. I wish you both the best.

Celeste Jameson, Michael Patrick, and Ben Voegele, I want to thank you guys for helping me develop my interest in all things Portland, Oregon. I hope I can find myself in Providence Park for a live Portland Timbers match sometime in the future. All 3 of you guys are good people. I wish you all the best.

Colin Steitz, My man. My brother. You sir (IMO) are the loudest supporter in the Brickyard Battalion. You are primed to be a fantastic Capo for the club and I hope you eventually get to be on the capo stand. Your analysis on all things UEFA (more specifically the Bundesliga) along with your wit when it came to the podcasts we have collaborated on in the recent past. I wish you all the best in your quest in the field of economics. You will do fantastic.

Trey Higdon, I want to thank you for being a fantastic (and frequent guest) on the 2AP. You have come a long way in your young career. From leading LFC Indy to be one of the best (if not the best) supporter’s group outside of Indy Eleven along with all of the media contributions you have made for Indy Eleven. I wish you the best of luck in your career.

Michelle Kennedy,  You are probably the MVP on this list. Issues aside. I have fulfilled a dream of finding someone that I can share my “passions” with. Whether it’s soccer or impromptu trips to 3 different states in a day to the good times we have in our personal time. I want to thank you for your patience and helping me become a better person in the time we have spent together. I don’t think you have seen this directly but I am definitely a very different person than I was when we first met. I’ve been told that a woman’s role in a relationship is to “Make a boy into a man” (That sounds really fucked up, I know) You have helped me when everyone else left the picture and stook with me through the storm and I’m happy to know that you will be there once I get through it all once I reach the fleet this time next summer. You have helped me mature. You also have helped me lost 35 pounds by pushing me to prepare for the USMC. You are my favorite person, and I hope that we can span our future in the Marine Corps. Your advice has helped me a lot when it has come to the preparation and you are an embodiment of the ethos of the Marine Corps.

Honorable Mentions:

David and Carla Rosenfield, I want to thank you guys for your contributions to the club and putting up with my bullshit when I went through my troll phase on social media. David I would like for to consider you for my 2nd or 3rd “Daddy” slot. (Jokes aside) You guys are fantastic and Indy needs more brass.

Brandi Frewer and David Rash, I know we may not know each other that well. I believe I met you guys through Shane at some point at the beginning of this season. You guys are good people. I want to stay connected to you guys here in the future and you are always welcome in the Ayers household.

Nipun Chopra, for asking all of the “tough questions” when it comes to the future of the Eleven.

Patrick Haggan, for the amount of trash talk we’ve shared on social media and the good conversations we’ve shared at matches.

There are many more stories I can share. Many more people to thank. These are a few impressionable ones that come to mind.

Aside from the Soccer World:

I want to reach out to those that have helped during the first two years of my Undergraduate Education such as my friends at the Indiana Medical History Museum, IUPUI, and Ivy Tech. (I will reach out to you personally)

The future is bright, a bit mysterious in some ways. But my second stint in Indianapolis has been not only enjoyable but a growing experience in many ways. Building up to independence and also learning more about the little things that make this city great. I may not be able to attend an Eleven match that much these next few years but I know that I will either be live streaming the match or be there in spirit.

 

 

Ayers: I have a love-hate relationship with Tim Hankinson

Tim Hankinson, The Man, The Myth, The Legend?

Tim Hankinson has seen almost every level of US Soccer from his experiences in MLS with Tampa Bay, The Colorado Rapids. The NASL, with San Antonio Scorpions, Indy Eleven to the college level coaching a few NCAA schools in the late ’80’s and on top of that international experience in Jamaica and Iceland to name a few. With experience like that would make any second division soccer club like Indy Eleven top contenders to pick the man up.

“The Love”:

Coach Hank earned his spot as one of the most successful managers in Indy Eleven’s young history in 2016 earning the club’s first silverware winning the 2016 Spring Season Championship and leading Lady Victory to the Club’s first Championship Final against the New York Cosmos where they, unfortunately, lost on penalties. (Please don’t remind me) Hankinson was also honored by the NASL as the Coach of the Year.

As a manager Hankinson definitely has decent recruiting skills introducing the league to the talents of Eamon Zayed, Justin Braun, and Nicki Paterson to name a few.

The 2016 Season by far will be one of the most important campaigns this club may ever have. Of course, until the Club finally wins the title or the US Open Cup.

Hankinson also very knowledgeable about the Beautiful Game. When he finally retires his name will definitely go down in US Soccer History as one of the most experienced, and colorful manager’s of the federation’s MLS era.

If Hankinson were to leave Indy Eleven today he would easily be the Club’s most successful manager.

“The Hate”:

With every decent manager comes a few challenges. It’s hard to say who, or what is to blame for the 2017 Campaign being as bad as it has. Coming into a preseason with a lot of injuries with a huge chip on your shoulder from being a few penalties away from the Club’s first League Title in the history of the club it definitely would take a toll on you everytime you take to the pitch, or look at highlights from the prior season.

Personnel Losses:

On top of that as a manager, you have to face the harsh realities of losing key talent within the club. Dylan Mares’ exit to Miami FC may be one of Coach Hank and the Front Office’s biggest failures of the past offseason.The loss of Assistant Manager Tim Regan also hurts the mentality of the club. If Hankinson had to part ways with Regan because of a conflict of interest I hope he did his best to keep the man at the club.

Also, the loss of Duke Lacroix was a huge loss for the Club. His time at Orange County SC proves he could have had a decent shot at our Starting XI. Especially this season.

The loss of Lovel Palmer to Miami FC was also a punch in the face. This wouldn’t be Hank’s fault. However, it is a very savage move by a league rival to snatch up one of your former starting defenders.

The Nature of the League in 2017:

I’m sure many fans around the league would agree that the nature of the NASL in the 2017 season has been everything but fantastic. Teams are spread out throughout the continent. Puerto Rico, Edmonton, and San Francisco being our longest away days. Many matches this season are played in back to back matches against the same club. Given there are only 8 clubs in the league. Hankinson definitely has had to deal with the issue of trying to keep his tactics secret against these teams. He’s also done well in those reverse fixtures. The 2017 Spring Season was not kind to the club either finishing 6th with a 4-8-4 record. The 2017 Fall Season has been an absolute disaster going 3-2-6 so far. 3 of the 6 losses have been at home. Which of course by the tradition of Indy Eleven losing at home is a sin.

Some Final Thoughts:

I am really looking forward to what Tim has to offer against the Cosmos this Saturday. He may have issues with fitness when it comes to a number of games the club has played recently but I do know for a fact that matches like these are some of the most important games of the year.

Personally, I believe Hankinson would be a more successful Coach in another league like Major League Soccer or the United Soccer League. There’s more for the man to study versus having to deal with a crumbling North American Soccer League. Depending on how the season ends along with moves by the FO and the possible folding the league I do think Hankinson should be given a shot by Ersal to coach a USL side. Or in the event, he is let go by Indy Eleven he definitely should look at managing in the United Soccer League. There’s a large number of games like MLS and a diverse amount of clubs where it’s hard for other clubs to figure out your system.

As long as the Boys in Blue play for Hankinson he’ll manage to be successful at Indy Eleven. If he loses the locker room Hank will have a really hard time keeping his job.

 

 

 

Indy Eleven wins, looks forward to NYC

Indy Eleven had a pretty impressive showing against Puerto Rico FC on Wednesday night taking down PRFC 2-1 off a brace from Birthday Boy Eamon Zayed who now also holds the club record for most goals scored with 24 goals for Lady Victory. Indy Eleven came off a 5-0 defeat against North Carolina FC earlier in the week. On top of this, the club is working on a 4 game schedule within 10 days. Indy Eleven should complete the 3rd match of the run against New York Saturday before traveling to San Francisco October 11th.

Disciplinary Issues was one of the main highlights of the night:

Yellow Cards plagued Indy Eleven Wednesday Night as Kwame, Torrado, Corey Miller, and Goldsmith all got yellow cards and thankfully not getting a red in the process. There were a few times during the match that the officials probably could have pulled out the red card a few times last night when the match decided to become an all-out brawl in extra time.

Indy Eleven conceded a penalty in the 88th minute when Torrado handballed in the penalty box. Ultimately Gentile would convert the penalty attempt making the final score 2-1.

Contributor’s Thoughts:

* Tim Hankinson had a good response to this past week’s loss to North Carolina FC (5-0) He’s managed to pull the Eleven out of the last place to now 6th place on the NASL Fall Season Table. Another win against the Cosmos would put the Eleven in 5th place. A win and a loss from Edmonton could put Indy Eleven in the top 4 and Tim if you are reading this. We made sure to “Write nice Things” 😉

*Eamon Zayed has proved that he is one Indy Eleven’s all-time best players in the win against PRFC scoring his 8th and 9th goals of the season. We definitely want to congratulate him on a job well done and a belated happy birthday!

*Kwame Watson Siriboe had a decent first half on Wednesday taking a few headers in the penalty box to prevent Puerto Rico FC from scoring. He’s definitely had a tough season so far and has been a very controversial topic when you talk to the fans. He had a decent match. The only flaw was colliding with Brad Ring in the penalty box in the first half.

 

Also, Fuck the Cosmos. – LDA

 

 

The Evolution of the NASL (2013 – Present)

The North American Soccer League’s survival has always been in question since Indy Eleven joined the ranks of the league in 2013. There has been a lot of speculation as of recently if or if not the league will have 2nd Division status in 2018. So, Without further a do let’s look at the evolution of the North American Soccer League in the era of Indy Eleven.

2013:

The 2013 Season saw it’s 3rd season in the revived league. The league consisted of 8 teams at the time including the Atlanta Silverbacks, FC Edmonton, Carolina Railhawks, Tampa Bay Rowdies, Minnesota United FC, San Antonio Scorpions, Fort Lauderdale Strikers, and expansion side New York Cosmos (Revived). Puerto Rico had a club at the time known as the Puerto Rico Islanders. The Club ended up folding at the end of the 2013 Campaign.

Spring Season Champion: Atlanta Silverbacks

Fall Season Champion: New York Cosmos

The North American Supporter’s Trophy: Carolina Railhawks

* The NAST was the NASL equivalent to the Major League Soccer Supporter’s Shield which is awarded to the Club with the most points from the combined season table at the end of the Regular Season.

Soccer Bowl Champion: New York Cosmos

2014:

2014 saw the addition of expansion sides Indy Eleven and the Ottawa Fury. The league at the time would move up to 10 clubs with Virginia Calvary FC being slotted to join the league as well that season but decided to hold out until 2016. (VCFC would never play a match). The Puerto Rico Islanders would fold during the 2013 offseason and the 2014 campaign would be contested in a split season format. The North American Supporter’s Trophy would be discontinued this season as well.

Spring Season Champion: Minnesota United FC

Fall Season Champion: San Antonio Scorpions FC

Soccer Bowl Champion: San Antonio Scorpions FC

The 2014 Season saw the inaugural NASL Championship Playoffs where the Spring Season and Fall Season Champions would host the top clubs of the combined regular season table in a single knockout tournament. Minnesota and San Antonio were the #1 and #2 seeds followed by New York and Fort Lauderdale qualifying as the 3rd and 4th seeds.

2015:

The 2015 Season saw the addition of the Jacksonville Armada putting the league up to eleven teams. The 2015 Season was played in a split format once again with the New York Cosmos clinching the Club’s first Spring Championship. The Ottawa Fury would come in full force in the Fall clinching the club’s first (and only) NASL Silverware during the Fall Championship. The Fury would match the Cosmos on the overall table with 56 points only to be bumped down to being the second seed due to goal differential at the end of the 2015 Regular Season.

Spring Season Champion: New York Cosmos

Fall Season Champion: Ottawa Fury FC

Soccer Bowl Champion: New York Cosmos

2015 NASL Championship Playoffs:

#1 New York Cosmos

#2 Ottawa Fury FC

#3 Minnesota United FC

#4 Fort Lauderdale Strikers

2015 Expansion Struggles:The

The 2015 Offseason would see the departure of the San Antonio Scorpions which would eventually be sold to the ownership group of the San Antonio Spurs which would later become the San Antonio Football Club in the United Soccer League. The Atlanta Silverbacks would leave the NASL and join the NPSL (America’s 4th Division). Ironically during this season Atlanta would be chosen as a 2017 MLS Expansion City with the Atlanta United eventually joining the ranks of MLS this season.

2016:

The 2016 Season would see the rise of Indy Eleven and the consistency of the New York Cosmos including the addition of 3 expansion clubs (Miami FC, Rayo OKC, and Puerto Rico FC) Rayo OKC was especially interesting for its Spanish ties to Rayo Vallecano in La Liga. (They now play in the Spanish 2nd Division, however) Rayo OKC would only play one season in the North American Soccer League before folding at the end of the season. However, the club did make the playoffs in its first and only season of play.

Spring Season Champion: Indy Eleven

Fall Season Champion: New York Cosmos

Soccer Bowl Champion: New York Cosmos (3rd in the modern era)

2016 NASL Championship Playoffs:

#1 New York Cosmos

#2 Indy Eleven

#3 FC Edmonton

#4 Rayo OKC

2017:

The 2017 Season isn’t completely in the history books as of right now. Regardless it has been a pretty interesting season both on and off of the field. First, in the winter of the 2017 Season, the U.S. Soccer Federation would call for both the USL and NASL to have joint Division 2 status for the 2017/18 Season. NASL Commissioner Bill Peterson would be fired from his post. The league would go down to 8 clubs losing Minnesota United FC to MLS Expansion, Both Tampa Bay and Ottawa would join the United Soccer League, and Rayo OKC would fold and the Fort Lauderdale Strikers would temporarily cease operations due to legal issues with the ownership group of the Tampa Bay Rowdies. The New York Cosmos would also almost fold before being sold to Rocco B. Commisso an Italian Millionaire who is the CEO Mediacom Communications. The San Francisco Deltas would join the NASL in the 2017 Spring Season being the season’s only expansion side. The Spring Season also saw the likes of two expansion groups in California rise with Orange County (California United) and San Diego being announced as the League’s two expansion sides for 2018 putting the league up to 10 clubs pending how the independent clubs fair after the 2017 season. Miami FC would win its first NASL Silverware in the 2017 Spring Season and currently hold a tight grip on the 2017 Fall Table in first with 16 points and a 7 point lead on FC Edmonton in 2nd. The Carolina Railhawks would rebrand to being the North Carolina Football Club in 2017 to begin its MLS Expansion bid. Indy Eleven would also join the MLS Expansion list as well.

There definitely is a lot to speculate how the off season will treat the league. Currently, two of the clubs competing in the league are bidding for Major League Soccer. Many speculate the future of the New York Cosmos as well. On top of this Peter Wilt announced plans for a new 3rd division league creating the National Independent Soccer League with ownership groups already announced in 8 different markets. The United Soccer League also announced expansion plans by adding USL D3 which will also begin soon. Will more clubs fold? Will Indy and North Carolina have a shot at Major League Soccer?

There is still a lot of time for the federation to consider which leagues will have a rightful place on the pyramid. Unfortunately with the amount of interest from NISA, and the United Soccer League it will be hard for the federation to come up with a plan that fits each league into its rightful place.

 

 

 

Opinion: Indy Eleven a year later

If you were to compare a movie to Indy Eleven’s current North American Soccer League campaign it would definitely be Tommy Wiseau’s infamous movie “The Room” where the performance was so bad it ended up becoming a cult phenomenon throughout the world.
Aside from this, we have seen a roller coaster ride of bipolar fury among the Eleven this season.

Let’s talk about 2017:

If you were going to jump into a time machine and tell us that the 2017 NASL Campaign would be a complete bust compared to the fight that Indy Eleven put up in the 2016 season we would think you were insane. Especially with a number of returnees on the roster from 2016. There could be multiple factors that have caused Indy Eleven to fall apart as much as they have. Yes, Injuries have plagued the club this season. Especially recently losing Justin Braun for an extended amount of time (Perhaps for the rest of the season?) Also it’s important to note key losses the Eleven took in the Winter and Summer Transfer windows this season. The most notable being Dylan Mares going on to Miami FC, Nicki Paterson returning to Scotland and most recently the release of Lovel Palmer to the newly crowned Spring Season Champion Miami FC.

Is it all superstition?
Was it the loss of the Checkers on the Eleven Kits? Was it switching to Adidas as the Club’s Kit Provider? Is the soccer gods trying to smite us for trying to be all buddy buddy with Don Garber as we try to move up to Major League Soccer? Or is this all just a bad dream we are yet to wake up from?

Whatever it may be from a Supporter’s perspective it’s hard to really put together all of your thoughts while you watch your local club fight its way through a bad campaign. If anything it should make you wish the United States Soccer Federation would allow promotion and relegation because the Eleven would at least be struggling to survive in Major League Soccer (Given, they would be promoted from finishing second overall on the combined table last season) Or if the Club wasn’t promoted they would be fighting to survive in the North American Soccer League and avoiding relegation. The situation would definitely be an interesting challenge for the team and would truly test Hankinson’s coaching ability trying to navigate the ever changing landscape of US Soccer.

Yeah, it’s fun to dream right? Unfortunately, we have to face reality. The team just finished one of its worst spring seasons on record. Along with that, the team had an early exit in the US Open Cup falling to the Michigan Bucks (an amateur team of all things) and on top of that, the Fall Season hasn’t been kind to the Eleven either with the team currently sitting at 8th on the table.
Given the results of the season, it will be interesting to see how the club evaluates Tim Hankinson’s performance as the Head Coach following his second season with the club.

At a glance:
Indy Eleven finished the Spring Season with a 4-8-4 record and currently have a 1-1-4 record in the Fall. The team also started the Fall with 3 straight losses at home which undermined Indy Eleven’s undefeated home streak which lasted 21 matches (It was eventually snapped May 20th against Miami FC)Outside of Tim Hankinson you really can’t find too many head coaches in this division with the amount of experience and successes. It’s really a hard decision for the club to make on if he will return or not.

2016 was definitely historic. 2016 was euphoric and seems like a distant memory.

Ayers: 3 Things to think about coming into 2017

It will have been 146 days since Indy Eleven last stormed the pitch at Carroll Stadium in the Eleven’s semifinal victory against FC Edmonton come Saturday. So much has changed since then from the NASL Soccer Bowl appearance, the NASL/USL Division 2 Decision, to the MLS Bid. There definitely is a lot going through many Eleven supporter’s minds coming into this weekend’s home opener. Here are a few thought’s that comes to mind.

1. 2016 was only the beginning.

Last year was one of the craziest sporting roller coaster rides I’ve ever experienced. The magic of defeating the Cosmos at home, the 4 goals that solidified the Spring Championship, Ubiparipovic’s goal that sent Lady Victory to the Soccer Bowl, and of course there were some lows such as the poor performances in the Sunshine State, to the heartbreaking penalties against the Cosmos in the Soccer Bowl. After interviewing Hankinson with Casillero Deportivo I remember hearing Hank talk about how bad he wanted to build on last year’s success and how the Club’s ultimate goal was to return to the Soccer Bowl this season. Ironically Indy has a really good chance to build on it’s week 1 success starting top of the table coming into week 2. On top of this imagine how important it is for the team to keep it’s undefeated run at home strong. What’s most important is the Spring Season is the warm up for the League. You can’t take the Spring Season likely because it can be the Club’s golden ticket in November it’s the best path to the playoffs.

The goal after all is to earn that Star over our crest right?

2. Don’t underestimate the NASL: 

I can’t stress this enough. At first when I saw that 6 of the 8 NASL Clubs drew in Week 1 at first I had a good laugh (it is very rare this happens, especially in soccer) The league has had its fair share of issues going down to 8 Clubs this off season. One thing that I find very exciting is the fact that last season one of the best parts of league was the fact that the league overall got better in terms of it’s level of play. Any club can be in a top spot coming into week 3. The stronger the start, the better result of course.

The offseason also saw decent signings across the board such as the overhaul at Miami FC, the San Francisco Deltas jumping into the NASL as the Clubs first West Coast club (in the modern era)

Don’t forget to mention changes in leadership of the league such as Bill Peterson leaving his post as the NASL Commissioner.

Every match day is a new match day. This league may not be seen as one of the top leagues in the world but it sure is a competitive one. Anything is possible!

3. Let’s show Garber and Company that Indianapolis is more than just a small metropolis in the middle of a cornfield:

Growing up in the Circle City has had it’s fair share of beautiful sports storylines along with a decent amount of competitive heartbreak. From the 2006 Indianapolis Colts winning the City it’s first major Sports Championship since the Pacers won the American Basketball Association in the late 60’s to Butler University’s back to back National Championship appearances. This City has also had its fair share of memorable events such as numerous NCAA Final Fours, Super Bowl XLVI, and back to back NBA Eastern Conference Finals appearances (both of which went to game 7 for Indiana) the Circle City has always found a way to shine athletically despite it’s smaller size compared to larger markets in the Midwest.

Of course, You can never forget what the Indy Eleven has built by averaging 9,000 + per match along with this the efforts put together by the Brickyard Battalion, Slaughterhouse, and the Eleventh Plague to create a unique game day experience. One of the things that I love about sharing with people outside of the soccer world is how much the fans create the World’s Game just as much as the players do. The displays, the chants, listening to the heckling of the opposing club’s goalkeeper. Everything, it’s therapeutic to say the least.

In closing,

No matter how you feel about the beginning of this year’s NASL Campaign just remember how far this club has come, and how much this club wants to join the elites of the US Soccer.

As Indy bids for MLS Expansion what should be considered?

Late last night multiple media outlets announced that Indy Eleven’s Owner Ersal Ozdemir would personally hand in an application to the Front Office of Major League Soccer in New York City on Tuesday which led to mixed reviews from Supporters through out the Club. Interesting as it is this is about 1 year after outside investors spread interest in bringing a Major League Soccer franchise to Indianapolis on the grounds of the former Indianapolis International Airport grounds in 2016 but it failed in a vote last year. Now a year later Indy Eleven joins 12 other clubs wanting to invest in becoming one of the 4 expansion sides in 2020. What are some Pros and Cons of this move?

1. Stadium Talks in Downtown Indy will be reconsidered with a closer look:

In 2015 Indy Eleven brought up the idea of building a multipurpose stadium in Downtown Indy with the “Stadium for Indiana” Campaign with the notion of building a permanent home for Indy Eleven for the city along with opportunities for Concert Space, High School Soccer Games, High School Football Games, and much more. It managed to pass through the General Assembly but the bill died once it hit the Indiana Senate. Many of the complications with the Stadium plan was the fact that many Hoosiers are not for publicly paying for another sports venue after picking up the bill for the Original Hoosier Dome, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, and most recently Lucas Oil Stadium. Since 2015 Indy Eleven and Peter Wilt parted ways so Wilt could begin work on the Chicago NASL Project and along with this Jeff Belskus the former CEO of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was named the President of Indy Eleven in 2016. During last night’s news Sports Illustrated said that Ozdemir and Belskus have made moves to pay for the Stadium with Club related profit based off of money spent within the Club. Citing that this may end the political bind that will lead to a clear pathway for Indy Eleven to build a new Stadium. Of course. Time will tell.

Here is a link to Indy Eleven’s 2015 Stadium Campaign

2. The Future of the North American Soccer League:

It hasn’t even been a month since Sunil Gulati made the move to make the NASL and United Soccer League have co-ownership of the 2nd division on the American Pyramid. Given the NASL is said to expand to 11 teams by the Fall Season and other NASL franchises  applying for MLS Expansion as well could hurt the NASL very badly. Another issue that many Indianapolis Citizens had with the Stadium bid was also the future of the North American Soccer League saying things such as the NASL doesn’t have the backing to support Soccer Specific Stadiums in the League. It’s solely a conflict of interest. North Carolina FC (originally The Carolina Railhawks) joined into the MLS bid early than the Eleven did but they also took a role of leadership being one of the key voices to have the NASL survive into 2017. The NASL has made good moves since the announcement was made by letting go of former commissioner Bill Peterson and having the New York Cosmos sold to have the league be at 8 teams in the Spring Season.

3. Other Markets looking at MLS Expansion:

Keep in mind there are 4 spots for 2020 but also there is a chance at another round of expansion in 2024.

Cities in the Mix: Charlotte, Cincinnati, Detroit, Nashville, Raleigh, Sacramento, St. Louis, San Antonio, San Diego and Tampa Bay, and Phoenix have all come forward to be interested in MLS Expansion.

Cities most likely to get Expansion based off their current state outside of Indianapolis:

Cincinnati:

FC Cincinnati has become a success story in 2016 when the Club managed to sell out the University of Cincinnati’s Football Stadium for FC Cincinnati and the Club has been very open about expanding to Major League Soccer and has had Don Garber visit the Club in its inaugural season.

Sacramento:

The Sacramento Republic Football Club are a crown jewel of the Independent Clubs in the United Soccer League that have been around for a good amount of time that have an average attendance of around 11,000 in the last 3 seasons. They have also been in the talks of a 4th California MLS Franchise for quite sometime.

St. Louis:

St. Louis has also been very open to bringing MLS to STL. There is also an active campaign to bring a soccer specific stadium to the City. St. Louis FC has an average attendance of around 6,000 however the City has a rich soccer history that can bring up better chances and opportunities to build up the fanbase. Unfortunately St. Louis did lose it’s NFL Franchise at the end of the 2015 Season when the Rams decided to return to Los Angeles which could make it harder for STLFC to make a solid push.

San Diego:

We are really pushing it with this one solely for the fact that San Diego’s Soccer following is mostly in it’s Mexican sister city Tijuana with Club Tijuana in Liga MX. However San Diego has had an NASL Club in the past and has a lot of interest from Don Garber to put a club on the map there to compete with the Liga MX Franchise.

For more information and indepth analysis on Soccer Expansion in North America we do recommend looking into Midfield Press’ on going coverage of the situation at all levels of the pyramid. You can be find this by clicking Here.

Contributor’s Thoughts:

While I do believe that Major League Soccer is the best direction for the longterm survival of the Indy Eleven I do believe that the only way a soccer specific stadium to come to Indianapolis is through private funding given our city is fitting the bill for many other venues in the past. Indy Eleven has made a great Soccer Culture in Indianapolis that has a lot of room to grow as the club continues to get bigger. An MLS spot could mean many more opportunities for future trophies for the Club and more international recognition. However, Indy Eleven is one of the few NASL Success Stories left along with NCFC, the reboot New York Cosmos and Minnesota (who are now in MLS) There is a lot of work to be done however the interest has always been here to bring a third major sports franchise to the city.

Duke Lacroix would be a perfect addition for Minnesota United FC

With Major League Soccer returning earlier this March preseason preparations are just beginning for North America’s Top flight and of course this has been a big offseason for the likes of Minnesota United as they move up to Major League Soccer this season. Earlier this week Minnesota United released the Club’s Preseason Roster which highlighted this past season’s NASL Goal of the Year winner and former Indy Eleven Midfielder Duke Lacroix. Here are a few things Minnesota United should consider while evaluating Lacroix for this upcoming MLS Campaign.

1. The Goal that gave Lacroix the NASL Goal of the Year:

A few things that come to mind when you watch this goal. First, just look at the attacking power Lacroix has when he fights for the ball and manages to get the ball down the field with such grace before delivering the final shot. It’s simply fantastic!

2.  Experience:

Lacroix has a combined 43 appearances in his professional career so far. Most of which are with Indy Eleven accompanying 3 goals for the Eleven, Add on the fact that Lacroix played his college days with Ivy League side with 68 appearances 25 goals, and 15 assists in his college career.

3. The Current State of Minnesota United FC:

Minnesota was granted an expansion slot with Major League Soccer originally for the 2018 season but managed to earn a slot for the 2017 season. The Club will debut against arguably the best conference in Major League Soccer as a member of the Western Conference with the likes of MLS Cup Champion Seattle Sounders, 2016 MLS Supporter’s Shield winners FC Dallas and tough match ups such as the Portland Timbers, Colorado Rapids, Vancouver Whitecaps, and LA Galaxy.

  Minnesota has a lot to offer so far with this group of Midfielders such as former United legend Miguel Ibarra who left the Club for a stint to play in Mexico now returning to play for United as an MLS Club (He will probably wear the Captain’s Armband as well!) We also see former Columbus Crew player Mohammed Saeid and Collen Warner who played for the Houston Dynamo most recently but also notice there is some former NASL players in here such as Ibson. Lacroix can add to this stellar line up and could probably compete with the likes of Collin Martin, and Saeid. You can only imagine everything going through Adrian Heath’s mind as manages his second MLS Expansion side when it comes to the upcoming season. It may not be the Orlando City team with Ricardo Kaka but it has a lot of potential in such a challenging conference.

In Summary,

Duke has a lot to offer at the young age of 23. Having had a lot of experience in the midfield as a Left winger for Penn, and tearing up the midfield in every chance he got with Indy Eleven you can really see what the Eleven will be missing this season with out Duke in the lineup. Minnesota has a great opportunity to compete in its first season in Major League Soccer and they have an opportunity to build up a roster that can compete for MLS Cup. The league is a tough one to compete in. Especially in the Western Conference with a midfielder like Duke Lacroix on your starting eleven you have really good odds of getting a shot or two on goal from the likes Lacroix or a fantastic assist.

Below are a few highlight reels from Lacroix’s career so far:

We at Central State FC wish Duke the best of luck to him as he trials for the next step in his career!