Thought I'd start up a thread so we can keep track of all the preseason games/events as they are announced. Today we learned that the Strikers will be playing the Rowdies in Auburndale on March 31st. Considering it's less than a month away from the first REAL Strikers-Rowdies game up in St. Pete, there will not be any organized trip up for that one. Anyway, here's what we know so far: March 10: FTL St. Patty's Parade - Downtown - F19 & Ultras participating March 21: Preseason Game vs. FAU @ FAU Soccer Stadium - 7:30 PM March 31: Preseason Game vs. Rowdies @ Auburndale, FL
UPDATE The full slate of preseason games/events was released by the Strikers today. Looks like we have lots of good times coming up in the next month leading up to April 7: http://strikers.com/index.php?id=31&newsid=1750
Strikers win preseason opener vs. FGCU 3-1! A few of us made the trip out to Estero to see the match, review here: http://www.flight-19.com/2012/02/25/strikers-3-1-fgcu/
Thanks for the game report DR! I must admit that I've been sabotaging myself into thinking we were going to completely drop in the standings this year based on the roster at this point. Granted this was only preseason against a college team (although a pretty good one from what I read if they were playing their starters) but it was a nice result. Major props to you and your F19ers that made the trip over there, true dedication! It would be nice if the team would have put out an official game report. If nothing else it would serve to make the fans familiar with some of those "nameless" players out there trying to make the team. Curious about one thing, were they wearing last years jerseys? Or maybe training jerseys? Speaking of, anyone else been able to order jerseys for different sizes on the same order on the team site? Can't figure out how to do this.... Hoping I can get out of work in time for the next match on Thursday.
We've learned(via asking Matt Glaeser on Facebook lol) that the guy who scored the second goal is Aly Hassan. He comes out of Weston & Nova Southeastern University. He had a good game, could've had a second goal too but tried to get a bit too cute after deking the keeper.
....and I've been trying to psyche myself up in hopes that some needed changes will bring reg. season success. Sounds like they might have found at least a couple of target forwards they can throw into the mix, D-Mid and the back 4 remain questions for the moment.
FYI: If you are a season ticket buyer & want to attend the Strikers v the Copa Latina All Stars and the Copa Latina Final at Ted Hendricks Stadium in Hialeah on Sunday, March 4, 2012 @ 1600, contact the Strikers FO & they'll put you on a list of Season Ticket holders that get to see the games for free. Please wear all the Strikers stuff you've got. If you are not a season ticket holder & want to attend the ticket price is $5.00. Wear any Striker stuff you may have. AFAIK PB and I will both be attending. See you then.
Strikers defeated Weston FC 5-2 today at FTL Stadium: http://www.flight-19.com/2012/03/01/strikers-defeat-weston-fc-5-2/ Expected result considering the opponent(was originally supposed to be Lynn U but they cancelled). Mostly trialist players for the Strikers until the last 30 minutes. With the flurry of goals and new faces, was tough figuring out who scored lol.
Strikers tie Copa Latina All Stars 2-2: http://www.flight-19.com/2012/03/04/strikers-tie-copa-all-stars-in-thriller/ Not the best result, they had a somewhat sluggish start. Both Strikers goals came after all 11 starters were subbed out in the 2nd half, with Aly Hassan leveling the score in the 90th minute.
All this was done on one of the cooler days we've had in a month or so. Low 60s w/a stiff north wind made it a tad uncomfortable to watch. Especially after the sun went down. Most of us left after the Striker game & missed the Copa Latina Championship game. Still, it was good to see those of the group that did come to the event. We had fun together, again. We also talked "Support the Strikers" to all who'd talk to us. Overall it was fun and a good time for us all, even if we were all delighted to get our cars started & the heaters on....
Anyone hearing any word on what kind of crowd the team is expecting for the jersey unveiling this Thursday? I am definitely planning to be there and pick up my jerseys for this year. Curious as to what kind of response there will be. I heard the crowd for the players meet and greet at Bokampers was not good. How about for the parade? Hard to get an idea based on the photos posted. Was there good interest around the Strikers tent? Still haven't heard a word from anyone about season tix sales so far this year. I'm guessing if it was going better than last year at this point we'd have heard something by now. Did the price increase scare off too many people? At a time when this team needs an injection of money into their advertising budget to really get the brand back into the public eye and have a real chance at growing the fanbase, we're instead looking at moves that scream budget cuts. I continue to maintain, even though there is no official announcement or even whispers I've heard, that Traffic is completely out down here now. I just look at everything and it just seems obvious. Ok, so it's Monday and I'm feeling blue about my red and yellow. But honestly, is anyone willing to disagree with me too strongly? The buzz that seemed to be around at least somewhat last year doesn't seem to be here again so far. I'm going to be really disappointed if we have a drop in attendance this year after what was a really solid foundation year last year for building upward.
The parade was a great turnout. Probably 50-ish people total in the Strikers entourage with the float, passed out a mess of schedules, posters and flyers. The supporters made a heck of a racket and we(F19) had our own little info/schedule cards we were passing out, encouraging people to come out to the tailgates/games and join the fun. The Bokamper's thing was a bit weak, but I think that had a lot to do with being at an unusual time, and also being in what is frankly a fringe location. Miramar Parkway west of I-75 is not exactly the bread and butter zone for fans. But it wasn't terrible, they had the inflatable goal thing up and handed out stuff to everyone that came in. For Thursday night it should be a good crowd. Everyone I know in the supporter's section is planning on going.
By the way, next 4 preseason events/outings: Tuesday: F19 Tuesday Nite Soccer • 8:30 PM @ Pine Island Park Plantation (and the next 3 Tuesdays, same time, same place for anyone who plays) Wednesday: Strikers vs. Trinidad & Tobago U-23s • 4:00 PM @ FTL Stadium Thursday: Strikers Uniform Unveiling • 6:30 PM @ Duffy's Fort Lauderdale Sunday: Strikers vs. Canada U-23s • 3:00 PM @ Holiday Inn Soccer Complex Sunrise
Another win! 1-0 over the Canada U-23s in Sunrise. Goal by Darnell King, assist from Aly Hassan. According to Coach Shore at the jersey unveiling, Hassan is "..our next signing, he just doesn't know it yet.", so expect to see this guy out there scoring goals and getting assists a lot this year. Has had a very good preseason. http://www.flight-19.com/2012/03/18/strikers-down-canada-1-0/
Thank you for the update, dr. For an unadvertised game played on an obscure field it drew a pretty good crowd (Strikers claim 200 or so). Nice day for it, too...
Made it out to my first event (in time!) of the preseason yesterday. Couldn't get to the jersey unveiling until almost 9PM, and by then just the clean up was going on. Did manage to get two of my three pre-ordered jerseys though! Really liked what I saw of the road jersey. Wish they would have had that on pre-order for $50 as well! Maybe later on I guess. Hassan seems to be the name we here after every pre-season match so far. Seeing him in person as a 2nd half sub yesterday, I was impressed. He does have good size Lucky Striker, something we've lacked desperately last year. I just hope it doesn't become a Santamaria like situation where in the brief glimpses we fans like what we see, but then he rides the bench most of the time. Herron has scored some goals in the preseason, but he was offside on every attack yesterday (whether he got called for it or not). Morales....ugh....don't get me started on him again...he looks just as out of sync with the rest of the team this year as he did last year. Errant passes, no anticipation or chemistry at all with anyone else. The trialist who came in for him, the other players were calling him Mark I think, played much more solidly in 10 minutes than Morales did the entire rest of the game. That trialist made a nice play to win a throw in, then took it quickly to Otte who fed the ball to the middle on the scoring sequence. It was real heads up, and Hassan was on the spot to finish it off. I think our backline looks pretty good, although losing Gordon to Chivas (good for him!) hurts us there yet again. There was a guy playing centerback next to Stahl that the other players seemed to be calling "Emilio" but I'm not sure who he was and the roster isn't helpful. Can't remember his number. But anyway, he looked decent, and it allowed Stewart to play right back. If that back four works out, both Shanosky and Lorenz can play in MF with Restrepo which I think would help shore up our biggest need area. All in all, a somewhat unexciting, but effective victory yesterday. Can't wait for April 7th!!!
"emilio" is Oroszco......#12...thought they would announce him signed by now. "O" has some pedigree-I don't see anybody else beating the door down @ CB-and there's a numbers problem for the moment. The Santa thing is interesting. We've talked about this before Smoke. I am not a Shore fan (as you know) but the one thing I've held off raking him over completely is the roster/subs issue. Reason being I couldn't be certain whether the real issue is him or Traffic. I'm figuring they send guys here-they want them to play. A better trialist might not get much burn, and it could be out of the staff's hands. If he had free reign, he must've hated David for some reason-because it seemed to me every time he got even a decent late run out he made more happen than all the guys in front of him (reg. season). I see he's now with Lanky in Atlanta. I will be watching his progress there. Closely.........................