NASL @naslofficial now3 minutes ago Well done, @FTLStrikers! They set the club's Modern Era attendance record, drawing 11,691 fans at Lockhart Stadium tonight. #FTLvNYC
Go Strikers but if this tweet is true https://www.facebook.com/ftlstriker...032513247474/1073834985967218/?type=1&theater Great fans, atmosphere, and team. However, crappy organization for a first match. Parking $10 when it's always free? Rip off. Most of the fans were waiting to park as kickoff is happening. Not cool when you purchased a ticket. Bathrooms were awful too. Flash flood issues. Horrible consession stand and wait time. Should not take 30 min to buy a beer and pizza. By the time we parked and grabbed some food, the first half was almost done. A waste of $25 and time if you ask me. My first match and the organization gets a D- for fan experience. We will try again hoping issues are resolved. Go Strikers!!!!
Parking hasn't been free...it's been $5 for non-season ticket holders and free for season ticket holders...the team could've been more proactive though, getting some extra port-a-johns and food vendors, knowing that attendance would be double or triple the average. Jumbotron video screen, seat renovations, PA/loudspeaker system were all huge improvements from past seasons. It felt like a big time atmosphere. This 50 year old stadium is what it is and some of it's shortcomings will never be overcome until they tear it down and rebuild.
The side stands are the originals from the late 50s...the endzones and corner bleachers were built just prior to the Fusion starting in 1998. There were old bleachers in the endzones during the 70s/early 80s, but they were torn down in the late 80s...
I think a D- is a bit harsh. There were definitely both "pros" and "cons": PROS: The big screen in the corner (will that be at every game?) The renovated main stand with the painted seats and cup-holders The two gigantic Strikers flags/banners covering the seats on the north side stands The Strikers flags that went around the stadium instead of cheap yellow and red flags The food trucks in the parking lot before the game The VIP area (or that's what I thought it was, didn't investigate) that was setup on the East side CONS: Bathrooms! Both before and during the match. The portable bathrooms setup on the West side accessible to the parking lot were locked. And as mentioned, the bathroom in the stadium having to be placed Out of Order during the match. Vendors: Swamped! Long lines. VERY Long lines. Better organization and more hands on deck should resolve that issue. The parking has been 5 then 8 and now 10 dollars. It was only free the first and maybe second season back as the Strikers. 10.00 may be a bit much though... Overall, great issues to have but issues that definitely need to be resolved before it turns more people off. At least the person acknowledged that it was a good team even though it was a loss and that he is willing to give a Strikers game another chance.
PC: Nobody here knows if Ronaldo will play for Strikers http://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/soc...-if-ronaldo-will-play-for-strikers/ar-AAbB0pT
Ronaldo's not playing for the team, stop worrying about it. What we need to be worried about is our head coaching situation. I have been waiting to see how things went for awhile, but some of what I saw Sat night has finally caused me to go ahead and question. Shawn Chin has been playing very solidly at right back, and was again Saturday, despite not playing there before with this team. When the coach subbed him off at 55 minutes, he had to be physically restrained by teammates to keep him from taking off his jersey and walking straight to the locker room instead of to the bench. Once he got there he did not go near the coach. The backup keeper tried to talk to him and calm him down but he was having none of that, and then he went and sit on a water cooler away from everyone else the rest of the game. Now some might say, yeah and so what? Players act like that all the time these days. But that's not in character at all for Chin. Something was obviously building that finally blew for him, and it was obvious to me it was about the coach. Beyond that, we have the disorganization of this coach's lineups and subs. He constantly switches guys around into different positions on the field, sometimes more than once in a game. For example, on Saturday Sanchez started the game at forward. When Chin was subbed off for Stefano, Moura was moved to right back (Chin's spot), Sanchez moved to right MF, and Stefano played up top. Then Angulo was subbed off for Frimpong (I'll touch on that move in a minute). Sanchez moved back up top and Frimpong then moved to right wing. And that's just a sample. According to our only local reporter covering the team regularly who is at practice every week, this swapping positions all over the place is a regular part of practice. Not sure we've had two starting lineups the same in five games, and I'm getting bad Coach Shore flashbacks all the time now..... Then there are his player evaluation decisions. I'm not in his head, so I can only go by what I see him do in terms of minutes he gives players. Up front, through five games he has had different pairings almost every game. After starting the first two games, not scoring but not playing badly due to lack of service, Hassan has been dropped to the bench and isn't getting in anymore. I was particularly bothered by that this week when what we needed in the game against the 10 and 11 men behind the ball ATL was playing quite often, was someone who could have a pass sent in to him, and will hold off his defender create a little space to turn and shoot. You know, something we've seen Aly do a number of times successfully in his young career, something no one else playing forward on this team has shown the ability to do thus far. He should have come in for up top in the second half. Stefano has blown numerous scoring chances, Frimpong was horrible after coming in Saturday, and Sanchez is been inconsistent, playing better as an attacking MF than up front at any rate. Moura for all his fanfare upon arrival has been rather average in my mind. PC has been by far the best player on the field thus far. But the coach is really struggling to recognize the right pieces to put around him so far.
Wish I was there on Saturday but I have had many of the same thoughts this season... We have talent on the team... I think the big question mark is the coaching.
Thriving clubs and fervent fans: could Florida become the US's soccer capital? Attendances are up across the Sunshine State, and many within the game think there is even more room for growth http://www.theguardian.com/football...nt-fans-is-florida-now-the-uss-soccer-capital
Former Strikers President Tom Mulroy now a consultant for NPSL's Miami Fusion FC who have NASL aspirations : http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/michelle-kaufman/article20612955.html Nobody knows that better than longtime local promotor Tom Mulroy, who most recently was president of the Strikers. He was hired as a consultant for the new Fusion. So far, he is impressed with Fusion management. “They are being very realistic about crawling, walking, then running, step by step, doing it right,” Mulroy said. “So many people come into town and just don’t do it right. This group seems to have proper ownership, the sport part down, having Ferdi, who played for the Cosmos. I see them with the proper plan and moving in the right direction.”
Sebastian El Loco Abreu ? http://90minutesstrong.com/2015/05/rumor-loco-abreu-join-leo-moura-fort-lauderdale/
Florida boosted by rising attendances in Orlando, Tampa Bay, Jacksonville and Fort Lauderdale https://worldsoccertalk.com/2015/05...lando-tampa-jacksonville-and-fort-lauderdale/
Not sure how many folks are on this forum but for the Strikers v Battery USOC match tonight, here's a preview including a link to the video stream. http://charlestonbattery.com/news/usoc-matchday-what-you-need-to-know/
At what level of coaching do you learn to park the bus when you have a lead in a knock-out tournament?
http://www.nasl.com/news/2015/07/31...er-the-return-of-head-coach-gnter-kronsteiner Strikers Turning Corner After The Return Of Head Coach Günter Kronsteiner Fort Lauderdale is unbeaten to start the Fall Season under the Austrian coach
http://www.bigapplesoccer.com/leagues/nasl2.php?article_id=43431 Strikers general manager Caio Zanardi will assume the club's head coaching duties He received a two year deal with an additional one-year option.