Unfortunately, the Islanders' season ended two weeks too early. With that happening, I thought I would start an off season thread. I have not read or heard of there being a PR Super Cup this year. So, I think it is safe to say the Islanders have completed 2011. If I am wrong, my apologies for jumping the gun. This will be an interesting off season. The Islanders retained the CFU Cup and compiled their best ever season record. They also did not advance past the CONCACAF play-in stage and did not repeat as D-2 champs. Colin Clarke and a number of players are out of contract. What should the PRI front office do? Should they retain Clarke? (My vote is yes.) Which players should they try keep, release or tell them it is time to retire? Blow the team up or try to retain the nucleus? Continue to look outside the islands for players or try to find more home grown talent?
Clarke should go he has put on a lack luster show on and off the field for the last two years and attendance has gone down almost the entire time he's been here I think it's time for new blood. Thanks for the good memories but goodbye. I think a lot of players will not come back if his around. Fana is looking to leave, Foley stated that he was maybe planning on returning to Europe, Rich is defiantly going to go try out in MLS now that his contract is done. I think next year teams must go back to what it was before Clarke but keep the same level of results and become more Latino based for the teams own good it need to connect with it fan base more and Clarke and a Anglo-centric team hasn't been able to do that. It also a old team with alot of late 20s and early 30s players and I think we should start building a younger team that can last us for a longer time.
Yes Intru, a total suck season last year, apart from that winning thing. Fana is staying....as was said before, just because you don't like clarke, it does not mean everyone else feels the same. I happen to know for a fact that most players have a tremendous amount of respect for him, and like playing for him.... and yeah, clarke is responsible for the low numbers-it has nothing to do with the recession...
Sorry, number speak for themselves. Clarke stays I give the Islanders maybe two more season before it folds. Next season looks like we wont break 1k per game. Considering that Basketball games are still drawing around 1k-2k or more depending on the team with similar ticket prices something wrong in the Islanders at a administrative/tecnical level. The FO need to act and fast and save the team! Results aren't just what people want people also want a team they can connect to, a team that plays a showy style of play and coach that is accessible like they are in other local sports.
Now that the MLS season is over (Congrats LA), we should start to see more player and coach movement. Seems to me it has been awfully quite on the coach's front. Hopefully, we will hear something this week. That will then let the front office and coach (new or old) focus on re-signing players or exercising options on contracts. Signing Fana was a no brainer. But the club has some tough decisions on some others. I am excited about next year. Metapan's success in the CONCACAF Champions League shows how good we can be. I have no doubts we were the better team, but we didn't prove it. Metapan are in the quater-finals. That shows the level we can play when healthy.
Neither the head coach nor the assistant coach speaks Spanish. That limits media access and could at times limit communication with players. With the injuries to Marco Velez and Alexi Rivera, the Islanders lost the PR faces of the team. None of the other PR born players have developed the public following those two have. Unfortunately, I think Marco's injuries will cause him to retire. I hope that the team will offer him a position that will put him out front representing the Islanders. Having a head coach or assitant coach who speaks Spanish would open the door for more interaction with the fans and recruiting players from Latin America. It also would allow a broader base for media and public appearances. In the end, it is anticipated that having a Spanish speaking coach and more "Latin" players will put more fans in the stands.
Well looks like the team is looking around for a potential replacement just in case if he signs with another club. http://www.elnuevodia.com/inciertasupermanencia-1131374.html
I agree with this almost 100%. I think that Clarke will leave, and we need a new manager that can get the job done. My only concern is that we get a latin manager that doesn't get the results. I want the team to be connected to the fans, but I want a team that wins even more than that.
His gone, now the balls on the FO's court http://www.insidemnsoccer.com/2011/12/01/islanders-colin-clarke-to-be-named-new-carolina-railhawk-coach-next-week/
Well this will open up a lot of options. I hope the Islanders are able to maintain the core of their players while adding more Caribbean and Central American players. It is hard to tell if Clarke will take anyone with him, but I would bet many of the players would like to stay in PR. I think the emphasis has to be on defending the CFU Cup and getting into the CONCACAF Champions League group play. Those home games are opportunities for the club to pick up larger crowds. The NASL is important for consistency, but like most U.S. sports, too much emphasis is put on the playoffs rather than the season long results. It certainly makes for an interesting off season. I'm already getting excited about how the new and improved Islanders will look.
The annoucnement on the Islander website said within a few days. But it also sounded like the deal is already done. I hope he is someone who can hang onto the nucleus of the team while adding new players that excite the fans.
Adrian Whitebread is the new coach..... what a wasted opportunity to bring a fresh new face to the club. He wont last more than a year, I'm already preparing myself for a horrible season. I hope he proves me wrong.
Intru - I hope he proves you wrong too. Positive thoughts. Positive thoughts. With Whitbread, the Islanders have someone who knows the players and their stengths and weaknesses. Hopefully, he and the FO can move to retain the nucleus they need for next season while making space for new talent. Again, I think they need to address some of the issues Intru discusses. The Islanders need more Caribbean and Central American talent. I like that Whitbread said he wants the team to play with heart and passion. And play with the ball at their feet. Maybe the Islanders can find an Argentine rhythm to their play. As a Boca fan that would make me happy. I trust Andy and the FO are looking out for the team's best interest. Putting a team on the field that "gets stuck in" and uses direct play as their strategy is not in their best interest. Putting a team on the field that plays with energy and heart while "knocking the ball around" does. I hope that find that style and lots of wins as well.
New supplier on Islanders http://www.prislandersfc.com/index.php?id=153&newsid=1612 The Islanders re-sign Tyler Wilson and Jaime Cunningham, and keeps Jonathan Faña and Nicolas Addlery. http://www.prislandersfc.com/index.php?id=153&newsid=1624
Islanders have already signed: -Jonathan Faña -Nick Addlery -Jamie Cunningham -Tyler Wilson -Jay Needham and recently they announced the signing of 18 year old local talent Jackie Marrero
Intru. thanks for the update. I think the change in the CONCACAF format for the champions league is a benefit to the Islanders. Increasing the groups to 24 teams and doing away with the play in games makes PRI more attractive to players. If we do what we have done over the past few years (finish in the CFU top three), the team will be in the Champions League group play. That benefits the club's bottom line and gives more exposure to the players. Therefore, more players will want to play with us and show their skills against higher level teams. Now the pressure is on the new coach to get his team to play well in the Caribbean Cup. BTW was in PR for the Christmas holidays. What great weather. What a great time. Getting more excited about the season with each signing.
The change is good only because we don't need the play a preliminary round and they assure us 4 games in the 1st round (group stage), but it's designed just for the mexican and north american teams to pass to the next round. "No team will face another club from the same country in the group stage - except in the case of a reallocated or "wild card" berth, and each group will contain either a Mexican or U.S. club." http://www.concacaf.com/page/CL/NewsDetail/0,,12813~2575174,00.html
Leeka, I'm sure this change came because of pressure from the Mexican and US teams. But it could work for us. Look at Metapan. I will always believe we were the better team. We just didn't show it in El Salvador. Now, they are in the quarter-finals. The MLS team in that group (Colorado) was weakened by injuries. If we can qualify and be healthy going into group play, I like out chances. And by saying that I mean, I just want us to have a chance to play and prove ourselves.
Yes, I mean is a 50-50 chance of being placed with a Mexican team or an American team, I assume a MLS team would be preferred by the PRI.
I know that the chances are still there, but remember, only pass the group champ, there is no runner-up. Metapan pass as the runner-up from his group, like the PRI do en 2009 ed. I don't know is a MLS it's preferred than PRI , but the truth is that MLS could bring "better" players (more $) than us...
The NASL has released the 2012 schedule. There are 28 NASL games and two gaps in our schedule. No NASL games between 4/25 and 5/12 and 5/19 and 6/02. I assume those openings are for the CFU Caribbean Cup. With San Antonio joining the league, I get to drive to two away games. And I will be there. Less than 80 days before the first game. Vamos Islanders!
There last two signings were good to see. One of the complaints against Clarke was the lack of local or regional players. The performance of the PR national team in WCQ should have given Whit and the FO options for signing local players. I bet we see more regional signings as well. Sprinkle these with players like Needham, Burse (not signed yet) and Cunningham and you have the makings for a very competitive and entertaining team.