In 2016, FC Cincinnati was preparing for their first season. With John Harkes as head coach, a squad was assembled around his vision, and the Orange and Blue was ready to put the city on the map. Fans were expected to arrive at Nippert Stadium for the first time, and history was being made.

In the first two games of the season, the club was 1-0-1. Their first game ever resulted in a 1-0 loss to Charleston Battery, but they recovered when they traveled to Pennsylvania, beating Bethlehem Steel 2-1. Ahead of this match, anything could happen.

The preparation was high for fans. FCC assembled their supporters section, and called it the “Bailey,” naming it after the sturdy wall in a castle that keeps the invaders out. This section would be the focal point in this historic match.

In the latest of the classic match series at Cincy Soccer Talk, today we are covering the first ever home game the club played. Previously, we covered the first MLS home game against Portland, and the magical Open Cup match against Chicago. Stay tuned for more of these as we prepare for the new season.

Lineup (Formation Unknown):

Mitch Hildebrandt
Tyler Polak
Harrison Delbridge
Austin Berry
Ross Tomaselli
Pat McMahon
Kenney Walker
Jimmy McLaughlin
Corben Bone
Andrew Wiedeman
Sean Okoli

Ahead of the match, the supporter groups were preparing for their first march of many. The fans marched towards the Nippert Stadium campus, and into their section, chanting loudly as they awaited the game.

Kick-off was played, and soccer had arrived again in Cincinnati. Very rapidly, the club was on the front foot. As they kept looking to attack, things would pay off.

Just 4 minutes into the match, a ball was played up and headed down by Jack Metcalf, Corben Bone intercepted the ball by controlling it down with his chest, and playing it over to Sean Okoli. Okoli played the ball up, and shot the ball in the back of the net, to complete a spectacular scissor kick goal for the first at Nippert Stadium.

Right after the opening goal, the intensity was still piled on from FCC. Just outside of the 18, Jimmy McLaughlin intercepted the ball, and took a shot but it was deflected. The attack still wasn’t over, as the ball went out to Okoli, and ended up on the foot of Andrew Wiedeman, who couldn’t carve out a chance either.

In the 11th minute, it was a corner chance for Charlotte. Jorge Herrera lined it up into the box, and it was headed on. The ball bounced around, before being headed straight into the hands of Mitch Hildebrandt.

The attacks continued on both sides, and this time the recipient was the Orange and Blue. Sean Okoli headed the ball down and was brought down in the box, and a follow up shot from Jimmy McLaughlin was saved by Cody Mizell.

Throughout the rest of the half, both sides had chances, and Mitch Hildebrandt was making saves off of Charlotte’s shots. In the 38th minute, a corner was swung into the box, and Harrison Delbridge got a head on it, before being tripped down. Both sides weren’t happy with each other, and got into a fight near the goal.

Half-time was called, and FC Cincinnati were in the lead going into the second half, thanks to Sean Okoli’s scissor kick. Both sides had good chances, but weren’t able to convert them. The job for the Orange and Blue was to close the match out with a win. Could they?

Just five minutes into the start of the second half, FC Cincinnati was operating quickly. Austin Berry intercepted the ball, and passed it out to Jimmy McLaughlin on the left side. McLaughlin cut inside, and crossed it into the head of Berry.

The Cincinnati native was on the scoresheet in the first home match, doubling the lead.

Things wouldn’t stop there, as Charlotte were attacking quickly after the second deficit. A corner was served in again by Herrera, and the ball was cleared away. Herrera came back with a second cross, and after it bounced off the head of Patrick Slogic, David Estrada put the ball in the back of the net.

The club would have to work to protect this lead, now that it was cut in half. John Harkes’ team would keep attacking.

Just two minutes after Charlotte’s goal, the club was quickly attacking up the side. Sean Okoli left it off for Bone, who left it for Wiedeman, but his shot sailed over the bar.

Another free-kick chance in the match, and this time it was Charlotte standing over it. Enzo Martinez served the ball in, and a player headed it towards goal, but Mitch Hildebrandt grasped onto the ball, making the save.

In the 60th minute, Estrada worked up the left side, and crossed a ball into the middle of the box. Caleb Calvert got a foot to it, but Mitch Hildebrandt dived to his left to make the save.

FC Cincinnati now were looking to score. Jimmy McLaughlin moved up the center of the pitch, and the Pennsylvania Messi sent the ball to Corben Bone on the left side, but his cross went wide of the goal. A good job protecting the lead on defense, but the club comes just short of increasing the lead and securing the match.

In the 78th minute, Corben Bone served a free-kick in, but Harrison Delbridge was brought down in the box before he could get his head on it. Controversy rang around Nippert, as the referees ignored another chance that could’ve been a penalty.

The rest of the match, the club defended well, and would end the match protecting the lead for 2-1.

In the first ever home match, the fans delivered, and the crowd was announced to be 14,658, the largest fan attendance in USL since the year before. Even with the temperature at 39 degrees, history was written, and the first of many triumphant games in Cincinnati was played.

The post FCC Classics with Gracin: The Dream Begins appeared first on Cincinnati Soccer Talk.

During its two-hour run time, “Nonstop Flight” takes the viewer through each year of FCC’s history; from a small startup working in coffee shops to an MLS expansion bid. “Nonstop Flight” details the meteoric rise of the club and highlights the big moments fans know and love.

If you wanted to take a trip down memory lane and enjoy a nostalgic look back at all the amazing moments that have defined FCC, I could not recommend “Nonstop Flight” highly enough. If you wanted a documentary that looks past those successes, sheds new light and asks questions about the people and circumstances that made FCC, then you might want to avoid this documentary.

There are plenty of great highlight videos, also produced by 4th Floor Creative, that can help you remember the joys of that first USL game, the shocking win against Chicago Fire in penalty kicks in the U.S. Open Cup or the triumph of winning the 2018 USL regular season. But “Nonstop Flight” rarely digs deeper, and in the process, struggles to justify its own existence.

That isn’t to say “Nonstop Flight” is bad. On the contrary, the documentary is incredibly produced, includes amazing interviews and is very entertaining. Particularly fascinating are the insights from director of soccer operations (employee No. 1) Dan McNally and initial brand ambassador Gary Dejesus. I particularly enjoyed the discussion of Cincinnati soccer culture. But the filmmakers rarely dig deeper than the club narrative. Only three fans are featured in the documentary, all from the same supporter group (The Pride).

The first hour and twenty minutes cover 2015-2017 – where the show details the founding of the club, its first season, the friendly against Crystal Palace and the run to the USOC semifinal — and every moment is just fantastic. Even the suspicious firing of inaugural head coach John Harkes is glossed over for more moments of triumph. It’s a story the club has told before.

Going into the back half of the film, I was concerned whether they would actually cover some adversity beyond a quick title card. Luckily, the 2018 season was rife with intrigue and drama. While the documentary quickly ignored the struggle and controversy surrounding the West End stadium deal, the filmmakers did not overlook the boiling tension in the locker room. While FCC won expansion into MLS, few of the players on that USL squad were guaranteed a spot on that roster. 

Cards on the table, this period in the club’s history was the documentary I wanted. I could’ve spent more than two hours on the transition to MLS; the player dynamics within the locker room after that expansion announcement; the competition for starting spots in training; coach Alan Koch trying to win games week to week in USL and preparing for MLS.

One of the best bits from “Nonstop Flight” was the brief emphasis on Corben Bone. As he was fighting for a spot on the 2019 MLS roster, then general manager and president Jeff Berding told Bone he needed to score in double digits for the club to consider signing him. And then Bone did it! It’s an incredible few minutes and proves what this documentary could have been. In the end, it’s too little too late.

As you could expect, the documentary rushes through many of the roster-building decisions that have continued to keep FCC struggling in 2020. But the filmmakers were more than happy to spend a few minutes on the incredible MLS home opener against Portland Timbers. It’s indicative of where the filmmaker’s priorities lie: the club and documentarians want to celebrate their nonstop flight to success. They want viewers to remember the good times and the larger than life moments that brought us to MLS. 

I don’t blame the viewers who enjoy this celebration (there are very few things to feel good about in 2020), but as a documentary, I can’t help but miss the conflict, the struggle and the adversity. Documentaries should expose truths and perspectives we haven’t heard before. As it is, “Nonstop Flight” will leave many FCC fans waiting to know the real untold story.

The post Nonstop Flight: You’ve heard this FC Cincinnati story before appeared first on Cincinnati Soccer Talk.

Highlights from this week’s show.

On this week’s show, Bryan, Clay, and Boston catch up with FC Cincinnati’s newest goalkeeper Bobby Edwards! Bobby fills us in on how he found himself starting his professional career in Northern Ireland and ultimately how he ended up in Cincinnati. We ask him the usual Cincy questions of course but we really got to know Bobby during Rapid Fire. Thanks to Bobby for coming on the show!

Tom Bogert and Paul Tenorio recently reported on the FC Cincinnati coaching search. It sounds like Dominic Kinnear and Jaap Stam are two finalists for the position.

Lastly, if you had the chance to cast the Hollywood story of FC Cincinnati, who would you cast in the roles for Jeff Berding, Carl Lindner III, Sean Okoli and John Harkes?

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No episode captain this week. If you’d like to wear the armband for an episode of Cincinnati Soccer Talk log onto CincinnatiSoccerTalk.com/support.

Highlights from this week’s show.

What a show we have in store for you this week. I had the absolute pleasure to sit down and chat one on one with FC Cincinnati legend, Andrew Wiedeman!

In this interview we caught up on what’s he’s doing these days now that he’s no longer playing.

What it’s been like living in Washington, D.C. and being able to see D.C. United’s revival first hand. He’s also played golf with an international soccer icon who arrived mid-summer.

We discussed the journey to Cincinnati and why he knew that after 2017 he would be done with soccer.

Andrew was the first player guest ever on the Cincinnati Soccer Talk podcast and we will always be a fan of what he does and forever grateful that he saves some time to chat with us. We’re thrilled to see him in his new role as an agent and look forward to big things for the first goalscorer in FC Cincinnati history!

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CST records LIVE each and every MONDAY night now at 9 PM ET. Join us for a live interactive program covering all things FC Cincinnati with a chat room, social media, hosts with video!

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Subscribe to Cincinnati Soccer Talk

Don’t forget you can now download and subscribe to Cincinnati Soccer Talk on iTunes today! The podcast can also be found on Stitcher Smart Radio now. We’re also available in the Google Play Store and NOW ON SPOTIFY!

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The post Andrew Wiedeman Visits CST appeared first on Cincinnati Soccer Talk.

This three part series is a look back on FC Cincinnati’s short stint in the USL. Was it a success? If so, in what ways and in what areas could it have gone better? Part one will review FC Cincinnati’s on the field success. Part two will take a look at FC Cincinnati off the pitch and Part three will be a outsiders’ perspective from other writers around the USL.

Fans across Cincinnati are eager to start the next MLS chapter. Understandably so — new things are exciting. It is thrilling and Cincinnati Soccer Talk was even quick to flip the page. Just days after falling out of the 2018 USL playoffs a summary podcast was released and a What’s next for FC Cincinnati article was put out. Both were well done and they helped ease the fresh pain many fans felt. However, what does it all mean? Those three years built this fan base and built a city’s love for soccer. It should be analyzed a bit deeper before the fences are jumped for what many assume to be greener pastures.

On The Pitch — 2016

FC Cincinnati made a quick statement upon entering the soccer landscape. Having first absorbed some marketing ridicule, the team quickly bounced back with a big name soccer hire, John Harkes. As a new coach, Harkes reached out to lifetime contacts and connections. He assembled a squad of MLS fallen misfits and USL wannabees for Division III soccer. Many of the names in that 2016 roster are now recognizable, but most were unknown at the time. The first year had its ups and downs, but FC Cincinnati put together a good season. As an expansion franchise, it finished third in the Eastern Conference and secured a home playoff match. Then the first year dream fell apart when it was eliminated by the Charleston Battery.

FC Cincinnati earns an “A-” in year one. A new team created from scratch, finished third, generated a Golden Boot winner and started to build a winning club culture. Those items outweigh the negatives of one playoff loss. Besides what are the chances the playoff loss turns into a trend anyway?

On The Pitch — 2017

The club made another bold statement, but this time was a reverse 2016. Harkes was fired right before preseason. Harkes had helped build the roster, and Alan Koch, who had been brought in to run an academy, was named the new head coach. New players were signed as the preseason and season went on, but the stability of 2016 was lost. Not just FC Cincinnati went through changes, the league itself was promoted to Division II, and with that came new teams and new money. FC Cincy had resources galore, but time and discipline seemed to be the enemy. Four red cards had been earned by the Orange and Blue in the first seven matches. Star player Djiby Fall was suspended for biting a player from club rival Louisville City FC. The season was headed for disaster and even making the playoffs was not a certainty.

Then a magical run, outside of USL play, saved the season for most fans. Despite the league ills, Cincy pieced together a good U.S. Open Cup performance, then another, then another. FC Cincinnati made it through the early rounds and then beat the first MLS team, fellow Ohioians the Columbus Crew. Then they beat the Chicago Fire and advanced to the semifinals of a cup most USL clubs never have a chance of winning. Cincy went up 2-0 on New York Red Bulls and then finally collapse under the sheer talent of Bradley Wright-Phillips. FC Cincinnati continued spotty league play but finished sixth place, good for an away playoff match vs. Tampa Bay Rowdies. Rowdies won the match 3-0 and capped off the most confusing FC Cincinnati year.

Season two earns a “C-“. The saving grace in league play was that FC Cincinnati secured a playoff spot, but not one that they had a chance of winning. Winning two MLS matches brought so much hype and prestige to Cincinnati soccer it buried the fact that the team was actually quite average. Players reportedly struggled to play in small USL environments, the squad lacked chemistry and discipline, and the team lacked creativity outside of Djiby ball. Something needed to change, and the club was willing to spend to make it happen.

On The Pitch — 2018

Riding an MLS hype train, FC Cincinnati spent big in the offseason. Rival D2 league NASL collapsed, leaving valuable players on the market, and no one was in better position to grab them than Cincinnati. FCC took many of the best and formed an NASL All-Star squad, adding in big international signings. This time Koch had a full preseason, and he brought everyone in early. A long preseason got the team adjusted to his style, and FCC came out swinging.

The first punch went to Charleston Battery, a team FCC had yet to beat. Indy Eleven fell in its first of three vs. Cincinnati. Rival Louisville continued to be a bother, winning the Dirty River Derby, but Cincy still claimed a win late in the rain. FC Cincinnati steamrolled its way through the USL, dropping only three games and setting the league record for points and wins as well as earning the Eastern Conference regular-season championship and nabbing a few player awards and records. Despite the high level of performance, Cincy still lost its first game in five months in the second round of the USL playoffs vs New York Red Bulls II. Playoffs continued to be a problem.

On the pitch, Cincy earns a “B” in year three. It had a better season than any modern-era USL team, and that can’t be overlooked. But the club still failed to win a playoff championship. That is what drops them. American sports are all decided by playoffs, and no matter the season, the team that wins it is the one written in ink.

What Does It All Mean?

Was FC Cincinnati’s years in USL a success? In a no salary cap system, FC Cincinnati proved you can buy enough talent for a playoff spot. It also proved three years isn’t enough time to buy a Championship. Given enough time, a team with FCC’s resources would eventually win the playoffs, but that didn’t happen here. FCC’s success on the field comes locally. It gave a city starving for sports wins just what they needed, and the people responded. Even in 2017, the fans loved the team and made excuses for the team because that team provided them with big wins and hope. There is no absolute standard to measure success outside of trophies. If that is the standard, FCC did not meet it. However, if success is bringing soccer to a city and providing that city with a winning atmosphere, then FCC was successful.

Will FC Cincinnati have a USL legacy? Not long-term. Most of the fans today will remember the club and tell stories over the next couple of years. FCC also put many hard-to-erase performance records on the USL books, but in the end, it was only around three years. The USL is still a growing league with a changing history. Teams come and go, and like Orlando City before, fade into history. Most FC Cincinnati fans know Orlando started in USL before transitioning to MLS. How many know it won two championships in four very successful seasons? Many USL fans today are only aware of the league since they came into it. The league will continue to shift, and some relevance will be lost.

Did it matter? Did FC Cincinnati’s play help the side go to MLS? The past three years mattered to anyone apart of them. Part two of this series will address issues off the field and those probably made a bigger impact to MLS. If anything helped grab attention it was the USOC run. FCC became the first USL club in years to play on ESPN. A coin flip might be the club’s biggest hero. FC Cincinnati had a 50/50 shot of hosting each USOC match and Cincy won every single one. Columbus, Chicago, and New York all traveled to the Queen City and with them, MLS brass. FC Cincinnati was thrust into the limelight and those matches factored into FCC’s bid in some way.

@BostonKeith for @CincySoccerTalk

The post FC Cincinnati’s 3-Year USL Review: Part 1 – On The Pitch appeared first on Cincinnati Soccer Talk.

In what continues to be an impressive offseason for the Cincinnati Dutch Lions, the club announced the addition of former FC Cincinnati and University of Cincinnati product Michael Millay. The center back joins a side predicted as one of the tops in the USL PDL Central Conference and features several players with professional experience.

Head Coach and Technical Director Sid van Druenen made mention of his desire to be one of the best USL PDL squads in the nation on this past week’s podcast and this signing shows that they are making the moves to do so.

Millay played three seasons for the University of Cincinnati and was named captain as a Junior. He would miss his Senior season at UC due to injury, before playing as a graduate student at national power Coastal Carolina University, reaching the NCAA Tournament.

The defender was signed by local USL club FC Cincinnati, for the club’s inaugural 2016 season after attending their player combine. His 2016 coach, USMNT Hall of Famer, John Harkes had a glowing review for the defender. “Michael really showed great heart and determination through the combines. It’s great to have him as part of the team and involved in the training environment and he is also someone who connects to the community.”

Millay would go on to make his professional debut in front of over 35,000 fans as FCC faced off vs. English Premier League side Crystal Palace. Check out his highlight package from 2016:

The Cincinnati Dutch Lions will open their 2017 campaign on Sunday, May 21st at the NKU Soccer Stadium vs. the West Virginia Chaos. Millay joins several professionals on their roster including Goalkeeper Zeus de La Paz (PSV Eindhoven), Boris Rasevic (PEC Zwolle) alongside local products, Ryan Melnick and Austin Smythe from the University of Cincinnati.

Get tickets for their match here and look to Cincinnati Soccer Talk for more information about our local USL PDL Club.

@BryanWeigel for @CincySoccerTalk

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The post Cincinnati Dutch Lions Sign Former FCC Defender Michael Millay appeared first on Cincinnati Soccer Talk.

Over the offseason, General Manager Jeff Berding stated his target for the 2017 season was to score 62 goals. In order to do so, FC Cincinnati will have to replace 2016 USL Golden Boot winner Sean Okoli and his 16 goals as he departs to New York City FC of MLS. Even with his departure, the club brought in a high-quality group of players to replace his production and could be one of the toughest position battles in the squad for playing time. This group will stand to benefit from a strong midfield should provide this group with a lot of service. The question remains to be seen is if this group be able to finish their chances in order to finish at the top of the USL Eastern Conference in 2017.

Returning- Omar Cummings, Casey Townsend

Acquisitions- Djiby Fall, Daryl Fordyce, Victor Mansaray

Departures- Sean Okoli (New York City FC/ MLS), Luke Spencer (Louisville City FC/ USL)

1) Djiby Fall- was a signing that wasn’t on many people’s radar but brings international futbol experience in some of the highest leagues in Europe. He nets the top spot on our forward depth chart with his impressive performances at the IMG Academy. His 3 goals lead the club so far this preseason and he earned the spot up top in the starting XI vs Sacramento. What has surprised me thus far is his knack for getting to the ball. He looks comfortable with the ball at his feet or attaching himself to crosses in the box. At this point, his fitness seems to be the one concern. Coach Koch said he was behind the group at this point but if a 50% Djiby can dominate so far then I can’t wait to see him at 90% to 100% fitness.

2) Victor Mansaray- was a surprise move on loan from 2016 MLS Champion Seattle Sounders. Mansaray was signed as a Homegrown player in 2015 at age 17 and in 2016 was named the #1 Under 20 player in USL.

The big bodied target forward could see a lot of minutes as I view him more as forward 1B than a backup. We saw him start a pair of matches in Florida and showed he has the raw talent to be successful. Will he start up top alongside Djiby? We haven’t seen it yet so my answer is probably no, but the youngster will have to show the fight to usurp the experienced veteran.

A caveat to Mansaray could be his status in the U-20 USMNT player pool. He was not named to the 20 man squad for U-20 World Cup qualifying in February but the option of a call-up to the World Cup in late May is still a possibility since the U-20’s did qualify. The tournament runs from May 30- June 20 so we could see Mansaray miss time with the club if he is called into Tab Ramos pre-tournament camp. It will be interesting to see how Victor takes the recent snub and uses it as motivation to force his way into a spot on the World Cup roster.

3) Daryl Fordyce- from FC Edmonton was an early addition in the offseason. A native of Northern Ireland,

Daryl Fordyce- FC Cincinnati

Fordyce was a proven commodity in the NASL. Over the last 4 years, Fordyce scored 32 times in over 100 appearances. Reports are Edmonton tried to re-sign Fordyce, their all-time leading scorer, and were sad to lose him. His coach was quoted “I’m very disappointed, personally and professionally, It’s a shame the club has lost someone of the quality and character of Daryl.”

If this video is any indication of what he can do in front of goal then FCC might have themselves another All-USL performer. So far this preseason we’ve seen him in an advanced attacking midfield position and is more likely to see time providing support to Fall or Mansaray. From the limited time we’ve seen, the offense just looks to flow better when the Irishman is on the field.

4) Casey Townsend- returns after landing in Cincinnati shortly before the end of last season from Wilmington. The former 5th overall pick in the 2012 MLS Superdraft is still somewhat of an unknown after 3 appearances in the Orange & Blue. He does have the pedigree you would think could transition to success in USL. While not a tall striker at 5’11”, he has been known for having a knack for getting to the ball and finishing chances. At this time I do not see him as the lone forward up top but could see him late in the game come in up top for support. In Bradenton, we saw Townsend play on the wings. If he wants to earn valuable playing time on this squad he may have to be flexible and slide in for minutes.

TBD) Omar Cummings- The “Big Cat” is listed as TBD because we need to see how he’ll bounce back from his late
season injury? We have not seen him so far this preseason and the reports that he is still in the recovery process does not bode well for the start of the season. In 2016, he missed most of the first half of the season but made a strong impression, once healthy, helping Okoli with much-needed support up top. Coach Koch would love to see him revert to his 2015 form where he netted 10 times for San Antonio in NASL.

Tune in to the latest Cincinnati Soccer Talk podcasts and look for our new podcast on your favorite podcast network each week!

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@bradleysweigel for @CincySoccerTalk

The post 2017 FC Cincinnati Depth Chart- Forwards appeared first on Cincinnati Soccer Talk.

After the initial report from Ives Galarcep of Goal.com, it has been confirmed by the club that John Harkes is out as the Head Coach of FC Cincinnati. Galarcep also broke the news that Assistant Alan Koch will assume the role of Manager.

This comes as a shock as FC Cincinnati leaves for the IMG Academy to begin their 2017 preseason schedule on Sunday vs. OKC Energy FC. According to Galarcep’s story,  “sources says that a power struggle between Harkes and FC Cincinnati president and general manager Jeff Berding led to the abrupt coaching change, which caught players and staff by surprise, especially since Harkes was coaching the team as recently as Thursday.”

It is yet to be seen the immediate effects to the 2017 squad. At Monday’s Press Conference, both Victor Mansaray and Gjiby Fall both gave credit to Coach Koch for bringing them to FC Cincinnati. Koch was the Manager of Vancouver Whitecaps 2 over the past two seasons.

FC Cincinnati confirmed the story Friday evening by releasing the statement below. To hear more about the coaching change, listen to our INSTANT TAKE Podcast.

We have a season to decide the accuracy of the decision. If FC Cincinnati start winning in March or April, all the negatives could be forgotten. Wins or losses will decide how this story plays out. We trust in the leadership of President and General Manager Jeff Berding.

Cincinnati Soccer Talk would like to wish luck to Coach Harkes in his future endeavors.

For more information and analysis of this breaking story and FC Cincinnati, please check back with Cincinnati Soccer Talk.

FCC President and General Manager Jeff Berding provided the following statement:

This story will be updated. Please stay tuned to @CincySoccerTalk on Twitter for up to date information.

@Bryan Weigel for @CincySoccerTalk

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The post Harkes Out as FC Cincinnati Head Coach appeared first on Cincinnati Soccer Talk.

John Harkes is out as the Head Coach of FC Cincinnati. Check out the instant take from Bryan, Boston and Griffin from Friday night.

This week’s episode is sponsored by The Women’s Fund of the Greater Cincinnati Foundation. Get your tickets to see US Women’s Soccer legend Abby Wambach speak at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center on March 25th. Visit CincinnatiSoccerTalk.com/Abby for more details.

CINCINNATI SOCCER TALK BUS TRIP

MARK YOUR CALENDARS! Why? Because we’re going on a ROAD TRIP! We don’t have all the details ironed out just yet, but we have picked a date, April 1st. No, we’re not joking. We’re taking a day trip to Pittsburgh to see FC Cincinnati play their 2nd match of the season. Once more details are available we’ll share as soon as possible.

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The post Harkes Out – Instant Take Podcast appeared first on Cincinnati Soccer Talk.

It has only been a few hours since John Harkes was relieved of his duties as manager of FC Cincinnati and I am just now getting my head wrapped around it. Initially, I was in shock and disbelief but now I have started to consume the loss of John Harkes. The reality is that FCC is more than a manager, FCC is more than any one player, and FCC is more than anyone person. FC Cincinnati became successful because of this city, Cincinnati, even Jeff Berding has stated that.

The change of a manager is pretty traumatic and I know this was not part of the plan that the front office had mapped out 18 months ago. I mean who expects to hire a manager, finish third in points within the entire USL and 5 months after the initial season ended, dismiss your head coach. This is Cincinnati though and this is also sports and like any other sport here, there are moments of uncertainty and as fans have to believe in our team, that is something I am going to do.

FC Cincinnati was derived from many people but none has been more important than Jeff Berding. Jeff’s vision and connections launched this team and without that there is no John Harkes from the start. I am sure I will critique Jeff at some point in time, but this is not one of those moments. With what little information of what transpired, I have to trust the decisions of Jeff, Carl Linder III, and the rest of the front office. The best analogy I can think of is, Jeff is like an old world explorer sailing off into the great unknown in search of new discoveries. Old world explorers discovered many a new thing based on their vision, while Jeff is currently navigating the rough waters of professional soccer in search of the next discovery (MLS). The days are not always as easy, but Jeff is navigating these times with his vision. Make no bones about it, Jeff is in charge and he needs to keep the ship on course by whatever means.

Jeff has brought in Alan Koch (pronounced “Kaw-ch”), who actually has a very good track record as a manager. Koch began is head coaching experience in 2006 with Baker University where he guided them to the NCAA Regional semifinals in his second year. In 2009 he moved to Simon Fraser University located in Vancouver, British Columbia leading the Simon Fraser Clan on the pitch. While there he received numerous accolades including “All Coach of the Year” (2009 & 2010). In 2011 Koch lead the Clan to the first top 25 ranking in NCAA history by a non-American school. From there Koch helped lead Team Canada and then eventually ended up with the Vancouver Whitecaps. While with the Whitecaps Koch’s talents were utilized in many ways, maybe most significantly his ability to identify talent for the MLS side. Koch also managed the Whitecaps USL side, again allowing him to stay in a tactical role as well. All this occurred before his move to FC Cincinnati, where he is now the manager in charge.

So where does this leave us, the fans? I think the saying goes “Wherever they will go, I will follow.” It is time to move forward into the unknown and trust Jeff and our new manager, Alan Koch. I’m going to go with a Jeff Berding type theme this year, “The pursuit of 62!” (Goals that is)

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@khoetker for @CincySoccerTalk

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