Reflection Time: The Preseason NASL Picks That Were Right And Horribly Wrong

With the dawning of any new season, we as pundits love to take a deeper look at all of the comings and goings around our league of choice, read between the lines, and come up with some sort of road map of just how the coming months will take shape. It's a fun exercise in prognostication, and it give us all, whether fans or media, something to talk about before a first ball is kicked in anger.

Inevitably, predictions will end up falling somewhere within the spectrum of correct, almost, and completely misguided. With the NASL regular season having reached its conclusion last weekend, perhaps there is no better time to see just how my preseason thoughts held up.

Atlanta Silverbacks

Preseason Verdict

Yes, this is a team that has had more turnover, top to bottom, than one would normally expect from a trophy-winning side, and yes, they haven't spent the same amount of money that the likes of San Antonio, Tampa Bay, Indy and others have spent this offseason. With these two facts in mind, many around the league might pick Atlanta to struggle near the foot of the table.

On the contrary, I think Atlanta can easily finish mid-table, though that may not be their ceiling. With the NASL postseason expanding to four teams this season, the chance that Atlanta may be in the running for honors is there.

Hindsight
Forget challenging for the top four; Atlanta found themselves rooted at the foot of the table once the curtain fell. They were exciting to watch at times, and looked to have turned a corner with their dramatic US Open Cup run, but defensive frailties, coaching changes, and a losing streak in the fall doomed them. Now questions about their existence are taking center stage.

Carolina Railhawks
Preseason Verdict
Mid-table may be the ceiling for Carolina this season. Sure, there is always the chance that the triumvirate of Shipalane, Martinez and Elizondo will chip in with their fair share of goals, but independent of a renaissance from Nick Zimmerman, it's hard to see just where most of the goals will come from. A revamped back line will need to turn into a strength quickly to keep Carolina towards the right end of the table, but that can't be expected to happen overnight.

Hindsight
Carolina just missed out on fourth place, and a lot of credit has to go to Colin Clarke for molding this team into a competitive side. Had Nacho Novo been around from the start and fully match fit, maybe things would have been different. The future could be bright now that Traffic can solely focus their resources on them.


FC Edmonton
Preseason Verdict
Yes, this FC Edmonton side has a bit of a new look to it, but the feeling is that Edmonton will continue to be Edmonton, encompassing the good at the bad that comes with that mantra. They'll continue to be tough, but is there a cutting edge? I'm afraid there's not enough of one, and that could certainly prove problematic when one looks at the landscape of the NASL at the moment.

The lower half of the table looks likely for FC Edmonton, but it won't be because they're losing time in and time out; it will be because there won't be enough goals scored to get all three points with enough frequency to keep pace.

Hindsight
Edmonton was utterly anonymous in the spring, but somehow played themselves back into contention in the fall. Daryl Fordyce had a better season, though Frank Jonke was equally a disappointment. Defensively, Edmonton was yet again stout.

Fort Lauderdale Strikers
Preseason Verdict
It's hard to blame people for talking about the likes of New York, San Antonio and Tampa Bay as challenging for honors this season, but lost in that talk is the threat posed by the Strikers. This is a team that is deep, dangerous in a lot of areas, and plays a rather attractive, free-flowing game. There looks to be a perfect blend of youthful enthusiasm and cool-headed experience that should pay dividends.

It was a tall order to make Ft. Lauderdale competent last fall, but Günter Kronsteiner did just that will little time to impress his identity on the squad. Now that he's had the luxury of a full preseason to meld this team as he sees fits and to bring in some very vital pieces, there is every reason to believe that the postseason is well within Ft. Lauderdale's grasp.

Hindsight
Simply put, Günter Kronsteiner made me look good with this prediction. Thank you.

Indy Eleven

Preseason Verdict

Some have picked Indy Eleven to prop up the rest of the table, but I don't think they'll have to endure such a fate in their inaugural season. They have enough dangerous players to make a mark and win some games as the year progresses.

However, I do think that mid-table is their ceiling unless they address some of their depth and inexperience issues as the season goes on. The dichotomy between untried youth and grizzled veterans on the roster is interesting, but it will be the former that keeps Indy from being a contender at the first time of asking.

Hindsight

I wasn't too far off with this one. This season, however, was never going to be based upon results alone, but rather progress and evolution. Indy was a box office hit, and following a winless spring season, they were much improved in the fall and closed the season as one of the form teams in the league. With some money to spend, look for big things from them in the offseason.

Minnesota United

Preseason Verdict

Before Pablo Campos was lost for the season, I had no doubts about Minnesota being one of the final four teams standing in November, but now I'm not so sure. That is not to say that it is out of the question, however.

Any respectable goal tally from whoever ends up claiming the top spot, or even if it's striker by committee, should still be enough to see Minnesota challenge for any one of the three trophies on offer this season. The unfortunate thing for Minnesota fans, however, is not knowing if this will actually happen or not.

Hindsight

Christian Ramirez let us all know that there would be no shortage of goals for Minnesota, as his season starting in place of the injured Pablo Campos was nothing short of transcendent. 

They were the class of the league for most of the season, which is all the more reason why they were disappointed to drop points towards the end of the season and all San Antonio to steal the fall title away from them. Still, Minnesota is in a great position to win a second trophy this season.

New York Cosmos

Preseason Verdict

If it's not broken, why fix it? Giovanni Savarese's side acquitted themselves well last season in beginning life in the NASL with two trophies, and the safe bet is to assume that there could be at least another trophy in store this season. The goalkeeping situation will probably be masked by a stout rearguard, and this year's edition of the Cosmos will likely have more goals in it than last year's. 

Hindsight

The Cosmos didn't win either seasonal title, but they did finish third in the overall and have their chance to win it all in the postseason. 

They were again stout defensive, yet again shy of goals at times. Missing Hans Denissen and Diomar Diaz for much of the season did their scoring numbers no favors.

Ottawa Fury

Preseason Verdict

Like Indy Eleven, the unknown about Ottawa revolves around just how quickly a completely new side can form some semblance of cohesion. Simply integrating new players into a team can be tough enough; never mind building a side from scratch.

However, Ottawa does have the luxury of having a manager with experience and a good record at this level, and unlike Indy, they have experience all throughout the roster. Like Indy, Ottawa will probably end up on the outside of the postseason looking in, but I would expect them to be the better of the NASL's two new clubs.

Hindsight
Like Indy, Ottawa shouldn't really be judged on results this season. They had their injury problems during the season, but as they got healthier, they certainly looked more and more formidable. Ottawa fans have good reason to think that they can take another step forward next season.

San Antonio Scorpions

Preseason Verdict

Anything less than winning one of the NASL's trophies this season would be a disappointment, and anything less than being one of the final four teams playing in November would be seen as a disaster by many around the league.

The stage is set for San Antonio to take the league by storm. If Marcina plays his cards correctly and keeps his collection of personalities on the same page, his side has a great chance to be the toast of the league and could even make a deep run in the US Open Cup.  

Hindsight
San Antonio found themselves near the top of the overall table all season, and have one trophy (fall season) to show for their troubles. With Billy Forbes becoming one of the revelations of the league and Rafael Castillo proving to be such a playmaking catalyst when he joined in the middle of the season, Scorpions fans believe that a second trophy could come their way in a few days.

Tampa Bay Rowdies

Preseason Verdict

Tampa Bay is far from perfect thanks to their defensive deficiencies, but they should still be seen as viable contenders in the NASL this season. The goals are going to come barring some sort of unforeseen catastrophe, and we can probably bank on Matt Pickens doing enough to make his back line look better than it actually is.

In short, anything less than being one of the last four teams in November will be a disappointment.

Hindsight

Tampa Bay was even more porous in the back than even I thought they would be, and Matt Pickens was indeed quite busy all year. Brian Shriver's struggles with injury and inconsistency didn't help the cause up top, either.