Fort Lauderdale Strikers Preview 2011

The Strikers are back and with a vengeance! Gone are the Miami FC Blues as Traffic, owners of the team (And most of the NASL) are ready to put that nightmare behind them. Aaron Davidson set out to make the NASL a legitmate league by hiring new NASL commissioner David Downs. Of course, we here in South Florida know the ultimate move was to bring back Tim Robbie as President of the New Fort Lauderdale Strikers.

Robbie hit the ground running and has been all over the papers, radio and TV. He has been hit with a dilemma... Not having enough seats to sell. That is a great problem to have! We can safely say that Davidson finally made the right decisions. Bringing back the Strikers name and appointing the right people in the right job. But what about the players on the field?

Coach Daryl Shore comes back in what will be his first real full season. Shore came in last year turning a Miami FC team around from a losing team to a winner. Unfortunately the team didn't make the playoffs but we come into 2011 with a clean slate and the responsibility of maintaining the historical precedence set forth by the original Strikers: They never missed the playoffs.

Now lets look at the players that are IN and those that are OUT.

OUT
Paulo Araujo Jr Real Salt Lake MLS D1
JP Rodrigues Playing for our rivals FC Tampa NASL D2. Be sure to call him a traitor next time we see him. =)
Christiano Dias NSC Minnesota Stars NASL D2
Lance Parker FC Edmonton NASL D2
Mike Randolph Los Angeles Blues USL Pro D3
Chuckwudi Chijindu Los Angeles Blues USL D3
Gerson Mayen Chivas USA MLS D1
Kyle Veris Pittsburgh Riverhounds USL Pro D3
Edward Santeliz Suchitepequez D1 Liga National de Futbol de Guatemala
Stephan Jerome Sigma Olomouc D1 Gambrinus Liga (Czech Republic)
Jaryd Goldberg ?
Christian Gomez ? China
Caleb Patterson Railhawks NASL D2

IN

Goalkeepers

Matt Glaeser returns after a strong finish as the starting GK with the Miami FC Blues last season.

Phillip Lamarre came on loan for a month last year from Tampa. He made the right decision leaving the hated Rowdies. Phil is from Plantation, FL.

Nic Platter, formerly of the Minnesota Thunder (Now NSC Minnesota Stars) If recent lineups are any indication it looks like Platter will be the starter. Be sure to follow him on Twitter: http://twitter.com/isnapfotos

Defenders

Aaron Hohlbein A solid defender that came in last year and changed our backline. Formerly with the Kansas City Wizards (Now Sporting KC) A definite starter and team Captain.
Christian Arrieta has played all over. Leece in Italy, Puerto Rico Islanders, Philidephia Union. He has a great track record. I'd put my money on him starting.

Adam "Batman or the Mayor" West (Yes, yes, I'm sure he hear that a lot!) Formerly played for the Tacoma Tide, Milwaukee Wave of MISL and the now self relegated
to D-3 Rochester Rhinos.

Scott "The Commissioner" Gordon (Sorry, I just had too!) Gordon is originally from Boca Raton, FL and has played for FC Dallas and Lynn University.


Zach "Beowulf" Kirby A fan favorite who previously played for the Atlanta Silverbacks, LA Galaxy and Wilmington Hammerheads.

Lance Laing this defender from Trelawny, Jamaica has played for Harbour View FC and Village United.

Martyn Lancaster from Wigan, England has played for Chester City, Wilmington Hammerheads, Atlanta Silverbacks, Queen of the South, Ljungskile SK to name a few. Another fan favorite, look for him to start as well.

Midfielders

Eduardo "Cacho" Coudet from Buenos Aires, Argentina is perhaps the most storied of the Strikers players having shined with River Plate and gone on to other teams such as Celta de Vigo, Philadelphia Union and many more.

Bryan Arguez a local young promise has played with Hertha Berlin, DC United and USA youth teams. Follow him on Twitter: http://twitter.com/bryan_arguez17


Lennon Eduardo Carvalho Celestino from Sao Paulo, Brazil was plagued by injury last year. We hope to see more of him this year.

Grant Kerr from Linlithgow, Scotland has played for Fordham University and Southend United.

Paulo Henrique Le Petit from São Carlos, Brazil. Le Petit has shown sparks of his talent last year. We will see what he can bring with the Strikers.

Martin Nuñez from Montevideo, Uruguay is another player that came at the end of last year and impressed. He has played with the Carolina Railhawks and Puerto Rico Islanders.

Patrick Otte has played with the Middlesbourgh Academy, Ventura County Fusion and the U.S. youth teams.

Mike Palacio has played for the New York Red Bulls and Serbian team Radnicki Obrenovac to name a few.

Toni Stahl from Tuusula, Finland has played for the University of Connecticut, FC Espoo and the Philadelphia Union.

Brian Shriver is from Clearwater, Florida and has played with the Carolina Dynamo, Carolina RailHawks and the U-23

Forwards

David Santamaria impressed during Traffic's combine last year and was signed by the Strikers. Keep an eye on this young promise!

Abe Thompson ended the 2010 season as the leading scorer of the team. An MLS veteran who has played for FC Dallas, Houston Dynamo and Kansas City. Look for "Honest" Abe to be the starting forward.

Aaron Wheeler comes to the Strikers from the evil FCTampa, he has since been cleansed and repented. Aaron has also played for the Vancouver Whitecaps and Reading Rage. You can follow his Twitter: http://twitter.com/AaWheeler12

Are you ready to see the Strikers this weekend? Tickets are still available visit www.strikers.com

Be sure to check out the GAME DAY GUIDE for a map of the stadium and events!  Tailgate starts at 5pm! 4 pm if you want to hang out with South Florida United and the Miami Ultras.

All pictures by Robert Scorca
Don't forget to join www.naslguru.com the new NASL game and follow them on:
Twitter: http://twitter.com/naslguru
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NASLGuru
Share this game with your friends! Find the Guru inside you!

South Florida Soccer News: More Red Bulls vs Strikers, Billboard and Flight 19.

Strikers Billboard is up! If you are headed Northbound on I-95 be on the look out for this new Fort Lauderdale Strikers sign pictures captured by Miami Ultra Pabony Rivera and Flight 19 member Derek Reese. It's between Sunrise and Oakland Park.
The good news we hear is that the Strikers front office is selling season tickets like hotcakes! The bad news we have heard is that last years MVP Christian Gomez and top scorer Abe Thompson will not be back this year. (Gomez is said to be headed to China). The absence of both are a tough blow for the offense of the team which seemed non existent during Saturdays game. A notable presence Saturday was Eduardo Coudet, the Argentine midfielder who played for the Philadelphia Union last year. Former clubs he played in include Celta de Vigo in Spain, San Luis in Mexico, and River Plate.
The Strikers defense looked solid against the Red Bulls considering they had only practiced for a week before their first scrimmage. There is no doubt the Strikers need some top fire power upfront and a good playmaker. Let's see what coach Daryl Shore comes up with as preseason continues.

In the picture below, fan favorite and Strikers defender Martyn Lancaster can be seen after the Red Bulls game with  forward Theirry Henry.  

Be sure to visit www.strikers.com for more info on the team as things heat up on the road to the season opener versus FC Edmonton April 9th at Lockhart Stadium.
Following is a video by Miami Ultra Alan Guevara.

 MLS News

South Florida resident and Reuters journalist Simon Evans has launched a new Reuters Soccer blog. His latest piece is an interview with Thierry Henry.

Q: Was the fact that America is still, in some ways, a new frontier for the sport and you have a role in spreading the game’s popularity, an attraction?

No, I know that people are always going to talk about me, Rafa (Marquez), Becks, Donovan, they will talk about us but it is up to everyone in the league, all of us, to perform well and attract more fans and let everyone see that MLS is serious. When you have things like the All Star game, I know its only a friendly, but again, it is a chance to show that you can compete. It is down to everyone, to Real Salt Lake, to Dallas to all the organizations in the league to make the league better, not only what you could call the ‘usual suspects’

Be sure to follow Reuters Soccer Blog on facebook http://www.facebook.com/reuterssoccer 

Flight 19
Flight 19 is a Fort Lauderdale and Broward County based supporters group dedicated to passionately supporting our local professional club team, the Fort Lauderdale Strikers, as well as South Florida soccer in general.

The group was conceived in 2010 by a handful of Miami Ultras members, as part of the broader South Florida United effort, to stir up support for local soccer in the Fort Lauderdale area, coinciding with the return of the legendary Strikers and North American Soccer League in 2011.

The group is named in honor of the flight of 5 TBM Avenger torpedo bombers that took off from Naval Air Station Fort Lauderdale(now Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport) in December of 1945, disappearing in perhaps the most famous incident associated with the Bermuda Triangle. Our crest is based on the roundel insignia found on WWII era US Military Aircraft, the original NASL style soccer ball and the triangular shape of the Bermuda Triangle. The story of Flight 19 is part of the history of Fort Lauderdale, and considering the home of the Strikers, Lockhart Stadium, is situated on land that was once part of an airport built to train WWII Naval pilots, it is a fitting name to represent our efforts to honor Fort Lauderdale and our rich history.

Be sure to check out and join Flight 19 and follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

Red Bulls vs Strikers preview. Copa Latina Continues.

Copa Latina continues this weekend!

The Copa Latina is South Florida’s premier amateur soccer tournament with clubs participating from all over the world, including Colombia, Argentina, Haiti, El Salvador, and many other Latin American and South American nations. Below is the schedule for this weekend’s upcoming matches:

DATE	TIME	MATCH
Saturday, Feb. 26	2 PM	Chile vs. Brazil Soccer Academy
Saturday, Feb. 26	4 PM	Blue Star Honduras vs. Uruguay Broward FC
Saturday, Feb. 26	6 PM	Collier Mexico vs. Roma Honduras
Saturday, Feb. 26	8 PM	Honduras 5 Estrellas vs. New Life Brazil
Sunday, Feb. 27	1 PM	Soccer Locker Red Force vs. Seleccion Colombia
Sunday, Feb. 27	3 PM	Selección Peru vs. Colombia Real Madrid
Sunday, Feb. 27	5 PM	Peru NMB vs. Tapa Roja Colombia
Sunday, Feb. 27	7 PM	Argentina RFC vs. Seleccion Haiti

 For results and review of past games visit:

www.copalatina.com

The Fort Lauderdale Strikers will host the New York Red Bulls in its first preseason game

Today the Fort Lauderdale Strikers are set to take on the New York Red Bulls this at 2:30 P.M. in a friendly match that is open and free to the public.

It will be our first look at the Strikers who started their preseason this week. It is reported that a total of 36 players are in camp from which Head Coach Daryl Shore will select the best to stay with the team that hope to bring South Florida their first NASL Championship.

“I am very pleased that our organization, the New York Red Bulls, and Lockhart Stadium were all able to work out all the details involved with allowing the match to be open to the public. Even though we are only 5 days into preseason, it’s a great opportunity for our fans to see our team compete against one of the top teams in Major League Soccer. We hope all of our fans take advantage of this free exhibition match,” said Head Coach Daryl Shore.

For more on today's free game visit www.strikers.com
The Red Bulls' roster includes former Barcelona star Thierry Henry and Mexican defender Rafa Marquez.
Following is a Video preview of the Red Bulls courtesy of MLS.com:

For Fort Lauderdale Strikers season ticket information see the flyer below:

NASL News: Abundis and Pineda Chacon to coach Atlanta. Shore signs with Strikers

The Atlanta Silverbacks announced that Mexican Jose Manuel Abundis is their new coach. They also announced that one time Miami Fusion star Alex Pineda Chacon will be the assistant coach. Check it out:

The Atlanta Silverbacks announced today that JOSÉ MANUEL ABUNDIS will join the club as its head coach. Abundis, a first-time coach, will take the helm of the Silverbacks immediately.

Abundis, 37, is best known for the 17 years he spent competing at the top levels of international soccer. As part of the Mexican national team from 1996 to 2001, he appeared in 47 games and scored 10 goals, representing Mexico in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta and in the 2001 FIFA Confederations Cup.

As early as 1992, Abundis made a name for himself as the top player for Toluca, a club in Mexico's top soccer division. He totaled 270 appearances and notched 80 goals there, and he also played for Mexican clubs Atlante, Pachuca, CF Monterrey, and Querétaro. In 2006, he played a season for Major League Soccer's New England Revolution. Since arriving in Georgia, Abundis has led youth soccer clinics and become a respected part of the Atlanta community.

"José is a very talented player, but he has also demonstrated that he has the energy, the passion, and the leadership to succeed in coaching," said Director of Soccer RODRIGO RIOS. "We're honored to have him here, and we know Atlanta will welcome him enthusiastically."

Joining Abundis on the coaching staff will be Assistant Coach Alex Pineda Chacon who returns to the Atlanta Silverbacks after previous stints with the organization, both as a player and an assistant coach. Chacón, who played for over 10 years on the Honduran national team, was named Major League Soccer's Most Valuable Player in 2001.

Read more HERE
following is a video of Jose Manuel Abundis in action:

Here are goals by Alex Pineda Chacon with the Miami Fusion:


Shore signs with the Strikers
The Strikers announced this week the re-signing of coach Daryl Shore. Shore came in last season and turned the team around. I'm sure the fans will be happy to see coach Shore back.
Here is what the Strikers had to say:

The Strikers have announced today that they have agreed to a contract extension with head coach, Daryl Shore. As per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“I am grateful that Traffic Sports has given me the opportunity to return and lead our team as we embark on a new era. I understand what the Strikers mean to South Florida soccer and I can promise that we will be one of the hardest working clubs in the NASL, with the goal of making the playoffs and bringing a winning mentality back to this team. We want to build on the success we enjoyed late last season by returning a good core group of players from last year’s team and bringing in new players that are going to help us achieve our goals. The Strikers legacy is powerful in South Florida, and we are ready and humbled to follow in the footsteps of some of the game's greats," said Head Coach Daryl Shore.

Shore, 41, is a New York native who graduated from South Plantation High School, in Plantation, Florida. He played in college as a goalkeeper for Birmingham-Southern College and went on to play professionally for the Birmingham Grasshoppers and the New Orleans Riverboat Gamblers. After managing professional organizations all over the country such as the New Orleans Storm and the Lehigh Valley Steam, he began a ten-year tenure for the Chicago Fire as an assistant coach. Shore served as an assistant to four head coaches with Chicago, including Bob Bradley, Juan Carlos Osorio and former Striker Dennis Hamlett . He also played a significant role in the growth of the Fire’s player development program. He was hired last July as the head coach for the Blues.

Read more at www.miamifc.com

Miami FC vs Rochester Rhinos at Ft Lauderdale Stadium Saturday 4 pm (Video)

Miami FC takes on first place Rochester Rhinos Saturday September 25 at 4pm. Due to a conflict in scheduling with the FAU football game the Blues will play at Fort Lauderdale Stadium Baseball field, but don't worry soccer fans, the Miami FC staff has organized "Party on the Pitch" here fans will be able to watch the game from the field and enjoy music, beer and other activities provided by team sponsors!

Be sure to look for the special parking area assigned to soccer fans, just say you are there for the Miami FC game.

For a match preview and further information go to www.miamifc.com

Get out there and support your Miami FC Blues!

Following is a post match interview by NASL's Kartik Krishnaiyer of Coach Daryl Shore and Blues leading scorer Abe Thompson:


Picture by Robert Scorca

Paulo Jr scores in his debut for RSL. Want to be a Pro Soccer Player?

Paulo Araujo Jr's debut for Real Salt Lake was one of those story book, fairy tale, once in a lifetime type of situations. Paulo, Loaned to RSL for the rest of the season came into the Concacaf Champions game versus Toronto in the 74th minute making an immediate impact as he scored 6 minutes after entering the game to leave the final tally at 4-1 in favor of RSL.

Real Salt Lake finished off TFC in the 80th minute with a goal by Paulo Araujo Jr., who was making his debut with RSL. The Brazilian striker, recently acquired on loan from USSF D-2 side Miami FC, received a square ball from Robbie Findley across the goal mouth, and the youngster tapped it in to seal the victory.

For a complete break down of the game go HERE

Former Miami Fusion players Kyle Beckerman, goalkeeper Nick Rimando and midfielder Andy Williams also contributed to RSL's victory. Beckerman tied the game off a center by Williams who had 2 assists in the night.

Here are the match highlights:


Here is a fan Video. at the end you can see as Paulo Jr. greets the fans. Looks like Paulo may end up staying at RSL if he continues to prove himself.

Want to be a Professional Soccer player?
Think you've got what it takes to be a Pro? Traffic Sports USA has organized a Pro Soccer Combine which will be lead by National Soccer Hall of Fame Member and current Traffic Sports USA Director of Soccer, Fernando Clavijo. Marcelo Balboa, National Soccer Hall of Fame Member and former U.S. National Team Player and Daryl Shore, current Head Coach of Miami FC and former Assistant Coach of the MLS’s Chicago Fire.

Traffic Sports USA, one of the premiere soccer companies in the United States, would like to invite all aspiring footballers to Fort Lauderdale Stadium from Oct 22-24. The Traffic Sports USA Combine provides elite players, with the passion to take their game to the next level, the opportunity to demonstrate their talents and abilities in an environment designed to find professional level athletes. Aside from thorough player evaluations, introductions and access to scouts and player personnel managers, a number of select players from the combine will be invited to pre-season tryouts with South Florida’s Professional soccer team and/or one of its sister clubs in Portugal or Brazil.

Read more at www.miamifc.com