Season Outlook | Jacksonville Armada FC

Venue: Community First Park

Co-Head Coaches: José Luis Villarreal and Guillermo Hoyos (first year)

Last Season’s Finish: N/A, first year in 2015.

Players To Watch: Marcos Flores, Alhessane Keita

Marcos Flores comes to the North American Soccer League from the Newcastle Jets of the Australian A-League. Bringing his vast experience, Flores is expected to be a mainstay in the Armada FC Starting XI. Capable of playing as a forward or further back in the midfield, Flores should be the catalyst for Jacksonville’s attack.

Alhessane Keita has been a scoring champion several times throughout his career that spanned Europe and Africa. Within the Armada FC squad, Keita should be the main fulcrum of finishing their attacks. Showing the ability to create chances for others, Keita can also find scoring opportunities for himself and will look to terrorize NASL defenses in 2015.

What They’re Saying: “All the players are stepping up to the level that we want. They are really conforming to what we want this team to become. Everybody is working together, nobody has a history together, but they’ve done a good job so far.” – Guillermo Hoyos

“I, like a lot of the boys, feel that we have in our hands the chance to make the first step in the right direction. We can lead the next coming years in building the culture of the Armada.” – Marcos Flores

Season Outlook: Pinning down just where an expansion side will finish is always a tricky proposition. The New York Cosmos won the title in 2013, while last season Ottawa Fury FC and Indy Eleven certainly showcased growing pains throughout their first term. However, Jacksonville has combined talent from abroad, players with NASL experience, and young players with a bright future. That mix should see them do quite well as they embark on their inaugural season. However, like any team, Armada FC will experience highs and lows over the course of the split-seasons. If things click, the Armada FC could be in contention for The Championship, although, they may just fall short of getting there.