Nacho Novo Is Scoring Goals And Feeling At Home With The Carolina RailHawks

Carolina RailHawks forward Nacho Novo spent time training at a familiar place this past offseason, using the facilities at one of his former clubs, Rangers FC, to stay sharp before the 2015 North American Soccer League (NASL) season.

As a beloved former player at Rangers FC, Novo frequents the club’s grounds in Glasgow, but on this most recent visit, training wasn’t the only thing he did. The Spanish forward spent time coaching Rangers’ U-17 side. While he admits that coaching could be a logical next step for him, he insists there is plenty left in his legs, and that’s good news for the RailHawks.  

Novo has played two matches in 2015, and he has found the back of the net in both of them. The veteran’s efforts, along with those of his teammates, have the RailHawks atop the NASL standings, albeit at the very early stages of the Spring Season.

While Novo may get more attention as the one with his name on the scoresheet, he is quick to point out that it comes down to his teammates. Asked if anyone stood out, the 36-year-old raved about midfielder Nazmi Albadawi in particular.

“He’s a player that I admire,” Novo told NASL.com “He’s a young kid that loves to play, loves training, and is pushing himself so much in training and in the games.

“He’s just impressed me so much since last year, and this season he has started very well too.”

The forward, who played the majority of his career in Scotland and his native country of Spain, is in his first full season with Carolina. He played in eight matches last season, scoring a very respectable three goals.

In his time with Carolina, he has certainly felt at home. He even admitted that he could see himself living in the United States for an extended period of time, but much of that comes down to his teammates and coaches at the club.

“It’s like a family,” Novo said. “It makes the players feel at home. When you have all of that, everything will be good.”

Part of that family includes the fans, and Novo wants to lift the Soccer Bowl trophy for them.

Novo is certainly no stranger to winning titles, having spent six trophy-laden seasons with Rangers – a spell that included three league titles. To do so in Carolina, he knows it won’t be easy, but he is looking forward to the journey ahead. 

“All of the teams are getting stronger and stronger,” he said. “It’s difficult because there’s a lot of competition, and it takes a lot of hard work. Some of the clubs are playing great soccer.

“But that’s what I like. The competition is at a high level for the teams in the NASL. It’s going to be tough, but that’s what you work to do – to fight for something.”

Novo also wants to continue to do what he has done so far in the early season – find the back of the net.

“For me personally, as a striker, everyone is always asking for goals, and I will do everything that I can to score as many as I can,” he said.

Entering the 2015 season as prepared as ever, particularly due to his training stint with Rangers, there is one thing Novo especially wants to do – and it all comes back to his teammates.

“The only thing I want is to do well for my teammates,” he said.