Silverbacks Are Brimming With Confidence To Start Gary Smith's Coaching Tenure In Atlanta

At the moment, the Atlanta Silverbacks are riding high. They’ve taken five points from a possible nine – doing so with a mostly new squad – and have a chance to move into first in the standings with a win on Saturday.

The Silverbacks, however, cannot get too far ahead of themselves. To win a Spring Season Championship, as they did in 2013, they will need to continue to accomplish smaller milestones. They can accomplish one on Saturday by beating the New York Cosmos for the first time.

If the Silverbacks can secure all three points, they will have done so against, according to head coach Gary Smith, the team to beat in the North American Soccer League (NASL) right now.

“They have lots of quality and many different areas to the side that can be effective,” he said. “I fully expect a tough game at the weekend.”

“The one thing that is always difficult when you play sides that are as a talented as this Cosmos side, is that you run into them when they’re full of confidence as well. This group has started well, they’ve gelled togterher with a couple of new additions, most notably Raül, and what I’ve seen so far is the style they are trying to put together is looking very fluid.”

To get the result this weekend, the Silverbacks will have to get the visitors “off their stride and not allow them to play their own game.” Also, Atlanta needs to go at the Cosmos with their own attacking efforts and put New York on the back foot as much as possible. 

Heading into a matchup against the current team atop the standings, the Silverbacks feel like they could just as easily be sitting on similar or more points than the Cosmos (2-1-0, seven points). 

“The way the games have unfolded, I think we’re all a little bit disappointed we’re not sitting on similar points to the New York Cosmos at this stage,” Smith said. “We conceded that late penalty against Indy in the opening game, which I have to say was really evenly matched, there was nothing to really separate the two teams.

"But the Ottawa game, I really thought we should have taken advantage of a very good spell after we just scored to win the game. We’re disappointed we’re not sitting joint top with the Cosmos at this point.”

To Smith’s surprise, the league he has entered into has been better than he expected.

“I would say it’s above where I thought it would be,” he said. “I’ve been very impressed with the teams we’ve run into so far.”

Atlanta (1-2-0, five points) has gotten strong performances from familiar faces, such as Shaka Bangura, and from a whole host of NASL newcomers – Simon Mensing and Jon Okafor, to name a few.

The performances on the pitch are ones the supporters and the city can get behind. So far, Smith feels they have, as he can feel the buzz around the team.

“You can sense the real energy around the place,” he said. “The fans that have come out to support us have been absolutely wonderful.

“The fans can see this is a very genuine group of players, they are always going to give absolutely 100 percent, and that there are some very talented boys in this group that can brighten up any 90 minutes and change the game.”

On Saturday, the supporters will certainly have their role to play to help lift the Silverbacks to a victory.

“We have to offer our part as players and coaches and make sure the type of energy we provide translates into the fans, and we hope they’d get fully behind the group and build some sort of crescendo to what we require.

"It’s been positive from the fans so far. I expect there to be a packed Silverbacks Park at the weekend and everybody looking forward to what should be a good spectacle.”

The best for the Silverbacks, however, may be still to come. As the squad continues to get more games together, the level of play should take another step forward. The signs have pointed to it through the first three games. 

“We haven’t fulfilled what I’d like to see on a regular basis so far in the games we’ve played,” Smith said. “New teams are about consistency, and I think we’ve shown that in one or two areas.

“Our challenge will be consistently proving to teams we can create chances and that we are a good team as well as a very hard-working and organized team.” 

He added, “I fully believe, as long as we have some fortune on the playing side with injuries and suspension, this group will mature in the right way and show what a very talented group this is.There is certainly more to come.”

If Atlanta continues on their current trend, a win against the Cosmos could be in their sights – and then they'd be able to move on to loftier goals, like winning the Spring Season title.