Players, Coaches Take Advantage Of Break Between Seasons

If the 10-match Spring Season is a sprint, the break between the split seasons is a chance to catch a breath before the long-distance run of the Fall Season.

And for many clubs, the break came just at the right time for many different reasons.

For the players, it’s a chance to get away and recharge mentally and physically. It’s also a chance for ailing players to regain fitness to come back stronger in the Fall Season.

“It’s definitely needed,” Jacksonville Armada FC forward Jemal Johnson said. “A lot of the players have families outside of the country, and it’s a good opportunity for them to go and visit their families. Time away is always what you need – it’s going to be 20 games this Fall Season – and it’s going to take a lot of energy.”

From a coaching perspective, it’s a chance to reflect on the Spring Season and see if and what might need to change for the next 20 matches rather than planning for an upcoming fixture at the weekend.

FC Edmonton struggled defensively over the course of the spring, conceding the most goals (22), in uncharacteristic fashion for the Eddies. The break has allowed the club to work on what they need to return to their best.

“It gives us a chance to go back to basics,” Eddies head coach Colin Miller said. “Our defensive record, I believe, was the worst in the league and that’s not something I’m proud of, and I know the players are feeling just as bad as I am and the rest of the staff.

“It’s given us a chance to work on defensive situations and work with the back four, and the chance to tidy that up.”

Also, clubs have used their time to look for potential reinforcements for the second half of the season or sign them.

“The break will give us time to do a couple of things. The first one is to revaluate the group and try to add one or two individuals that can make us a bit stronger,” Atlanta Silverbacks head coach Gary Smith said. “The second one is that the guys that were predominately used in throughout the opening 10 games could use with some downtime and recovery.”

Since there are no matches in between the seasons, it allows the coaches to help implement the players that are signed, and the players to adjust to their new surroundings, without missing games.

“Absolutely, the timing of the break and those lads coming in is great for us because they get to know the staff, how the club is run, and, more importantly, their teammates,” Miller said of new signings Pablo Cruz and Thiago de Freitas. “The timing of this fall preseason is ideal.”

With more time before the next match from the end of the Spring to the Fall Season, there is a chance to tweak tactics or, at the very least, try out different formations and styles of play in the safety net of the training ground.

“It allows us to have a look at one or two new ideas within the group – be it a different shape or one or two different ideas for the team’s play – which I haven’t really had due to the amount of time from preseason. We prepared for four weeks and went right into the Spring Season.

“This is the first opportunity I’ve had really to experiment with the group and see how it looks.”

The teams have also been able to schedule friendlies to better prepare for the Fall Season. NASL sides will match up against Brazilian, Mexican, and Argentinian squads in June and July.

And while an eye cannot be taken off of the combined standings, the Fall Season does provide something of a reset button. In the past, teams have shown an ability to put themselves with a shot and into The Championship, the four-team postseason format, to compete for an NASL title.

“We prefer the game-by-game approach, instead of analyzing the 30 games or 20 games and predict in the standings where we might be,” Regan said. “We’re going to go out each week and push for three points and, along the way, hope that we can push for a Fall Season Championship or at least finish in the top four [which brings a spot in the playoffs]. 

And as Regan put it, the split-split season format is “the beauty of the league. Like we were last year, perhaps, struggling through some games, but it gives you a chance to breathe and push and find consistency you’ll need to be in the top of the table. We’ll definitely take that advantage this Fall Season.”