Strikers Begin Preparations For 2016 NASL Season With Schalke Test

The Fort Lauderdale Strikers are getting a jump on preparations for the 2016 NASL season and are jumping right into the fire with stiff competition at this year’s Florida Cup.

The Strikers first preseason affair will be against the Bundesliga’s FC Schalke 04 on Sunday, Jan. 11, and the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando.

“Everyone looks forward to games against big teams, especially from ones in the Bundesliga,” Neil Hlavaty told NASL.com “We’ll have no problem getting up for the game. It’s going to be a stern test, obviously they are mid-season.

“It’s a bit different because you usually start out with college teams to get to know each other. That’s not the case, we’re jumping right in and against some of the best players in the world.”

Hlavaty is one new member of the Strikers’ roster that underwent many changes after the conclusion of the 2015 season. The Florida Cup provides the first chance for the team to get to know each other better on the field.

Aurelio Saco Vértiz is one of the newcomers to Fort Lauderdale and will play his first season in the NASL in 2016. He said of the upcoming match with Schalke: “We haven’t had the time or the opportunity to know each other perfectly on the field, but it’s exciting to play against a team with such history. I really know about Schalke because Jefferson Farfan, a big Peruvian player, played there for many years.”

The Strikers, though, won’t just be representing the club when they kick off against the Bundesliga side and later in the competition against Colombia’s Santa Fe, but will carry the flag for the NASL as well.

“It’s good for the league,” Hlavaty said. “One team doesn’t represent the league as a whole, but a lot of people throughout our country and the world will be watching the games, so it’s like we’re putting the NASL on a spotlight for a little bit. That’s something that has to be put out to the players that we’re not just representing ourselves, but the league.

“It’s a very important role for us.”

Hlavaty noted that the Strikers will respect their opponent, but won’t be afraid to compete with players such as Netherlands international Klass-Jan Huntelaar and the club’s up-and-coming stars like Leroy Sané and Max Meyer. The club currently sits in sixth place at the Bundesliga’s annual winter break. Saco Vértiz sees the game as a chance to grow from the experience.

“I see it as an opportunity to play and learn from those type of players,” adding “we have to focus on our team and stick to the plan that the coach gives us.”

The first match of the Strikers’ preseason is only the beginning as the club aims to reach the postseason for a third straight year and ultimately win its first NASL title.

“We’re only going to get better with more games,” Saco Vértiz said. “That takes time, so we have to be patient and know we’ll get better with each day.”