Gale Agbossoumonde Returns To Where His Career Began

Gale Agbossoumonde takes stock of his career and is left with an overarching feeling that he has a lot of work ahead in 2016.

“I have a lot to prove and I feel that people haven’t seen what I’m capable of,” he told NASL.com. “Not only to prove to others, but I know what I’m capable of and I want to prove it to myself on the field.”

Agbossoumonde, 24, is hoping that his spiritual home in South Florida, where he started his career, will bring a resurgence for the center back.

“It’s where it all started for me,” he said. “It’s kind of cliché to say, but my career hasn’t been going the way I want it to, so going back to where it all started from I can rewrite the story a little.”

He made his professional debut in 2009 as a member of Miami FC, which later became the Fort Lauderdale Strikers (and is separate from the Miami FC NASL expansion club). After early promise that awarded Agbossoumonde a senior national team appearance with the United States, he has experienced disappointing stops and starts. 

Now, with the Strikers after spending last season with intrastate rival Tampa Bay Rowdies, Agbossoumonde feels he is in a setup that suits his playing style.

“We want to be a team that plays the ball a lot, and I think that suits my style,” he said.

With plenty of skilled players on the team, Agbossoumonde will need to only focus on winning and distributing the ball. He will also have veteran players on the team to continue to learn from like Julius James.

“The defenders that the coaches have brought – Julius [James] and Nana [Attakora] – are vocal players,” he said. “Playing with players like that can keep you more aware.”

The Strikers have had success the last two seasons reaching the postseason – making The Championship Final in 2014 and semifinals in 2015 – but have yet to find the elusive title. Agbossoumonde is hoping to slot right in with his new teammates, and help the club lift the Soccer Bowl trophy.

“I have that hunger to help the team get over the hump,” he said. “The team has been in the playoffs and hasn’t won it. By the signings you’ve seen the coaches have made, you can tell that they really want to win.”