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The Fort Lauderdale Strikers were the worst overall club in the 2013 NASL season, finishing last in the overall standings on 24 points (eight in the Spring Season, 16 in the Fall Season). The Strikers fired their head coach, Daryl Shore, just before the conclusion of the Spring Season and eventually hired Gunter Kronsteiner to lead the club in the second half of the campaign. Although their performances in the first half were mostly woeful, the club showed huge signs of improvement in the fall under their new manager.
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During the Spring Season the Strikers couldn’t even muster 10 points and had a goal differential of -14. They amassed two wins and two draws to go along with eight defeats. After a 2012 in which the club finished in a playoff spot, the beginning of 2013 was massively disappointing and ultimately led to Shore’s Departure.
Kronsteiner brought some fresh air to the Strikers in the Fall Season and it was apparent early on that the Strikers would be much harder to beat in the second half. After a fast-paced and impressive start in August, the Strikers tailed off a bit towards the end and finished fifth in the standings with a much more respectable goal differential of -2. Despite the fact that the club found themselves in the cellar come the end of the 2013 season, their brighter performances and player additions under Kronsteiner should add plenty of hope for 2014.
Interesting Storyline
Can Kronsteiner replicate and improve the Strikers Fall Season form from last year and lead Fort Lauderdale to one of the four Championship spots? After their 2-2-8 (W-D-L) record in the Spring Season, the Strikers were (5-3-6) in the Fall Season, showing significant improvement. Since Kronsteiner has retained important pieces during the offseason while adding others, can he get the Strikers off to the right start in 2014?
Key Additions
Chris Nurse – Nurse was a big piece for FC Edmonton in 2013, winning their Team MVP award as well as the NASL Player of the Month award for August. Nurse declined a contract offer from Edmonton and recently joined the Strikers. He is a talented and experienced NASL midfielder and will add a great piece to Kronsteiner’s starting 11. His box-to-box style and eye for the odd goal will be welcome traits in Fort Lauderdale.
Oka Nikolov – The Strikers made a splash in the free agent market during the offseason, signing goalkeeper Oka Nikolov. Nikolov is a Macedonian international that has made over 200 Bundesliga appearances with Eintracht Frankfurt. The 39-year old brings unparalleled experience for a current NASL goalkeeper and should strengthen up the Strikers’ defensive efforts. We know age is rarely an issue when it comes to goalkeepers, so the fact that he may have a few gray hairs shouldn’t worry fans in the least.
Key Departures
Walter Restrepo – Restrepo is a former NASL Best XI player and Strikers player of the year. The crafty midfielder can be one of the best attacking mids in the NASL when he is on his game and healthy. Rumors swirled about his role at the club under Kronsteiner and he was eventually traded to the San Antonio Scorpions in hilarious fashion, being swapped for hotel and transportation for the Strikers’ road trips to Texas. This is not uncommon in “minor league” sports, but we are allowed to smile when it happens.
David Foley – Foley was impressive from 2010-2012 with the Puerto Rico Islanders, scoring 24 goals in 74 appearances before signing with the Strikers in January of 2013. Foley was supposed to be a big part of the Strikers campaign last year, and scored two goals through his first five appearances. However Foley suffered a season-ending injury not long after and missed the remainder of the season. The club and Foley mutually parted ways, but perhaps if he was given another shot, he could have surprised a few up front.
Potential breakout player
Shawn Chin – Chin brings experience to the Strikers from FC Edmonton, Minnesota and VSI Tampa Bay, yet he is still only 24 years old. Chin could finally be set for a breakout season in Fort Lauderdale, provided he gets the time on the pitch that he is surely craving. Chin has made two appearances for the US U-20’s and can potentially add a spark to Fort Lauderdale’s midfield.
Biggest Strength
The Strikers have had a relatively successful offseason, less because of the players they signed and more because of the players they retained. The Strikers have a large chunk of their squad returning in 2014, which can add much needed consistency for Kronsteiner. Two of those retentions, Rafael Alves and Stefan Antonijevic, will pair up at the center of defense for the club next season. Both players shined under Kronsteiner in the second half of 2013, and will continue their budding partnership. The Strikers allowed 24 goals in just 12 games in the Spring Season before only allowing 20 goals in 14 games in the Fall. Much of that improvement was due to this solid partnership.
Most Glaring Weakness
The Strikers, like a few clubs in the NASL, need more goals. They scored the fewest in the awful 2013 Spring Season before scoring the fifth most in the Fall campaign. Their goal scoring improved after the coaching change, but Fort Lauderdale will need more out of Mark Anderson, Martin Nunez and Yaikel Perez in 2014 if they want to make the postseason.
Outlook
Strikers fans can certainly be more optimistic entering the 2014 season than they were when entering the 2013 Fall Season. With a solid squad core in place, a strong heart of their defense and a full preseason under their relatively new coach, the club should be able to hit the ground running next month.
Fort Lauderdale still lacks the talent to be sure-fire title contenders, but could surprise a few folks in 2014. When all is said and done, Fort Lauderdale’s quality ranks right in the middle of the pack of the league, but quality on paper does nothing for you on the pitch. It remains to be seen if they can contend in a full season under Kronsteiner. Their improving defense and somewhat consistent squad make-up will fuel more hope for 2014, but question marks still remain in the club, and those can only be answered after the season starts.
I think we see a slightly improved Strikers side compared to the one we saw in the 2013 Fall Season. I don’t think this team will eventually contend for a Soccer Bowl trophy and I assume they will miss out on one of the Championship spots, but an improved season can do wonders for the organization. Perhaps a mid-table finish can spur the club on to continue to add more talent and improving with the hopes of contending consistently in the future. For 2014, I see positives for the club, but not a postseason berth.
(image courtesy of nasl.com)
