As the NPSL table sits, AFCAA is atop the list. Though the other teams not involved in Saturday's match have yet to start their league play, can you speak to how important an early jump in the league standings is in these first few matches?
The first 3 points in any season are crucial, so I was really happy for the players & the club this past weekend.
Saturday's game marks three matches in a row the Mighty Oak have eaten a goal first. Though our team shows amazing comeback ability, do you sense our club is getting closer to a clean sheet?
This is a trend that we will be working to change. Clean sheets are fundamental for team success & I believe we have the personnel to limiting goals against. After analyzation, all of the goals we have conceded can be attributed to new players playing with one another. I'm positive that as the group becomes more comfortable playing with one another our defensive schemes will continue to strengthen.
Some new faces were broken in Saturday night. As the roster starts to take its true shape, does a coach look to incorporate other guys as we go or does the team sheet keep a similar list especially with positive results?
Player/team selection is the art of management. There's no doubt that new players will break into the team over the course of the season. That is why we have brought in a list of talented players & feel confident in our depth. We will need to manage player availability, injury, over-playing, etc, which are all variables that impact player selection. That being said, we will strive for consistency from game to game & be strategic with the introduction of new players into the team.
Once again AFCAA plays a home NPSL match this Friday against a brand new face in the soccer landscape, KZOO. Does facing a brand new club without history present challenges when preparing?
Playing KZoo will be similar to Dayton this last weekend. It will be their first league match & we haven't had an opportunity to scout them. However their are a number of players on their roster we are very familiar with. So we won't have a clear picture of their tactics, system of play & set pieces, we have a very good understanding of their individual qualities.
You have been very consistent in the game by game approach, but does an exciting result like this past Saturday raise any expectations as a coach in terms of ceiling in team form or overall results?
No not at all. It's all about the next game, which will be the message to the players in training today. There's no time to dwell on the past & let that impact our approach moving forward. This week we will be back to the grind of preparing for Friday & I'm excited to see our men preform again at Hollway.