Welcome to another week of my mailbag!
We’ve finally got some actual news to share!
Players can start returning to the Mercy Health Training Center for individual exercise sessions – the literal first steps toward MLS resuming the regular season at some point.
And speaking of the future, take a look at the new premium seat offerings at West End Stadium. The venue is going to be impeccable and one of the biggest soccer-specific stadium in MLS.
Anyway, you came here to read an FCC mailbag, and that’s what follows below. You can send me questions here or by tweeting at me.
Eagle: What’s the latest on the search for a new coach at FC Cincinnati?
Here’s some breaking news… on an all-staff conference call Wednesday afternoon, GM Gerard Nijkamp said he’s hoping to finalize the hire and have an announcement by the start of June or shortly thereafter.
He didn’t offer much news outside of that, but regardless, it sounds like an announcement could be out on the horizon.
Paul: Do you think management knows who they want to hire for the new coach?
I do, and I think they’ve known for a while. Now, it’s about cementing the deal and getting the coach and players together in training.
Noussair: With all the club connections to the Eredivisie, how would FCC do if they were in the Dutch league?
This would be interesting. There’s obviously no way to ever put FCC in the Eredivisie unless it’s in FIFA, but I think the Orange and Blue would do pretty well.
Let’s be honest, Nijkamp left PEC Zwolle for the FCC project, so he clearly sees the club’s potential. Plus, you have Maikel van der Werff, who was the Vitesse captain, coming here, as well as Siem de Jong from Ajax.
Drop this FC Cincinnati roster in the 2019/20 Eredivisie league standings, and I say the club finishes midtable: 6-11 in the table.
Cincinnati has a strong roster but needs to stop conceding goals. That alone would do wonders this MLS season, but this team is a respectable side in both our league and the Dutch first division.
Josey: What’s the best soccer game you’ve ever been to?
- Ajax (3) vs. Bayern Munich (3) in 2018-19 UEFA Champions League group stage
- USMNT (2) vs. Ghana (1) in 2014 FIFA World Cup group stage
- Mexico (3) vs. Croatia (1) in 2014 FIFA World Cup group stage
- Norwich City (3) vs. Derby County (0) in 2016-17 EFL Championship
- FC Cincinnati vs. Chicago Fire in 2017 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
A close sixth was New Zealand (1) vs. Italy (1) in the 2010 FIFA World Cup group stage. The game itself was meh with New Zealand holding on for dear life, but it was a massive result against the reigning world champions – and New Zealand had never mustered a point in the World Cup until its previous match.
Yalcinol: What can Frankie Amaya learn from Haris Medunjanin, since he is the oldest one on the team?
I actually talked to Haris about this on Tuesday.
Amaya entered 2020 as a No. 10 – or at least that was the perception people had, including me. But then when I watched how well he played against New York Red Bulls, and then Atlanta United FC, I wondered if Amaya is really a No. 8 (or 6) who has a lot of promise as a great tackler and reader of the game.
Turns out Haris thinks the same. Medunjanin said that the teenager needs to keep growing, to keep his body healthy and to have confidence to know he can make a play.
At 35, I don’t know how long Medunjanin will keep playing soccer. He even hinted at that during his conference call. But I do know that if he plays two more seasons, he can basically groom Amaya to be a long-term replacement. That would be very, very promising for FC Cincinnati
Vinny: What’s the most obscure piece of fcc trivia Charlie can come up with?
Who is the only player in club history to wear shin guards during training? Hint: he’s a current player.
