When the FC Cincinnati coaches and team staff board a plane to New York on Friday, those will be the club’s first steps in an eight-day journey that crosses the continent with three games in between.
The Orange and Blue play at the New York Red Bulls on Saturday, followed by a match at the Philadelphia Union on Wednesday and then a game at the San Jose Earthquakes on May 4.
That’s a lot of traveling, and it could feature a lot of players, too.
“Yes, we’re definitely going to need more players because we’re playing three games in a very, very short amount of time,” Koch said.
Including midfielder Fatai Alashe’s season debut in Friday night’s home loss to Real Salt Lake, 23 players have featured for the Orange and Blue this season. Compared to the rest of MLS, that’s tied for second-most with Orlando City SC.
The next two opponents, the Red Bulls and the Union, lead MLS with 24. For context, Minnesota United FC have the league low with 17.
With a squad rotation probable, that means more FC Cincinnati players have an opportunity to prove they deserve more minutes moving forward.
“I think every game is an opportunity for a player to showcase himself,” Koch said. “Different players get different opportunities at different times.
“If you’re a player, whenever you get that chance, if it’s just through one game a week if we’re playing that routine or if we’re playing three games in the space of a week, whenever you get your chance, just grab it and make the most of it.”
