Days before the first game, Head Coach Alan Koch sat at a media roundtable and told reporters FC Cincinnati deserved their preseason projection: 24th in MLS.
“We haven’t earned anything yet,” Koch said.
The remark came following the club’s 3-0 defeat to Columbus Crew SC in a preseason finale – when it appeared FCC actually regressed during preseason.
Given the club’s short runway between MLS confirmation and first regular season match – 277 days – Koch said there’d be times this season when Cincinnati struggled. The season-opening loss at Seattle Sounders FC proved his point.
But then something changed.
Rather than continuously reworking the lineup, Koch and the coaching staff stuck to their plan. They only made two changes to the next starting 11 and asked players to play a similar style.
Here’s what followed:
The club earned a draw at the reigning MLS Cup champions (Atlanta United FC). Then, it beat the cup runner-up (Portland Timbers) and claimed a first road win (at New England Revolution).
Maybe struggle comes later, but it’s distant currently.
FC Cincinnati are second in the Eastern Conference standings, three games unbeaten and a win away from the best start by an expansion club in MLS history.
So, about that preseason prediction …
“We’re big-time exceeding expectations, but we’ll take it,” Koch said after the 2-0 win Sunday afternoon. “We’ve said this since the very beginning: we’re going to go every single game, give everything we can and try to get three points.
“If you’d have said to me we’ll start the season off with four games and having these particular four games that we have and we’ll have, what, seven points? I’d had say you’re crazy. Credit to the players. Full credit to the staff. Everyone is buying into what we’re asking them to do. They’re willing to be selfless. They’re working for each other and we continue to improve.”
Against New England, five Orange and Blue players were away on international duty. Two starters from the season opener – Fanendo Adi and Prezemysław Tytoń – were injured and didn’t travel.
Midfielder Kekuta Manneh said it wouldn’t matter who played because players know their roles and the team’s playing style and system. FCC proved it.
Next up: three home games in the next four matches. The first arrives Saturday night against the Philadelphia Union, who just beat Columbus, 3-0.
Koch wants people to pump the breaks on accolades.
“We’re not going to get carried away,” he said. “It’s still early. You don’t gain anything in this league by being anywhere in the table after four games. It means absolutely nothing. It’s a long, long season.
“But I am happy for the players. They’ll take a lot of confidence from this. I hope they’ll continue to grow as a group.”
