It’s been a relatively quiet mid-season break for Ottawa Fury FC over the past few weeks. The club has signed striker Aly Hassan, extended the contract of ‘pleasant surprise’ centre back Colin Falvey, and parted ways with young midfielder Patryk Misik. Three moves, none of which seem to be earth-shattering, which the club is hoping will give it the necessary push up the NASL table to play postseason football.
Fury FC Summer Housekeeping, Jacksonville Handed Brutal Schedule
The addition of Hassan is an interesting one which I highlighted in greater depth last week, and could spark one of Tom Heinemann or Andrew Wiedeman to better results in front of goal. While the towering Hassan had been in the cellar of Fort Lauderdale’s depth chart in recent seasons, a change of scenery and the potential for weekly starts could spur him to new offensive heights.
Frankly, it’s not as though Ottawa’s attack strikes fear into anybody; the team netted just five goals in its ten spring season matches, and was led in scoring by industrious midfielder Nicki Paterson, who has been ruled out for the remainder of the campaign. Ottawa’s attack was the least potent in the league, despite taking the third-most shots (72) during the spring season. With increased pressure on his starting spot, target man Tom Heinemann – with one goal to his name in 390 minutes – may finally be forced to either elevate his game or make way for a proper finisher.
Colin Falvey, initially only under contract until the end of the spring campaign, has deservedly been extended through the end of 2016. The husky, no-nonsense Irish centre back, thought by many to be a USL Pro-level player, has made the jump to the second division seamlessly, pairing with fellow newcomer Rafael Alves to tighten up Ottawa’s backline.
Lastly, 20 year-old Polish-Canadian midfielder Patryk Misik, also on a half-season contract similar to Falvey’s, was not renewed for the fall campaign by the club. He has landed on his feet, signing with Polish third division side Raków Częstochowa. The split was amicable between the two sides, with Misik stating on Twitter that he one day hopes to return to the fold in the nation’s capital.
Ottawa’s fall campaign kicks off this Sunday, as Fury FC is set to host the Jacksonville Armada at 3 p.m.. The expansion Armada find themselves right in the midst of the playoff action in the tight NASL table, sitting in sixth place on twelve points on the eve of the fall season.
Up front, journeyman Haitian winger Pascal Millien has paced the team offensively, with four goals to his name in nine appearances. Another well-traveled international player, 29 year-old Argentine Marcos Flores, has been the team’s creative spearhead in an advanced midfield role, posting three assists in addition to a pair of goals.
JAFC is something of a tough read through the first ten games of its existence. Manager José Luis Villarreal boasts what is on-paper one of the top squads in the NASL, littered with foreigners and plenty of attacking options, yet results have been mixed. Positive results on opening day against Edmonton (3-1 W) and closing night in New York (3-3 D) have been levelled out by two one-goal losses against Floridian rivals (2-1 @FTL, 3-2 @TBR) and a 4-nil drubbing suffered at home against Carolina. Off the pitch, the team has done fantastically at the gate, drawing an average of 9,758.
The NASL’s schedule makers haven’t been kind to Jacksonville, handing the Armada a tricky three-game roadtrip to start the fall campaign (07/05 @OTT, 07/11 @ATL, 07/15 @MIN). They’ll be crossing the entire geographic United States south-to-north and back twice in the span of ten days, with a quick hop to Atlanta in between. That’s quite the travel-happy start to the ‘back nine’ of the NASL season for the Armada, and Jacksonville would do well by my estimation to pick up four of a possible nine.
