Author: Andrew

Previously:   SOTC 2014   SOTC 2015   SOTC 2016   SOTC 2017

I didn’t do a SOTC piece in 2018, but while I was on my vision quest, I had ample opportunity to reflect on City’s past and contemplate its future. With the massive changes that have gone on at the club over the past several months, now seems like a good time for another look at the big picture.

On the field, 2018 was largely a disappointment. The similarities between last season and 2016 are striking:

• Open Cup win over the Bucks via PK shootout, followed by a valiant-but-just-not-quite-enough effort on the road against a professional team.
• Beatdowns of the weakest teams in the division; struggles with the competent ones.
• Roster with plenty of individual talent on paper that never came together and clicked as a unit.

While the high-profile friendlies against St. Pauli, Club Necaxa, and Frosinone helped to draw more attention to City and raise its profile, they seemed to overshadow the competitive part of the season. While it’s doubtful any player would admit to it, there has to be some difficulty in putting forth the same level of effort and intensity against Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids as you would in a hyped-up match against a professional foreign side.

On a more positive note, with the MLS to Detroit bid now in a vegetative state, the way is now open for City to continue growing in a market without any direct competition. Over the past couple of years, there were whispers that the MLS bid was scaring potential investors away from DCFC. Hopefully the current situation will help to change their attitudes. And while MLS may still come to town one day, every year that goes by allows City to continue expanding and sinking its roots a little deeper.

The most notable current example of this is the recently-opened Detroit City Fieldhouse. In addition to providing the club with a new year-round source of income, it also serves to further exposure of the DCFC brand. In the best case scenario, it will hopefully operate as sort of a benevolent indoctrination center for the many youth players who come through its doors.

In that same vein, City made another announcement this past weekend that shows the long-term vision that ownership has for the club. By taking on Canton Celtic and Genesee Celtic as youth affiliates, DCFC has further embedded itself in Metro Detroit youth soccer, and is now one step closer to a full-fledged academy setup.

Continue reading “State of the Club 2019”