Organizational change is once again afoot at FC Cincinnati
On Saturday, FC Cincinnati will play Orlando City SC at TQL Stadium (7:30 p.m. kickoff). Cincinnati will likely have its hands full with the challenges presented by Orlando (8-4-5, 29 points), the No. 2 team in the MLS Eastern Conference.
Off the field – and what will be in the minds of many fans as they enter the stadium – the search for the third general manager in team history will already be underway after Gerard Nijkamp and FC Cincinnati mutually agreed to part ways, the team announced Friday.
Based on team President Jeff Berding's Friday remarks regarding Nijkamp, the club's on-field product factored into the decision-making process.
More:FC Cincinnati, GM Gerard Nijkamp 'part ways' after 3-6-7 start
"We'll begin our search for a permanent successor immediately and we'll focus on experienced leaders who align with our ambitious goals," Berding said Friday. "Our club pillars since Day One are to give back to our community, to be family friendly and to win, and we've been delivering on two of these three pillars. We are not yet delivering on the third pillar – winning. This demands our consistent focus, commitment and investment. With a significant portion of the season remaining, our focus is on improving our play on the pitch and earning a playoff spot."
If FC Cincinnati is to have any hope of making a run at a playoff spot, it probably needs to begin the post-Nijkamp era with a victory against Orlando.
FCC (3-7-6, 15 points) is nine points back from the seventh and final playoff spot in the East.
Cincinnati remains without a win at TQL Stadium, which opened in mid-May, and Orlando's visit to the venue marks the halfway point in the 2021 schedule for FCC.
More:FC Cincinnati sign defender Tyler Blackett from Nottingham Forest
During a Friday news conference that was staged prior to the announcement of Nijkamp's departure, Stam said "it's important" to win at TQL Stadium.
"Every day we're gonna go for that win," Stam said. "That's what we're going to be doing on Saturday as well. We all know everybody wants to have that as well but we also know the position that we're in, the team that we're facing, it's not easy. We need to again show ourselves in the best way we can, to be very positive going forward, creating opportunities, which we do in the majority of games and also taking these opportunities."
The Game
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. on Saturday at TQL Stadium.
TV/Radio/stream: Star64/ESPN-AM (1530)/fccincinnati.com.
Series info: Orlando leads the all-time series in MLS, 2-0-1.
Cincinnati.com prediction: Orlando City 2, FC Cincinnati 1.
FC Cincinnati
Record: 3-7-6, 15 points; 10th in Eastern Conference
Goals for: 17
Goals against: 29
Coach: Jaap Stam – second season as FC Cincinnati head coach (7-20-10)
Projected starting lineup:
Kenneth Vermeer (GK)
Ronald Matarrita, left back
Gustavo Vallecilla, center back (left)
Geoff Cameron, center back (right)
Nick Hagglund, right back
Yuya Kubo, midfielder
Luciano Acosta, midfielder
Allan Cruz, midfielder
Alvaro Barreal, winger
Joseph-Claude Gyau, winger
Brenner Souza da Silva, forward
Orlando City
Record: 8-4-5, 29 points; 2nd in Eastern Conference
Goals for: 27
Goals against: 22
Coach: Oscar Pareja - second season as Orlando head coach
Projected starting lineup:
Mason Stajduhar (GK)
Ruan Gregório Teixeira, right back
Antônio Carlos, center back
Robin Jansson, center back
Kyle Smith, left back
Júnior Urso, midfielder
Andrés Perea, midfielder
Chris Mueller, midfielder/winger
Mauricio Pereyra, midfielder
Benji Michel, forward/winger
Luis Nani, forward
Player to watch: Florian Valot – Valot had two training sessions with FC Cincinnati this week after being traded from New York Red Bulls, but FCC has had a successful track record this season of inserting players into the mix on relatively short notice (think Geoff Cameron, Gustavo Vallecilla, Kenneth Vermeer).
More:FC Cincinnati trade with New York Red Bulls for Florian Valot
So, why not Valot? He's a versatile midfielder that can play as a holding midfielder, in the box-to-box role and adds creativity, too. Even a short appearance might be useful in terms of helping him settle in at FCC, so look for Stam to find a situation for the player to get a run in.
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