Larry Sunderland, FC Cincinnati's director of player development, is living the example of the change needed at FCC.
As the leader of FC Cincinnati's youth academy since its launch in August 2019, Sunderland's emphasized a deliberately positive and collaborative approach to his development of the academy and the youth players in the system.
After Sunderland was identified in an outside audit of FC Cincinnati as a key pillar in the organization, he's had the opportunity to spread his brand of soccer gospel, which is taking root in the top office suites at the Mercy Health Training Center as well as in the technical area during matches.
Sunderland applied his values during his opportunity to participate in the hiring process of General Manager Chris Albright. It's also permeated the approach of the interim technical staff charged with the unenviable task of closing out a 2021 season that started with great promise but has been bereft of joy.
Sunderland also demonstrated and conveyed the qualities his values during a Tuesday news conference with media as he represented the interim coaching staff ahead of Wednesday's match against Chicago Fire at TQL Stadium.
Sunderland said he's been stimulated by all the challenges that have come across his desk in recent weeks and months, including his role on the coaching staff.
"It’s awesome. It’s exciting. It’s a challenge," Sunderland said. "It’s a difficult time, which brings even greater challenge but you’ve got to look forward to those things and those opportunities."
In the midst of the front-office turnover FC Cincinnati's undergone, the club's audit also assessed the need for a cultural overhaul at the Mercy Health Training Center.
Sunderland indicated culture was front-of-mind for him during his interview sessions with Albright, who met the criteria of someone who could reshape the experience of working and playing at the Milford training complex.
"Chris brings energy right away," Sunderland said. "You know, you feel it when he’s around and I think that’s something we needed here from the cultural standpoint. We needed some energy. We needed somebody that was gonna be involved in all facets of the club, so I think he brings that."
It hasn't been much of a stretch for Sunderland to also help instill changes in the first-team setup, where his collaborative approach has carried over with the interim staff – all of whom are expected to return to their regular academy positions after a new staff is stalled.
Recently, if you've looked down in the bench area where FC Cincinnati's coaching staff is situated during matches, you've seen Sunderland and the other assistants depart from usual bench etiquette. They've communicated openly with the head coach, even if it means standing alongside Tyrone Marshall in-game.
At some clubs, assistants are discouraged from visibly involving themselves too much, or being too animated.
FC Cincinnati's current coaching staff is simply trying to get things right. Sunderland's approach is allowing a different approach to achieve that end.
"I think what actually happened is we brought the culture of the academy, maybe, and the collaboration of the academy to the first team," Sunderland said. "If you look, it’s Ty (Marsall), it’s myself, it’s Ricky (Paez) and it’s Cristiano (Scapolo)… We brought those academy ideas of collaboration and trust in people and etcetera, I think we brought that to the first team, or we’re trying to."
The Game
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m., TQL Stadium
TV/Radio/stream: Star64/Fox Sports AM 1360/fccincinnati.com.
Series info: FC Cincinnati leads the all-time series between the clubs with a 2-1-3 record.
Cincinnati.com prediction: FC Cincinnati 1, Chicago Fire 1
FC Cincinnati
Record: 4-17-8, 20 points; 14th in Eastern Conference
Goals for: 29
Goals against: 55
Coach: Tyrone Marshall - interim head coach
Projected starting lineup:
Przemysław Tytoń (GK)
Nick Hagglund, center back (right)
Geoff Cameron, center back (middle)
Tyler Blackett, center back (left)
Zico Bailey, wing back
Ronald Matarrita, wing back
Allan Cruz, midfielder
Luciano Acosta, midfielder
Yuya Kubo, midfielder
Alvaro Barreal, forward
Brenner Souza da Silva, forward
Chicago Fire
Record:7-16-7, 28 points; 12th place in Eastern Conference
Goals for: 31
Goals against: 48
Coach: Frank Klopas - interim head coach
Projected starting lineup:
Gabriel Slonina, GK
Miguel Navarro, left back
Jonathan Bornstein, center back (left)
Johan Kappelhof, center back (right)
Jhon Espinoza, right back
Mauricio Pineda, midfielder
Federico Navarro, midfielder
Ignacio Aliseda, forward
Álvaro Medrán, forward
Stanislav Ivanov, forward
Robert Berić, forward
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