For four more games in 2021, FC Cincinnati's players are being tasked with focusing on individual match-ups, scouting reports and the day-in, day-out work of professional soccer with no chance at the MLS Cup playoffs.
Making matters more difficult is that the current circumstances often lend themselves to players disproportionately weighing or prioritizing their respective futures – some of which on the current roster are uncertain.
In the short term, Inter Miami CF awaits for FC Cincinnati on Saturday in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It's a contest of great consequence for Miami, which is on a 10-15-5 record and barely hanging around in the playoff race at six points back of seventh-place D.C. United.
That's the immediate focus for FCC. Looming in the near future are decisions on contract extensions and roles in the club for the 2022 season.
You could forgive players for turning some of their attention to those matters at this point in the disappointing 2021 campaign.
In his post-Chicago Fire FC remarks Wednesday, Brandon Vazquez, following his second goal of 2021 and an assist, indicated individual performance had to be a factor given FCC's current situation.
"I've tried to keep that attitude all year, you know, that I've gotta taken every opportunity I get and make the most out of it," Vazquez said. "And, yeah, I have that in the back of my head – new staff coming in and all this stuff. I just gotta show everybody what I can bring to the table."
