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Down the Home Stretch


10 games left. 10 games of our first season and 10 games left of (let us all hope) our worst season. Anyone who hasn’t been incredibly disappointed by the results of our inaugural MLS season isn’t a fan of the team. Sure, expansion teams typically struggle. We know we had the shortest “runway” to start a Major League Soccer team. It didn’t matter. This is FC Cincinnati we are talking about. We break molds. We surprise our doubters and we silence our critics. Not this time. As the summer transfer window closes without any player signings that seem to indicate a quick turnaround what can we expect for the rest of the season?

(FC Cincinnati new Head Coach, Ron Jans)

For the fan, this team is playing for pride. We have two matches against the team we helped save. “Hell is Real” is upon us. If we can take more points in those two games than Columbus most fans will feel a real sense of relief and success. Rivalry games mean more than regular games and 4 points in those 2 games would almost feel like a winning season. We also want to see our boys respond to Ron Jans. This new coach seems to be the biggest upgrade we have made and we all hope it pays off. I  do not want to think of 2020 as another season with a “care taker” coach.  I want to know that next season we won’t be the proverbial door mate of the league.

Most importantly these last 10 games are for the players to prove themselves. Who wants to be here next season? Who hasn’t given up on this team and this city? I care more about seeing effort in the players than results. Who will pack it in, and who will continue to push? If a player wants to succeed in this city it’s quite simple, hustle.  No one will argue that Ryan Freel was an all-time great Reds player, however he was one of the most beloved because of the effort he showed on the field. The same could be said for Jimmy McLaughlin.  Frankie Amaya is quickly becoming one of those players, as is Emmanuel Ledesma.  We love players that fight for pride and fight for our city. Yasiel Puig will forever be loved by Reds fans, not for his production the short time he was here, but for his passion.  I want to see that sort of passion and fight in these final 10 games.

We aren’t winning any trophies this year and if we are all being honest, probably not next year, but we MUST be better. These final games will give us a glimpse of what to expect. In that way it is sort of like an extended preseason. I hope we find an identity on the pitch we can all be excited about. I hope we can end the season not at the very bottom of the table, but more than anything, I hope this team continues to show up for their fans and for this city.

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