If there was one team in the league that felt it was hard done by last season, it was unquestionably Carolina. Never mind the trophies brought home by the Cosmos and Atlanta; it was Carolina who stood as the beacon of consistency in finishing with the best overall record in the league, yet with only the Fall and Spring Season winners making it into the league's hallmark event, the Railhawks were left to rue cruel fate and stand on the outside looking in. Indeed, the expansion of the NASL's postseason came a season too late.
Whether Carolina can reach such a standard of quality this season might be a different matter entirely, of course. Colin Clarke has seen some very vital pieces to last year's puzzle depart, and his side is going to have to jell quickly in the wake of this turnover to be one of the final four teams standing come November.
Goalkeepers
Thankfully for Colin Clarke and Carolina supporters alike, goalkeeper is one spot that won't present any issues in 2014. Akira Fitzgerald was solid last season for the RailHawks, and if not for the exploits of the likes of Joe Nasco and Diego Restrepo, maybe he would have garnered more attention around the league. Scott Goodwin has been added as an able-bodied #2.
Defenders
Last year's solid defensive unit is largely no more, with three out of four of last year's rearguard no longer calling WakeMed home. Julius James, who fell out with Colin Clarke in the dying embers of last season, is now part of the San Antonio rejuvenation, while fellow center back Paul Hamilton and right back Jordan Graye were not retained.
At the very least, it's good that Carolina has been able to replace their center back pairing from within the NASL ranks. Connor Tobin is a solid addition from Minnesota, and the fact that Minnesota fans were so gutted to see him leave is all the more reason Carolina fans should be glad to have him. Daniel Scott has also joined from Tampa Bay and looks likely to pair with Tobin, though it should be said that Scott was second choice behind the likes of Jay Needham and Takuya Yamada with the Rowdies. Maybe a fresh start will do him well.
Experience drops significantly behind Tobin and Scott. Austen King did see some action at times last season for Carolina, but he's still young, as is Justin Willis. Urian Bentick, freshly signed after a solid season with Wilmington in the USL, is a fantastic physical specimen who was on some MLS radars out of college. Should Colin Clarke look to change things up in the back, one would have to think that he'd be first in line to step up.
Right back looks to be a bit of a question mark going into Carolina's season opener at Indy. Jordan Burt, recently signed after playing with Butler in college, played there in the RailHawks' final friendly and might have the upper hand at this point. Acclimation must come quickly for him. Kupono Low, as one would expect, is back to provide loads of experience at left back.
Overall, this back line may end up being quite serviceable by the time the season is out, but it's hard to imagine that there won't be some struggles at various intervals during the season.
Midfielders
Unquestionably, this is the strength of the RailHawks, and any chances of Carolina making it into the postseason will hinge on what kind of production from the attacking talent in this department. Ty Shipalane is easily one of the most electric players in the league, and with him returning to full fitness, fullbacks will again be living a nightmare on Saturday. Cesar Elizondo likewise has plenty of flair about him, and this should be a season in which he takes another step towards being a more complete player and chipping in with some goals. Enzo Martinez impressed while on loan to Carolina from Real Salt Lake last season, so fans are very glad indeed that he is now in town on a permanent basis. Aaron King, formerly of Tampa Bay and Phoenix FC, has also been added to provide another pacy option.
The real boiler room of the team, defensive midfield, should be in great shape as well. The high-engined Nick Millington is still around, and Jun Davidson has returned for a second spell in Carolina after having spent the last couple of seasons with Vancouver.
Strikers
Just as questions abound in the back with the RailHawks, so too is the case when one looks towards the front. On the heels of winning the NASL's golden boot, Brian Shriver headed south to Tampa Bay, leaving a massive void that perhaps hasn't been addressed as well as Carolina fans would have liked. Former New England man Zack Schilawksi is still there to provide a physical presence up front, though it has to be said that he was rather anonymous a lot of times last season. Nick Zimmerman, who had a fantastic season with the RailHawks in 2012, was lost to injury for the bulk of 2013 and will surely need to return to the form of the past for Carolina to challenge.
Behind the incumbents in Carolina will be two newcomers: Dmytro Kryvyy and Daniel Jackson. Kryvyy has been praised for his strong play in the preseason, though he is certainly an unknown quantity to us after having played the first few years of his career in the lower leagues of Ukraine and Moldova. Jackson may develop as the season goes on, but the learning curve that goes with stepping up from playing at a smaller college may be steep.
Verdict
Mid-table may be the ceiling for Carolina this season. Sure, there is always the chance that the triumvirate of Shipalane, Martinez and Elizondo will chip in with their fair share of goals, but independent of a renaissance from Nick Zimmerman, it's hard to see just where most of the goals will come from. A revamped back line will need to turn into a strength quickly to keep Carolina towards the right end of the table, but that can't be expected to happen overnight.
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