NASL Team Previews: Tampa Bay Rowdies

Much like Carolina last season, Tampa Bay was left empty-handed and left out of Soccer Bowl contention, despite finishing with the second best record in the league over the whole of 2013. As one could imagine, saying that Rowdies fans found themselves with a bitter taste in their mouths as a result of this would be an understatement.

Now a few months later, that bitter taste has given way to the euphoria of high expectations and a promising future. New owner Bill Edwards has come in with guns blazing, whether by investing a lot of his own money into Al Lang Stadium, splashing the cash on some high-profile signings, or making great strides in improving the gameday experience for the fans. Yes, such developments have led many NASL pundits to think that the Rowdies are a hot pick for trophies this season.



Goalkeepers
In the matter of a couple of weeks this preseason, the goalkeeping situation in Tampa Bay went from a strength, to a weakness, and back to a strength again.

Diego Restrepo was stellar last season and could have easily been an NASL Best XI selection, so predictably the ruptured Achilles tendon he suffered a few weeks ago was seen as a massive roadblock to any title aspirations the Rowdies would otherwise have this year. The concerns were understandable, but they were soon put to bed when longtime Chicago Fire and Colorado Rapids goalkeeper Matt Pickens was brought in. Not only was this a fantastic signing in the present tense, but it was yet another indication of the ambitions of the club.

Jamaican Ryan Thompson will serve as Pickens' #2, but Rowdies fans will hope that he will not have to be called upon out of necessity.

Defenders
If there is one problem spot that Tampa Bay had last season and may continue to work around this season, it is the propensity to give up goals at a sometimes troubling rate. Surprisingly, even as Tampa Bay threw money around to bolster the rest of the squad, the back line was somewhat neglected.

Blake Wagner arrives from San Antonio to take over at left back, and his signing was a very good one indeed. He's a solid defender at this level, and his desire to get forward and whip in crosses will only help an already strong attack. Captain Frankie Sanfillipo returns at right back, and while he continues to be a capable performer, there are those in Tampa Bay who feel that he may have lost a step or two of late. Jordan Gafa returns as cover for Sanfillipo, and new signing Anthony Wallace, formerly of FC Dallas and Colorado, will back up Wagner and could see some playing time on the left wing as well.

At the heart of the defense, Jay Needham was inconsistent at times last season and will need to improve to remain in the starting lineup. Takuya Yamada, for all of the quality he has shown in his years in a Tampa Bay shirt and the legendary status he has amongst fans, must also be seen as a bit of a question mark thanks to his age--he turns 40 this season. Should Needham or Yamada falter, Former Silverback Willie Hunt, who was so valuable to Atlanta last season in playing everywhere in the back, will certainly be the first to be called upon. J.P. Rodrigues returns as cover at center back as well, but given that he didn't play at all professionally in 2013, doubts may surround him as well.

Midfielders
Losing the attacking threat of Luke Mulholland to Real Salt Lake was surely painful for manager Ricky Hill, but there is still enough quality in the middle of the park for Tampa Bay to make a push for trophies.

Finding a like-for-like replacement for Mulholland, one of the best players in the league, was always going to be one step too far, but bringing in Swede Christophe Lallet from Hammarby means that some goals and solid service from the right wing will still be in store. Evans Frimpong will feature wide again as well, and after being quite the live wire last season, opposing fullbacks will again be on notice when he comes to town.

Look for a three-way battle for two central midfield spot to punctuate the early going of this season for the Rowdies. Shane Hill, the manager's son, is back to feature as a holding midfielder, and he looks to have improved his fitness significantly coming into this season. Keith Savage, however unheralded, also returns and has a penchant for chipping in with some goals of his own. New signing Darel Russell, formerly of Norwich, Portsmouth and Toronto, provides tons of experience, and it is that characteristic that may see him feature more times than not.

Strikers
There's no doubt about it; just about every team in the league envies the strike pairing at Ricky Hill's disposal.

Georgi Hristov had a dream first season with the Rowdies, finishing with 12 goals and ultimately falling just short in the NASL Golden Boot race. The Golden Boot was ultimately won by Brian Shriver of Carolina, and such production is exactly why he was tabbed to be one half of Tampa Bay's current dynamic duo. Both have that knack for scoring in just about every way possible, which is exactly why so many people think Tampa Bay will be flying this season. Rightfully so.

Casey Townsend has been brought in as a talented option behind Hristov and Shriver. Though Townsend didn't exactly set the world on fire in his time with both Chivas USA and DC United, the consensus is that this level may be perfect for him. Maybe the potential which saw him picked fifth in the 2012 MLS SuperDraft will finally manifest in the professional ranks.

Lucky Mkosana is now in Tampa Bay on a permanent basis after impressing while on loan last fall, and he'll provide a quick change of pace off the bench. Carl Cort and Amani Walker remain as well, though conventional wisdom suggests that their minutes will be hard to come by.

Verdict
Tampa Bay is far from perfect thanks to their defensive deficiencies, but they should still be seen as viable contenders in the NASL this season. The goals are going to come barring some sort of unforeseen catastrophe, and we can probably bank on Matt Pickens doing enough to make his back line look better than it actually is.

In short, anything less than being one of the last four teams in November will be a disappointment.