FCE’s Miller: There will be cuts, new additions during the July break

Colin Miller

Back in February, FC Edmonton supporters heard it over and over again, that every player in camp was on trial. There were no guaranteed spots. That was the mantra from coach Colin Miller.

With two games left to go until FC Edmonton goes into its July break and prepares for the NASL fall season, it is still the mantra. Miller was quite clear after training on Thursday that roster moves will be made when the transfer window opens in July, and there’s a possibility of a couple of significant short-term loan deals that could help the club for the fall campaign.

“The guys here have been on trial since February the 18th,” Miller said. “I’ve already made my mind up about a couple of guys who moving in and moving out.”

International player contracts are guaranteed, but NASL allows teams the flexibility to sign domestic players to deals that allow them to be waived during the July break. NASL adopted the split season format in 2013; the winner of the spring season hosts the winner of the fall season in the Soccer Bowl. With its 1-1 draw at home to Carolina last Sunday, FCE was eliminated from the spring season title race with two games left to play, despite having the league’s best defensive record.

Scoring, like last season, remains the issue with this team. Realistically, if FCE could have found two or three more goals, goals which could have transformed draws into wins, they’d challenge Atlanta or Carolina for top spot.

Miller said team will address the issue of finishing when the transfer window opens.

“But it’s not disheartening. It would be disheartening we weren’t creating any chances. But even when we were down to 10 men against the Whitecaps at BC Place, we were creating chances.”

On top of the decisions he’s already made, Miller sad there are a number guys “on the bubble” when it comes to making the team again come August, when the fall season begins.

It’s all part of a rebuilding process for a team that finished dead last in NASL last season. There have been bright spots; the fullback play has improved, the backline is more rigid, the midfielders are harder to play through. But when it comes to finishing, that’s where the help is needed. But, whatever changes will be made, Miller doesn’t want Band-Aid solutions. Even players brought in on loan will be in Edmonton with a mind to help the club’s young players and reflect Miller’s workmanlike attitude.

“I didn’t want it to be a quick fix and then damage limitation afterwards,” Miller said.

But it’s not like Miller can turn the final two games into an audition for the fringe players. While veteran Robert Garrett is out with a dislocated toe and injured midfielder Wes Knight is creeping closer to a return from long-term injury, lineup changes will likely be minimal for Saturday’s match in San Antonio. Miller said he has to maximize the amount of points on the team’s overall record. If the same team wins both the spring and fall halves of the campaign, the Soccer Bowl opponent would be the club with the next-best overall record.

One player who isn’t making the Texas trip is 16-year-old Hanson Boakai. Last weekend, the midfielder became the youngest player in history to take part in an NASL game, either the modern or ‘70s incarnations of the circuit. But Miller wants to break the prospect in slowly — and he thinks the Texas heat and the physical play of San Antonio is a big ask for a teenager.

“Last week was not a publicity stunt by any stretch of the imagination,” he said. “I put him in when we were at zero to zero, with 20 minutes left in the game…The wee man is capable of changing a game in any level of football.”