Miller: FC Edmonton has contract offers out to three players

Colin Miller

FC Edmonton coach Colin Miller is playing the waiting game. He said Thursday that the NASL club has made solid contract offers to three separate players — and he’s expecting their responses, soon.

“We should find out today (Thursday) about one of them,” Miller said after Thursday’s training session. “Maybe Monday about another one, and then Friday or Saturday for the other one. We’re in the market, we know we have to bring in some bodies. Some will come in as cover and some will come in to put other people under pressure.”

The Eddies have one vacant international roster spot — and have other holes to fill. In the last several weeks, the team has parted ways with English midfielder Ritchie Jones due to long-term injury, loaned defender Mallan Roberts to Ottawa, released fullback Eddie Edward so he could tend to personal matters in Ottawa and then traded forward Jason Plumhoff to Jacksonville for fullback Shawn Nicklaw.

“We’re short of bodies, and we’re well aware of that,” said Miller “We had a squad of 16 on Sunday against Fort Lauderdale we had a squad of 15 against Oklahoma.”

Miller is hopeful that Sainey Nyassi and Pablo Cruz, midfielder out with injuries, will return soon to boost the squad. Midfielder Cristian Raudales is still weeks away from getting into game shape and recently got an injection for his injured Achilles tendon.

While the Eddies are working on deals, other teams in the league have been making waves: Carolina inked Mexican Omar Bravo; the Ottawa Fury sold Jonny Steele to Miami FC but acquired forward Thomas Stewart and are expected to announced the signing of defender Maxim Tissot. Rayo OKC has taken Real Salt Lake’s Devon Sandoval on loan. And Miami FC has spent well over $1 million to bring Steele, Richie Ryan, Michael Lahoud and Kwadwo Poku.

But, has Miami FC’s big-ticket spending made it harder for a team like FC Edmonton, which is near the middle of the pack when it comes to spending in the NASL?

“It’s hard enough with agents, or cowboys in some cases,” said Miller. “But it is difficult to try and recruit certain players when you’re going like for like against an American club. Of course, there’s the Canadian dollar, and that’s nothing to do with how good our club is. But, in some cases, I welcome a club spending that money. There’s no guarantees they are going to be successful, and that’s been proven already — look at Leicester City spending whatever they spent versus Manchester City and Manchester United, 250 and 280 million pounds. So, just because a club is spending money doesn’t mean that they are going to be successful. It raises the profile a little bit, because some clubs have some money to throw around. And there are some clubs in our league, some fairly big hitters throwing some money around.

“Having said that, we offer a very good package to any player coming to our club. We’re competitive, certainly not with the big guns, of course, but the fact is there are lots of players available. The players want to work, they want to come to North America. And we make it fashionable to come to Edmonton. We tell them about our program, our academy, our ownership is fantastic, second to none. These things, combined with how they get treated when they’re here, make FC Edmonton a desirable place to come and play and a desirable place to come and work.”

But the new addition the team has made has already made an impact. Nicklaw was named to the NASL’s team of the week for his work in Sunday’s 1-0 win over Fort Lauderdale.

“I think he’s settled in really well into the group, I think he’ll be a very strong addition to the group,” said Miller. “He gives us some terrific options going forward. For me, it’s about how quickly he can settle into how we play as a team.”

Nicklaw said the transition has been easy, so far.

“You have a good group of guys that’s been welcoming with open arms. The coach, the gaffer, has been really helpful, he’s helped me out here and there and the transition has been nothing but smooth.”