When the new Ottawa franchise enters the North American Soccer League as an expansion franchise in 2014, it should have all the ingredients in place to have as successful a debut as FC Edmonton has enjoyed in 2011. Ottawa — which was officially announced Monday as a 2014 expansion team — has even more of a local soccer program to build on than FC Edmonton had, said FCE owner Tom Fath.

Glen McNamara had hopes that his young son would follow him as a soccer professional. The former All-Canadian goalkeeper from York University began work with his boy, Taylor Mikael, when the kid was a three-year-old. Twenty years later, the younger McNamara has hit the professional circuit like his father – just not at the same position. “When I was young, he always wanted to get me the ball at my feet but every once in a while, he gave me some hand drills,” says McNamara, a midfielder with Dayton Dutch Lions FC of the United Soccer Leagues’ Pro division. “He realized that I wasn’t growing fast enough to be a keeper.”

FC Edmonton’s two newest signings were on hand at the club’s meet-the-team event at a south side restaurant on Monday. Midfielder Kyle Porter and defender Adrian Leroy were on hand to shake hands with fans as the club hyped its Wednesday date against Toronto FC at Commonwealth Stadium, the opening leg of the Nutrilite Canadian Championship semifinals.

FC Edmonton may have left the city for a week-long camp in Florida, but the front office keeps rolling. The club added fullback and local product Eddy Sidra, who had an unsuccessful trial at Toronto FC, on Saturday. The team also brought in a new assistant coach, Edwin Petersen, from the Dutch U-15 program.

FC Edmonton wrapped up its Arizona preseason schedule with a 5-0 win over a bunch of trialists looking for work with the PASL expansion club, the Phoenix Monsoon.