DORAVILLE -- After a two-year absence, men's professional soccer returns to Atlanta on Saturday night. Local fans hope that this time, it is here to stay.
The Atlanta Silverbacks kick off the 2011 season with big goals in mind -- both on the field and in the front office -- as they play host to the NSC Minnesota Stars at 7:30 p.m. in Doraville.
The Silverbacks men will play in a new league -- the North American Soccer League -- and will field a brand new squad at the team's stadium, located just north of Spaghetti Junction off I-85.
The Silverbacks believe the changes will help provide the base for an enduring and successful future -- one that includes playing at the highest levels.
"Our goal is to be an MLS franchise, eventually," Silverbacks public relations manager Neal Malone said on Thursday (Major League Soccer is the top professional division in the United States). "We know that (jumping up to the MLS) is not going to happen over the next year or two. But it is certainly one of our longer-term goals."
To clinch a spot in the most prominent league in the United States (and Canada), the Silverbacks know they have to start with more immediate concerns. The biggest of those is to create a community of Silverbacks support among metro-Atlanta soccer fans.
"As an organization, we want to grow and put something solid here that everyone who likes soccer can feel part of," Silverbacks director of soccer Rodrigo Rios said. "We want everyone to feel like this is their team. We are committed to creating that atmosphere."
With that in mind, the Silverbacks are reaching out to all potential fan groups, from the myriad youth clubs in metro-Atlanta to the wide-ranging cadres of soccer supporters who populate the diverse communities in the region. The club is also working to create a sense of unity between fan and player, according to Malone.
"We want to provide access to athletes that you can't get in other professional leagues," Malone said. "We'll have autograph sessions after every home game, and we're trying to get the word out about that as much as possible. Because there are still people out there who are tell us, 'Hey, we didn't know you guys are back.' "
The Silverbacks suspended operation of the men's professional team two seasons ago after the team's owners felt that the franchise wasn't in the best situation within the United Soccer Leagues (USL).
"There wasn't a lot of stability with the USL," Malone said. "It was a league-run situation where teams didn't have a lot of power. A lot of teams would get in and then fall out. And the Silverbacks didn't think it was a good model for success, so they decided to sit it out and let the soccer landscape develop a little more."
The formation of the NASL proved the perfect opportunity for the Silverbacks to get back into the men's game. New majority owners Traffic Sports have joined original owners Boris Jerkunica and John Latham, creating a broader owner's group.
"This league definitely gives us a more comfortable feeling," Malone said. "It's got higher standards, and it's really the second division in the U.S.," just below the MLS. In fact one current NASL member, the Montreal Impact, is moving up to join the MLS as an expansion franchise next season.
As the 2011 campaign looms, the Silverbacks are excited about the team's prospects for success. Team members acknowledge it will likely take some time for the squad to gel -- the players have just come together over the past few weeks.
"From day one until now there's been steady progress in practice," Silverbacks striker Matt Horth said. "Most of us are all completely new to playing with each other. If we make mistakes we want it to be part of the process of becoming better. Still, in each game we're coming prepared to win."
The Silverbacks are a young team from top to bottom. But they feature some proven talent, including midfielder Ciaran O'Brien, who was a member of the Colorado Rapids team that won the 2010 MLS Cup, and midfielder Raphael Cox won the MLS Cup with Salt Lake City in 2009.
No matter who takes the field for Atlanta, the Silverbacks are committed to playing a brand of soccer that is both pleasing to the eye and successful.
"We're going to play offensive soccer, but we're going to keep our balance," Rios said. "We want our teams to have speed, technique and strength. We've been adding a lot of young players that have those abilities and are players who we can mold. And, of course, we want to win, but, even more importantly, we want to create a fun experience for fans with the way we play."
The make-up of the Silverbacks includes players from all types of backgrounds and nationalities -- a fact that hasn't always made it easy on teammates.
"There's somewhat of a language barrier, but everyone's had a good spirit and we are working at getting over it," said Horth, 21, a Cleveland, Ohio, native. "We're picking up bits and pieces of each other's languages and can joke about it."
There won't be any joking once the whistle blows on Saturday, however, as the Silverbacks begin play in a league that includes plenty of talent.
"It's going to be tough," said defender Willie Hunt, a Greenville, S.C., native. "There are some very good teams here, and you go somewhere like Montreal, and they average 16,000 fans. That makes it even tougher."
While the Silverbacks stadium currently seats 5,000, the soccer-only facility features plenty of amenities -- and a few advantages of its own.
"I love the way the seats are close to the field here," Hunt said. "The fans are right on top of the action. It really gives it an intimate atmosphere for both the fans and the players.."
The Silverbacks are hoping to make that home-field atmosphere a big part of their climb up the ladder of the NASL.
"This is a unique place that we have here," said Malone, noting that Silverbacks park also plays host to numerous adult soccer leagues throughout the year. "A lot of people already know where it is and use it, and we want them to come back and become fans too. We want to make everyone feel welcome."
-- NOTE: To obtain tickets to Atlanta Silverbacks games, or to learn more, visit www.atlantasilverbacks.com, or call 404-969-4900.
Friday
May 2nd, 2025
11:10PM
