With just over a month of runway before the 2017 MLS regular season kicks off, what better time to take stock of the league’s two newest teams?
Minnesota United and Atlanta United will likely always be compared to some degree, if not for their uncomfortably similar names (we should have called dibs), then for their dual entry into MLS in 2017.
I’m particularly curious to see how these two teams shake out this season because of how starkly different their offseason strategies have been. Atlanta has double down on being a high octane, splashy club, whereas Minnesota United is doing its best to build a sensible, value-based team.
Read on as we break down four of the choices that will define these two young clubs over their inaugural seasons in the top American league.
HEAD COACH
Atlanta made early waves with the announcement it had secured the services of veteran international player and coach, Gerardo “Tata” Martino. A former coach for the Argentina National Team and Barcelona, Martino has broad club and national team experience that will surely benefit the nascent MLS side.
Beyond being a skilled technical mind, Martino brings important cache to both club and league. Attracting a well respected coach who was once in charge of 24-time La Liga winners Barcelona is no small feat. As a whole, MLS is still a young and growing organization. Martino’s proven track record and star power make him an important get for both the league and his new club.
Meanwhile, Minnesota went in a drastically different direction. Rather than searching outside the league for a flashy name, the club turned its attention to former Orlando City boss Adrian Heath.
Though Heath had a stint of work back in his native U.K. between Orlando and Minnesota, the head coach is well experienced with the U.S. soccer pyramid. Where Martino will be learning a new league with new – and often convoluted – rules, Heath has already had years in the system to work out the kinks.
Looking to bolster the backline with a young Generation Adidas talent? No problem. Want to acquire some TAM to give the roster flexibility? Been there, done that.
Sure, Martino will have top shelf support staff surrounding him to ease his transition into a new league. But having the experience of running another expansion team is definitely going to come in handy for Heath and the Loons.
PLAYERS
While I’m not a fan of the “blue collar” label some folks are slapping on Minnesota’s maiden MLS squad, there is a certain underdog quality to this team. I’ll get into Atlanta’s splashy strategy in a minute but suffice it to say that Minnesota have taken an approach that favors work ethic and heart over name brands and big transfer fees.
The biggest news to come out of Minnesota this offseason is the re-signing of striker Christian Ramirez and return of midfielder Miguel Ibarra from Liga MX. The pair, affectionately known as Superman and Batman, displayed an electric chemistry when they played together for Minnesota in NASL.
On the international front, Minnesota brought in two Costa Rican nationals that look to start day one. Francisco Calvo, a 5’ 11” defender, comes from Primera Division powerhouse Saprissa. Known for his physicality and ability to stretch the field, Calvo notched six goals in league play last season.
Formerly of Saprissa rival Liga Deportiva Alajuelense, Johan Venegas comes to Minnesota from Montreal Impact. Picked up in a trade following the Expansion Draft, Venegas brings heavy attacking experience to the midfield, something coach Adrian Heath will likely rely on to build his “attack-minded” philosophy.
Across the league, Atlanta dominated headlines during the offseason with one flashy signing after another. Perhaps the biggest splash for the unproven expansion team was the acquisition of Miguel Almirón, a Paraguayan midfielder that joins the club as a Designated Player (DP). At just 22-years-old, Almirón reportedly entertained offers from English Premier League legend Arsenal before settling in Georgia.
Almirón will join an attack led by Argentinian forward Hector Villalba. Atlanta’s first hot DP signing, “Tito” Villalba had over 100 appearances with his former club and put up 16 goals. The DP pair have the talent to be lethal on the field.
It was also recently confirmed that Atlanta have secured the services of USMNT goalkeeper Brad Guzan beginning this summer.
It’s difficult to judge the rosters of the two teams, though many are trying. Without seeing either of them in anything other than short training camp clips, there just isn’t much to go on at this point.
If you’re looking for flash, Atlanta is your club. If you’re looking for a scheme-driven — and perhaps underrated — starting XI, look no further than Minnesota. This category is a tie until we get deeper into the season.
STADIUMS
MLS Commissioner Don Garber has made soccer-specific stadiums a cornerstone of the next phase of the league. While Atlanta United will be sharing their home with the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons, both United clubs will be getting some new digs.
It won’t be long before Atlanta are welcoming fans to the palatial Mercedes-Benz Stadium. But until it opens on in late July, the club will play in a temporary home at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
Nicknamed “The Flats,” Bobby Dodd is the 55,000 seat open-air home to the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. While Bobby Dodd’s seat count will pale in comparison to that of Mercedes-Benz, the football stadiums infrastructure was designed strictly for American football, while the new Mercedes facility is being designed with both NFL and MLS teams in mind.
Similarly, Minnesota are also opening their first MLS season in a temporary home with sights set firmly on moving to a permanent, soccer-specific stadium in the not-so-distant future.
Pending final approval and tax breaks from state legislature, Minnesota’s stadium will be a $150 million, privately funded facility in St Paul. The real benefit to a soccer-specific stadium is to the fans. Whereas a 70,000 seat football arena will feel empty even with a full MLS crowd of 25,000, a soccer stadium will be packed to the gills at that number (Minnesota’s will hold just shy of 20,000).
The plan to put a team into US Bank Stadium was reportedly a major factor in the league’s decision not to award an expansion team to Minnesota Vikings owner Zygi Wilf. Instead, Garber sided with Dr. Bill McGuire and his plan to build a soccer-specific facility in the metro.
Don’t get me wrong, Mercedez-Benz Stadium is an architectural marvel. I just don’t want my MLS team playing there.
All said and done, I’ll take a privately funded, soccer-specific stadium any day of the week. Minnesota takes this category, hands down.
KITS
Training camp is underway, rosters are being finalized, and Minnesota United still don’t have a kit.
Ever since MLS officially announced Minnesota as the 22nd team in the league last summer, there’s been an understanding that a lot of the onboarding process teams normally go through would have to be compressed for the Loons. Everything from hiring a head coach to resigning NASL players, seeking international talent to – yes – designing kits with league partner Adidas would need to happen on the double.
We don’t know a lot about how the design process unfolded between Minnesota and Adidas over the past six months but rumor has it that the Loons were dangerously close to missing Adidas’ cut-off date and having to make due with off the rack kits for the season.
In any case, look for Minnesota’s kit to debut in the coming weeks. The team kick off the regular season March 3 at the Portland Timbers.
Meanwhile, Atlanta is well past rolling out their home kit. Unveiled at a private event back in November, the bold red and black vertical stripes accented with gold is a stunning look that will serve the team well. It’s a clean and memorable brand that will pop against the many white alternate kits in the league.
Atlanta takes this category for now but I reserve the right to revisit this in a few weeks when Minnesota’s kit hits the market. If it is anything like the Loons’ NASL kit, it will be one of the best in all of MLS.
OVERALL
So in the end, how do the Loons stack up against Atlanta? The answer, like so many things in life, is, “It depends.”
Atlanta benefits in many ways big and small by sharing ownership with the Atlanta Falcons. Don’t believe me? Just go look at the live feeds from the Expansion Draft. Atlanta’s draft room looked fit for a king.
On the other hand, I can’t stop smiling every time I think about not just the team Minnesota are about to field but about the organization they are building behind the scenes. This is a distinctly Minnesotan team, from roster (see: Kallman, Brent and Jome, Ismaila) to local sponsorships (Target loves being linked with professional sports teams), and one that all local fans should be excited to support.
