By ALAN SNEL
LVSportsBiz.com
It was just after lunchtime at Cashman Field Wednesday and Las Vegas Lights FC coach Eric Wynalda took out his journal and showed the entry for November 27.
It was a lineup of Lights players with names that were circled that two and a half months later ended up being the starting Lights team that pounded Major League Soccer’s Toronto FC, 5-1 on Feb. 2 and tied MLS’ Colorado Rapids, 2-2, on Saturday during two preseason games at Cashman.
There’s no wavering in the convictions for the man managing the second-year team in the United Soccer League, the Triple A circuit one tier below MLS.
A former U.S. national team and MLS player, Wynalda knows what he wants — a winning team to reverse the putrid on-field performance of last year’s squad that won only eight games out of 34 during the Lights’ inaugural season in Las Vegas. The Lights finished 15th out of 17 teams in the USL’s western conference.
You won’t see Wynalda smoking a cigarette with fans in the stands or getting suspended for making contact with a referee like last year’s first-year coach Jose Luis Sanchez Sola, also known as “El Chelis.” Sola was known for his colorful behavior, which captured more headlines than the team’s handful of wins. He left before the Lights’ first season ended.
“No offense against El Chelis, but some of his behavior didn’t put the team in a good light. He was making headlines for the wrong reasons that were not helpful,” Wynalda told LVSportsBiz.com in his office off the players lounge.
A former FOX Sports TV soccer analyst, Wynalda and his brutally honest, transparent comments can be disorienting for a reporter who is used to hearing sports cliches and stale quips.
Wynalda said he won’t play a big role in the marketing of the team, though he is helpful with recording robo phone calls inviting fans to attend Lights games and videotaping spots to promote the team. “The challenge is to convince Las Vegas we have a good soccer team . . . It’s a (marketing) process I can’t get wrapped up in. I hope people are paying attention.”
Like the Vegas Golden Knights practices, the Lights practices are open to the public. “I’m introducing fans to the way we do things. They can come. The other team can come, too. Good luck figuring out what we’re doing.”
He also shared beers with fans from the two Lights supporter groups. And those fans grilled Wynalda, angry over last year’s team performance on the pitch. “They were angry about losing and said they’re not coming out if the team plays that way this season.”
Wynalda is setting the record straight with people about this season’s new team — and the person can be a Lights employee. When he heard that a Lights worker said the team was going to get its “ass kicked” against Toronto FC during the Feb. 2 preseason game, Wynalda took charge. “The team met the office workers. I want people who are selling us to know us.”
Wynalda is not shy on Twitter about responding to people’s quips about the Lights. And he called out Major League Soccer on Twitter for not posting information on the MLS website about the Lights’ 5-1 win over Toronto FC Feb. 2. “I got tired of fielding calls from coaches” about the game results, he said. “It was disrespectful to my players.”
Wynalda noted, “We beat the hell out of the MLS teams.”
Wynalda has performed a facelift of the Lights roster from last season, when literally several dozen players were coming and going. It was hard for fans to grow attached to players last year because there were so many of them.
Wynalda has retained only five of the players from last year’s squad. And he said one of the challenges is getting the attention of people about the promise of a team now in its second year.
“People want a team they can identify with, that makes them proud and that they celebrate with,” he said. “We’ll give people more of a reason to celebrate than last year.”
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The Las Vegas Lights FC soccer team has a final 2019 preseason match as part of a special season ticket member only event. The Lights FC will host United Soccer League member Orange County SC March 2 at 1 p.m. at Cashman Field. The final preseason game with Orange County will bring the first USL opponent in preseason action after preseason games against MLS teams Toronto (5-1 win) Feb. 2 and Colorado (2-2 draw) Feb. 16. After the match with Orange County SC, a private meet-and-greet event with Lights FC players and coaching staff will be held on the pitch. The meet-and-greet and match are invitation only, and available to 2019 Full Season Ticket Members and 8 Game Flex-Plan holders.
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