For a young franchise, Atlanta FC has tasted a lot of success with a 2007 U-23 National Cup Final, the 2008 NPSL Southeast Region title, and a 2009 US Open Cup qualification. The NPSL Insider were lucky enough to ask one of the architects of that success, Atlanta FC Board Member and Director of Operations Jason Longshore, a few questions regarding his team’s past successes and future aspirations.
NPSL Insider: Your website talks about Atlanta FC being the Team of the People. Can you explain that moniker?
Jason Longshore: I’ve grown up in the Atlanta soccer scene and one of the things that has always disappointed me is how fragmented it is. Everyone is very territorial, specifically in terms of the youth clubs, and it is has been frustrating to see this hold back the sport in Atlanta. We are here for everyone who loves soccer in Atlanta. From the youth clubs to adult players to soccer fans, we want to represent the city as a whole.
When we got started with Atlanta FC, we had players from all around the world. Thirteen countries were represented with our team that went to the USASA U23 finals in 2007. I’ve seen how soccer can bring people together.
NPSLI: Atlanta FC was originally formed as a U-23 team for a successful National Cup run and then went on to become an original member and the first champion of the NPSL Southeast Region that began competition in 2008. Was the early success of the club helpful in getting the club’s name “out there” and attracting talent from the various local leagues in Atlanta?
JL: It was very helpful. That U23 team that finished as a national runner-up formed the backbone of the first NPSL team. There’s no way we would have won the first NPSL Southeast championship without that foundation being laid during the prior year.
While it did help us early on in attracting players, our coaching staff has been the primary reason we’ve attracted the quality of players we have. Ricardo Montoya is well respected here in Atlanta for both his abilities as a coach and the style of play he seeks.
NPSLI: Atlanta FC qualified through the USASA Region III to the knockout stages of the 2009 US Open Cup where you took on the fully professional USL club, Charleston Battery. In that game just about everything that could go wrong did, and you ended up on the wrong end of a 2:0 scoreline against the professional side. What did your club learn from that experience?
JL: It was an incredibly frustrating experience from the minute we stepped on the field in Charleston. We were approached by the referee crew and warned about the team’s behavior before we even began warm-ups. We gave up a goal on a corner kick in the first minute. We started to settle down and dictate the play, but then had a red card out of nowhere midway through the first half. One of our players was headbutted, which was missed by all of the referees. Even after giving up the second goal, the guys still fought all the way to the end. I’ll always remember them still attacking in the late in the second half with 8 players on the field.
While we were disappointed with the result, we learned that we could compete with professional teams. I think we suffered a bit of a letdown in NPSL play afterwards, but the players were able to take away the fact that they could compete at that level. I’m extremely happy that one of the players on the field that day, Junior Sandoval, has now moved on to sign with the Puerto Rico Islanders.
NPSLI: One of the things I really enjoy about Atlanta FC is the very high level of technical proficiency your players exhibit. There seem to be very few players that wear the orange and blue that are not extremely comfortable with the ball at their feet. Is that a prerequisite that coach Ricardo Montoya is looking for when identifying players for Atlanta FC?
JL: It’s not a prerequisite, but it’s
extremely helpful for players to have a high level of technical ability to fit in with our team. From the beginning, Ricardo has been dedicated to building a team that is entertaining to watch and tries to play the game the right way. He never wants to play negative soccer, playing not to lose.
I’ve been excited to watch Ricardo’s progression as a coach. His experiences with Atlanta FC have helped him become one of the best young coaches at any level in the United States.
In addition to his personal development, he has developed an excellent coaching staff as well. Our lead assistant, Alejandro Pombo, is growing into a fine coach in his own right. He’ll be in charge for some of this season as Ricardo is coaching a team representing the US in the FIFA Football for Hope Festival in South Africa. Cesar Silva is also an instrumental part of the staff. Alejandro and Cesar have been big parts of our success over the years and will continue to be for years to come.
NPSLI: How is coach Montoya preparing the squad for a run at the 2010 Southeast Region title and a appearance in the 2010 Final Four to be held in Madison, AL?
JL: With the 2010 Final Four here in the Southeast, Atlanta FC is determined to represent our region at the NPSL’s premier event. We’ve been proud to see new accomplishments each season of Atlanta FC’s existence. In 2007, we won a region title at the U23 level and were the first Georgia U23 team to make a national final. In 2008, we won the first NPSL Southeast title. In 2009, we became the first Georgia amateur club to qualify for the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup in nearly 20 years.
Our goals in 2010 are to win the NPSL championship and advance to the second round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. Ricardo and his staff have been working extremely hard for months to make this happen.
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