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By Ryan Donahue Karol Świderski (Photo courtesy of CJ Hellner/TopBin90) On February 1, 2024, Charlotte FC announced that its first Designated Player in the club’s history Karol Świderski would depart on loan to join Serie A side Hellas Verona. With Świderski’s loan running through the end of June, the Serie A side does hold an option to buy the player and Charlotte will likely look to move on from Świderski and fill the vacant DP position with a player that fits Dean Smith's profile. ”This opportunity is in Charlotte FC’s best interest as we reconfigure our roster under a new head coach. Karol has always given his best on the pitch for us, and he was clear with his intention to pursue this opportunity. In this situation, the Club was not going to stand in his way” reported Charlotte FC’s General Manager Zoran Krneta. While many fans will be disappointed to no longer get the opportunity to shout “Świderski” inside Bank of America, the departure of the Polish striker represents a complex dynamic between the fans, the club, and the player. The 27-year-old joined Charlotte FC ahead of its inaugural season from Paok Thessaloniki where he capped 134 appearances, scoring 35 goals and 14 assists. Despite Charlotte’s disappointing start to its opening campaign Świderski wasted no time getting on the scoring sheet. Despite poor results on the field and the early departure of head coach Miguel Ramirez, Świderski made 30 appearances in the opening season scoring 10 goals and picking up four assists. As the season progressed, and the team found stability under interim manager Christian Lattanzio, Świderski became instrumental to the side’s offense and nearly pushed the team to playoff qualification. Świderki’s second season in Charlotte yielded very similar results with the striker scoring 12 and assisting five times across 31 games despite changes to the offense that forced him to play out of position on the wing or as an attacking midfielder behind Enzo Copetti. Despite a positive second season with Charlotte, it became obvious with the signing of Copetti that Świderski would be resigned to playing most commonly in secondary positions that less appealed to the striker who had already expressed a desire to return to Europe. The club’s decision to allow Świderski to go out on loan shows a willingness to back their Argentine striker Copetti ahead of the season and bolster an area of the pitch with a new DP that the manager feels is more critical rather than forcing Świderski into a role that he doesn’t fit, or want to play. As Świderski and Poland chase the upcoming summer’s Euro 2024, he will hope that his loan move will enable him to be in his best form going into the tournament. Should Hellas Verona choose not to exercise their buy option, Charlotte will likely look to offload Świderski in the summer to one of several European sides who will be exploring the Polish striker’s services. Certain criteria can be met that would trigger the buy option as well. One of these criteria is Hellas Verona avoiding relegation. While Charlotte will miss its first DP in the club's history, the move presents a positive outcome for all parties involved and fans should look forward to following Świderski’s performances in the weeks ahead.

By Brian Maurer Kerwin Vargas (Photo courtesy of CJ Hellner/TopBin90) Two years ago, Venezuelan winger Darwin Machís was set to join Charlotte FC. There was an agreed transfer fee, and the medical had passed. Machís was in Charlotte, but the deal was called off due to legal trouble in Spain, where he had been playing for Granada. The club has yet to recover from that day and find a big-time signing who can slot in on the wing and make a week-in, week-out impact. Kamil Jóźwiak was brought in as DP soon after the Machís deal fell through. He was brought in as a young project who was also supposed to be a potential buy-down option and provide the club flexibility in their roster build. That flexibility never materialized as he was transferred to Granada. The club is again looking for that impact winger to play alongside left-wing frontrunner Kerwin Vargas. In Dean Smith’s most recent presser, he mentioned that a couple of pieces were still needed to fill out the roster. Charlotte’s General Manager Zoran Krneta spoke to Will Palaszczuk on Crown Corner about the type of player they are looking for on the wings, saying they are “looking for a quick, direct, winger with speed”. Looking back at the last two years of wingers in Charlotte, this transfer needs to be a hit. Charlotte does have one winger on trial, Tariqe Fosu, but he looks like he is far from enough to make up for the lack of production on the wings the past two seasons. According to FBref, in Charlotte’s inaugural season, their wingers provided a total of 10 goals and 10 assists. There were four wingers¹ that season who scored as many goals in MLS as all of Charlotte’s combined. Former Austin FC attacker Diego Fagundez had more assists (12) than all five of Charlotte’s wingers and LAFC’s Carlos Vela had more goal contributions (21). In 2023, Charlotte’s wings provided 13 goals and 13 assists. Three wingers² in MLS had as many goals as all of Charlotte’s combined. LAFC’s Denis Bouanga had as many goal contributions as all five of The Crown’s wingers. Charlotte relied heavily on making in-season intraleague trades to add goals from out wide. Andre Shinyashiki was acquired in a trade from the Colorado Rapids in 2022 and led all Charlotte wingers in goals with six³. In 2023, Justin Meram was acquired in a trade with Real Salt Lake and led the team’s wingers in goal contributions with eight. Both players are no longer on the roster. Winger is a position of need and has been since Charlotte’s inaugural match against DC United. The transfer has to be a hit, so in some ways, it makes sense that the front office could take their time a bit to make an assured choice. Similar to their approach to hiring Smith as their coach. However, if they sit on their hands for too long, they also run the risk of making the same error as they did the past two years, where they had to patch things up with shorter-term in-season moves. As the offseason moves into February, Charlotte FC fans will hope now that Jóźwiak is off the books, the front office will move quickly, direct, and with speed to bring in a replacement. ¹Lewis Morgan (14), Carlos Vela (12), Paul Arriola and Dairon Asprilla (10). Vela also had nine assists in 2022. ²Denis Bouanga (20), Facundo Torres (14), and Cristian Espinoza (13). Bouanga also had six assists in 2023. ³Andre Shinyashiki also played and scored some of his goals from more central positions. The main point is the overall lack of production on the wings.

By Brian Maurer Tariqe Fosu (Photo courtesy of Brentford) According to sources, Tariqe Fosu is on trial at Charlotte FC. The 28 year old saw action yesterday in Charlotte's 2-2 draw against LAFC. Fosu is a free agent who most recently played in the English Championship for Rotherham United and Stoke City during the 2022/23 season and had four goal contributions (1g/3a). If Charlotte were to secure his services, he would most likely occupy an International roster spot. One of the Ghanaian winger's most productive years was during the 20/21 season for Brentford. He made seven goal contributions in 19 starts and helped the Bees earn a Premier League promotion. Before signing with Brentford, Fosu spent the previous three seasons in League One playing for Charlton Athletic and Oxford United. He had 27 goal contributions (19g/8a) in 61 League One starts in that span.

By Ryan Donahue Photo Courtesy of Abigail Mangum As the January transfer window comes to a close, MLS teams will look to bring in last minute deals that could help strengthen their sides ahead of the upcoming season. Although the transfer window is closing for important European leagues, this doesn't prevent them from selling or sending players to other clubs around the world that still have their respective transfer windows open. Here is a look at when each respective market will close across the international leagues. MLS The MLS transfer window will remain open through April 23. Premier League The Premier League transfer window opened on Monday, Jan. 1 and will close on Feb. 1 at 6 p.m. ET. LaLiga The LaLiga transfer window opened on Jan. 2 and will close today Feb. 1 at 6 p.m. ET. Serie A The window for Serie A opened on Jan. 2 and will close today Feb. 1 at 2 p.m. ET. Ligue 1 The French window opened on Jan. 1 and will close today Feb. 1 at 5 p.m. ET. Bundesliga The Bundesliga window opened on Jan. 1 and will close today Feb. 1 at 12 p.m ET. Argentine Primera División The window for Argentine teams opened January 22nd and runs until February 18th. Other Window Deadlines Mexico: Feb. 1 Portugal: Feb. 2 Saudi Arabia Jan. 30 (Closed) Women’s Super League Jan. 31 (Closed)

By Jorge Gonzales Karol Swiderski Charlotte fans were met with a shock last night as journalist Tomas Wlodarcyzk reported that Karol Świderski would move to Hellas Verona in a loan deal with an option to buy just as the European transfer window closes. According to a source, Hellas Verona will only be obligated to buy if the team remains in Serie A. Charlotte FC signed the Polish striker from PAOK to a DP contract in January 2022 for the Crown's inaugural season. In 61 MLS matches for the club, Świderski recorded 22 goals and nine assists. Kamil Jozwiak in Europe closing move to Granada According to a source, Kamil Jóźwiak flew to Europe on Tuesday night as he seeks a move out of Charlotte FC. The Polish winger will not be part of the upcoming season's plans, and Charlotte is actively looking to transfer him. In a press conference last week, the new Charlotte FC manager, Dean Smith, mentioned that Jóźwiak was not in his plans. According to a source, the club was exploring options for the Polish winger, and a buyout was a possibility as the club looked to make room and adjustments for new transfers. It was reported this morning that Kamil Jozwiak would be joining La Liga side Granada and teaming up with former Charlotte FC player Sergio Ruiz. Enzo Copetti to River Plate? Charlotte FC's designated player, Enzo Copetti, has had a topsy-turvy start to his first year with the club. Despite a reported fee of around $6 million, the striker, who arrived with high expectations from the fanbase, has only shown glimpses of his potential without making the significant impact that fans had hoped for. Yesterday, on the popular ESPN Argentine show F90, Argentine journalist Gustavo Yarroch mentioned the possibility of Copetti moving to River Plate. This comes as one of River's top targets, Luciano Rodríguez, appears to be heading to Dutch side Feyenoord, prompting the club to explore alternative options. "The other player River is looking into is Enzo Copetti, who plays in MLS and is currently with Charlotte" Gustavo later went on and added that a deal for Copetti would be "difficult but not impossible." As it stands, Charlotte is counting on Copetti for the upcoming season, but if River Plate were to make a push, the 28-year-old striker could be more than tempted to leave. In an interview last year with the Argentine program 'Son Aviones,' Copetti made the following comments: "My name is Enzo because of Francescoli (Uruguayan River Plate legend Enzo Francescoli). All my family are River [fans]. They called me from [Boca Juniors], and I told them no. If I return to Argentina, River Plate is my first option."

By Brian Maurer Photo courtesy of CJ Hellner Charlotte FC has yet to make any major signings this transfer window. So far they have promoted two Crown Legacy FC players to the first team and signed a veteran depth piece at goalkeeper. These signings are a far cry from what General Manager Zoran Krneta and Head Scout Thomas Schaling told media they were targeting this window. While The Crown has yet to make their moves several other teams in the Eastern Conference have made big signings looking to push themselves up the standings in 2024. Here is a look at the rosters of the teams who ranked 7-14 in the Eastern Conference in 2023 to get a sense of how their rosters have improved on paper with new signings, while Charlotte continues to stagnate. 7. Nashville SC New signings: Tyler Boyd, Dru Yearwood, McKinze Gaines Nashville SC has focused their offseason on upgrading their attack. They signed striker Sam Surridge last summer as a Designated Player (DP). This winter they traded for wingers Tyler Boyd and McKinze Gaines. Boyd is their big pick up this offseason as he cost them a decent chunk of GAM. Throw in additional midfield competition in Dru Yearwood and Nashville SC seems off to a decent start with providing Hany Mukhtar the supporting cast he needs. They could still search for some depth pieces and an upgrade here or there, but with their three DPs set and signed, plus Yearwood being added as their lone U-22 Initiative, they are locked in with their big transfers and contracts. This roster looks good enough on paper to at least maintain their position, a rather safe prediction as they have yet to miss the playoffs since their expansion. 8. RBNY New signings: Emil Forsberg, Noah Eile RBNY has made two quality signings so far and opened up a DP slot to potentially sign a new center-forward. Emil Forsberg is a quality veteran DP added to the team’s attacking midfield. If Lewis Morgan returns fit and healthy that looks like a potentially dangerous attacking duo in MLS. It will all come down to who the strikers are that they are playing behind. Noah Eile provides additional competition as a center-back in a backline group that on paper looks capable of maintaining one of the better defenses in the Eastern Conference. The Red Bulls look improved with the new signings already on the roster. If they add a DP nine who fits well into their new head coach’s system they could have a quality attack to compliment their defensive unit. This would likely put them in a spot to compete higher up the standings. Health and depth do look like a potential issue with this squad. A John Tolkin sale would also alter things. 10. CF Montréal New signings: Matías Cóccaro, Dominik Yankov, Joaquín Sosa, Ruan, Raheem Edwards, Sebastian Breza CF Montréal has worked to fill several of the gaping holes in their roster. They struggled defensively last year, especially on the road, and lost 17 games in total. So far they have added multiple pieces to their defense (Sosa, Ruan, Edwards, and Breza) and a couple of transfers to their attack (Cóccaro and Yankov). Edwards and Ruan are both MLS veterans and should provide more depth to the both wingback positions. Sosa should be involved as one of the center-backs while on loan. Cóccaro and Yankov are interesting signings for the attack. Both are reportedly $2 million transfer fees and should be immediate starters playing with Kwadwo Opoku, who was signed to an extension. It will be interesting to see how Bryce Duke fits into this system with the new attacking additions. Montréal looks to have addressed several of the issues plaguing their team last season. They also signed a new head coach who looks like a better fit than Hernán Losada. It will be a waiting game to see how long it takes for all the new additions to fit together. With a new coach and system, this likely won’t happen overnight, but they have added some interesting new pieces, and they were only a stoppage-time goal away from the play-in game. There doesn’t need to be too much of a point bump for this squad to climb into the playoff picture. 11. NYCFC New signings: Hannes Wolf, Andrés Perea NYCFC has made two signings so far. Wolf should provide quality minutes in the attack and Perea will at the least be a depth piece competing for minutes in the midfield. NYCFC always seems to have major transfer rumors swirling around them so they are likely not done yet. Several more pieces are needed to improve this squad, especially if Talles Magno were to be sold, but it’s difficult to count out NYCFC making those deals being a part of City Football Group. 12. DC United New signings: Aaron Herrera, Jared Stroud, Lucas Bartlett DC United looks like they are in full rebuild mode and have started to accrue some depth pieces and MLS-experienced contributors to help strengthen the foundational pieces already in place. It’s hard to predict how much of an improvement they will have as there are likely a bunch of roster moves still to be made, but they do also have a couple of quality DPs in Christian Benteke and Mateusz Klich. 13. Chicago Fire New signings: Andrew Gutman, Tobias Salquist, Allan Arigoni Chicago has spent their resources rebuilding their defensive unit so far. Gutman should be a welcome addition on both ends of the pitch. If they get the Kellyn Acosta signing over the line their core group and defense will look much improved on paper. The question continues to be whether they can get the right DP striker to come in and connect with the talented young attacking midfielder Brian Gutierrez playing underneath. The Fire lacks some serious depth but if they can get their attacking signings right (big if) they could be on a track towards climbing a bit in the standings. There are still several questions surrounding this team and while many of the defensive pieces look like improvements it will be a wait-and-see situation to know if their moves are enough. They likely could face one of the same issues they had last year which was an inability to score enough goals. 14. Inter Miami New signings: Luis Suárez, Julian Gressel, Nicolás Freire Inter Miami’s roster on paper looks outrageous right now. The Suárez signing increases their roster to four former Barcelona players. The Gressel move is also a big-time move and should set the attack up with his signature right foot from both the midfield and the wing. Freire looks like a locked-in starter at center-back as well. Miami has improved its roster with three new starting-level upgrades to a roster that was wildly improved last summer. If the legs can hold up for this team (the preseason tour is already taking a toll) then they should see a big-time boost in the standings in 2024. Where this leaves Charlotte Several of the teams near Charlotte FC in the standings have made upgrades to their rosters. Several others also already have open DP spots that they can fill if the right transfer gets made. Charlotte currently has not made any major additions to their roster and they have also yet to move any DPs off the books to open the space necessary to make upgrades. With a limited amount of roster flexibility as of now, and the amount of teams in the Eastern Conference making big upgrade signings, it looks like newly hired Dean Smith has his work cut out for him to start the 2024 campaign. There is still plenty of time for transfers to come in, but the nerves will start to creep in amongst the fans the longer preseason goes without any news. The next day or two will be especially telling since many European transfer windows are closing which would limit the options Charlotte has to cut ties with current DPs (by the looks of it Kamil Jóźwiak is most likely) to allow more room for high-caliber signings.

By Sam Vanolinda Enzo Copetti (Photo courtesy of CJ Hellner) As we roll towards the 2024 MLS season, the second preseason training camp in California will give Charlotte FC fans a good taste of what the Dean Smith era will bring to the Queen City. This preseason will be particularly interesting as we begin to find out what style of play, and what players Smith prefers. Fans will also be able to watch some of Charlotte's young exciting prospects as they get some valuable game time. Players will be looking to impress their new coach and move up the depth chart, which will be what Charlotte fans should be truly focused on, rather than the final score. Coachella Valley Charlotte will be heading west to the Coachella Valley later this week, not to see Frank Ocean or Bad Bunny, but to participate in the Coachella Valley Invitational. The Invitational will be played at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, home to the famed music festivals Coachella and Stagecoach. Charlotte will face LA Galaxy on February 7th, San Jose Earthquakes on February 10th, and Minnesota United on February 17th; these games should provide a good test against Western opposition that the team doesn’t encounter often. Here are some positional depth battles that you may want to focus on as the team heads into their preseason games: Right-back With Jere Uronen locking down the left side, it will be a battle between Jaylin Lindsey and Nathan Byrne for the right-back position. Byrne had some excellent showings towards the end of last season and would seemingly be the favorite as of now, but fan favorite Lindsey still has plenty to show in MLS,  if he can impress in preseason he could force Smith’s hand. In the closed-door friendly this past Friday Byrne and Lindsey each started a half. This split-time competition between the two fullbacks will likely continue in California. Striker Smith has multiple options up top if the roster stays the way it is. Karol Świderski, Enzo Copetti, and Patrick Agyemang all bring qualities as a lone striker or as a partnership. There is also the question of whether Świderski will remain in the 10 role he filled for much of last season. If Smith wants him to remain in the more creative role, then Copetti and Agyemang could split time in the striker position based on how they perform. Świderski could also be given a striker role, and Copetti could wind up on the wing or vice versa. Smith has a lot of directions to choose how to play his strikers and this will likely be one of the most anticipated lineup decisions fans are waiting for as the season approaches. Right-winger There has been a lot of shake-up on the wings, and there could still be some reinforcements before the season starts. With Kamil Jóźwiak reportedly on the way out, Justin Meram gone, and Ben Bender and Brandon Cambridge hurt, it looks like rookies and midfielders could be given a chance on the wing this preseason. First-round draft pick, Tyger Smalls, will be competing for a roster spot. The likelihood of him earning a supplemental roster spot slightly increased with the number of changes and injuries currently plaguing Charlotte’s wings. Brecht Dejaegere can play many attacking positions and could be slotted in on the right wing. With the lack of depth, Dejaegere could be one of Smith’s only starting-caliber options on the right to start the year. Świderski could also be an option if Smith ends up preferring him there over playing a more centralized role. The players earning right-wing minutes over the next three preseason matches will be a top situation to watch unless a new signing is made. Center-midfielder This all comes down to how Smith decides to shape his midfield. Does he opt for a single or double pivot? Based on current player availability, a double pivot could be in play especially if Dejaegere ends up on the wing. Club Captain Ashley Westwood will be an obvious choice as a holding midfielder. The question is, who rotates as depth or plays in a double pivot alongside Westwood? It could be Brandt Bronico, who Christian Lattanzio was a big fan of and had earned over 2500 MLS minutes for the second straight year. Another option is Andrew Privett, who could slide up into his more natural position and fill a midfield role. If Smith opts for a single pivot with Westwood, then Scott Arfield could be the play in a more advanced position. Left center-back Charlotte FC could add more depth or a starter at left center-back as Smith mentioned the position as an area of need in his most recent presser. Currently, the spot looks like a wide-open competition between Privett, Bill Tuiloma, and the newly promoted João Pedro. 2023 First-Round pick, Hamady Diop, also earned minutes in the closed-door friendly last Friday and he could be in the mix for minutes at center-back. Will a Crown Legacy prospect step up? It's always incredible as a fan to watch a young player step into the scene, And the preseason is a chance for one of The Crown’s starlets to prove himself to the masses. Pedro, who was already mentioned, is the most likely to make a big impact because of his quality and experience with Crown Legacy FC. He also plays a position where Charlotte is going to have an open competition. Despite being only 15 years old, Nimfasha Berchimas is one of the best talents in all of America, and he could earn his first senior team minutes with a solid preseason. Chituru Odunze is a goalkeeper who was signed to Charlotte FC from Crown Legacy as well. He will likely be competing with George Marks and recently signed David Bingham for the backup goalkeeper spot. Nikola Petković is another youngster who will get some run out West. The Serbian is another center-midfielder who could slot into that No. 6 or No. 8 role if Charlotte signs him to a first-team contract. Summary The preseason will be a chance for fans to get an idea about the season ahead for this franchise. Also, starting a new era with some MLS preseason action could help wash away the poor result of the Wildcard game that ended the 2023 season. There is nothing but new beginnings here in 2024 for Charlotte FC. A new manager and some young prospects will inject some life and energy into the fanbase, hoping for improvement in the regular season. This will also be an opportunity for more veteran players to earn themselves a bigger role as Smith continues to report he wants an open competition going into the preseason friendlies. For a city starving for sporting success, the preseason could create some positive feelings around sports in Charlotte.

By Ryan Donahue Photo courtesy of Abigail Mangum Almost two years ago, Charlotte FC broke the MLS single-match attendance record on its inaugural home match against LA Galaxy with 74,479 spectators in Bank of America to watch the state’s first professional major league club kick off in the Queen City. Despite a disappointing result on the night, Charlotte FC has continued to generate exceptional fan engagement around the team, with its average home game attendance consistently rising above 30,000 supporters. Additionally, in Charlotte’s second season home opener against New England Revolution, over 69,000 supporters were in attendance, and against Lionel Messi and Inter Miami at the end of the season, Bank of America filled 66,101 seats for the event. While we can expect that this year's home opener against New York City FC on February 24 will once again yield strong attendance records, Charlotte is not the first club in the Southeast that has received this level of support from its fanbase. Atlanta United, who entered Major League Soccer in 2017, has generated exceptional attendance exceeding 70,000 in Mercedes Benz Arena on several occasions. This past season the club also broke the record for the fastest team to reach five million in attendance for regular season games. Inter Miami and Nashville SC, since their inauguration, have demonstrated an ability to generate high volumes of game-day supporters. Nashville SC finished with the fourth-highest average attendance and in first for soccer-specific stadiums filling 93% of its capacity and recording six sellout games. Inter Miami, in previous seasons, averaged around 12,000 supporters. In the club's current home stadium, however, the signing of Messi in 2023 led to the club having the highest percentage (36%) increase in fan attendance, totaling 17,000 in average support. While the MLS saw around a 5% increase in in-game attendance from 2022 to 2023, the signing of Messi has exponentially surpassed the rest of the league. With each of the respective clubs generating a wide range of gameday engagement from its supporters, it is evident that as a collective, the explosion of MLS soccer interest that was once dominated by clubs in the Pacific Northwest has now found a new home in the Southeast in recent years. MLS is not the only soccer organization that is thriving in the Southeast market. In December 2023, US Soccer announced its plans to develop its headquarters in Fayette County, Georgia. The decision from the US Soccer Federation to move its operations from Chicago to Georgia was seen as an opportunity by both the Federation and Georgia to make the state the central hub and forefront of the US sporting project ahead of the 2026 World Cup. The US headquarters and the national training center going to Georgia will be a huge economic benefit for the state creating 440 new jobs through this project’s investment. The move for US Soccer’s headquarters to Atlanta and the exponential growth the market has generated will only continue to increase ahead of the anticipation for the upcoming World Cup, in which both Atlanta and Miami are slated to host one or multiple tournament fixtures. The Southeast has two destinations and five across the entire East Coast (New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Miami, Atlanta) the Southeast is now starting to pace the Central and West Coast markets (LA, Seattle, San Francisco, Houston, Dallas, Kansas City). Although the city of Charlotte will not be a World Cup destination it holds up as a hot destination for major international fixtures. In 2023, the US Men’s National Team featured at Bank of America Stadium in the Gold Cup against Trinidad & Tobago. This upcoming summer, the Bank will host the CONMEBOL Copa America tournament as a venue for a semi-final and third-place fixture, which should bring approximately 150,000 people to uptown Charlotte. But it is not just US Soccer and MLS that are experiencing success in the area.  NWSL is also benefiting from the expansion of Southeastern soccer. The NC Courage, established in 2017, recently broke its single-match attendance record at Wake Med Park with 10,434 in its final match last season against the San Diego Wave. Beating its previous record for the 2019 NWSL Final. With the Courage winning back-to-back NWSL Challenge Cup trophies in 2022 and 2023, the interest in the professional women’s game will continue to gain more attention as success raises the club's profile. North Carolina and the Southeast have also made strides in their efforts to expand opportunities for young athletes to have pathways to the professional level through local academies and development teams. The addition of MLS Next Pro and Crown Legacy FC has strengthened the scope of youth talent the clubs can develop. MLS Next Pro teams also provide opportunities for fans and youth players in the local areas to attend competitive reserve team matches at a lower cost than the first-team home game experiences. While respective clubs have shared different levels of success in recent years it is without question that the fan bases supporting the clubs are passionate about their sport and want to see these teams reach new heights. With steady and consistent growth across the Southeast region supplemented by the addition of the US Soccer HQ in Atlanta and the upcoming 2026 World Cup, the Southeast looks capable of being a major player in the American soccer landscape.

By Brian Maurer Photos courtesy of Cisco's Art and CJ Hellner/TopBin90 Charlotte FC failed to significantly improve in 2023 from the 42 points they earned in their inaugural season. This led to the firing of former Head Coach Christian Lattanzio and the hiring of Dean Smith. While looking back over several different stats, results, and metrics, one statistic stands out as to why Charlotte struggled last year. Their largest investments did not have enough touches. Karol Świderski and Enzo Copetti both had less than 40 touches on average per 90 minutes in 2023. This means that the two players Charlotte has spent the most money on earned less than 11% of the team's total touches per game. In the games where Świderski or Copetti earn more touches, The Crown tended to perform substantially better. When the two DP strikers struggled to get touches Charlotte tended to perform poorly. In matches where either of them had at least 37 touches, Charlotte earned nearly a point more on average. This analysis included all of Świderski and Copetti's 2023 MLS starts. The "Touches" variable refers to the amount of touches he had in a given start. The "Pts Avg" variable refers to the amount of points the team averaged in those starts. When comparing their touch rate to other top attacking DPs in the Eastern Conference, Świderski and Copetti both rank near the bottom. Charlotte is also second to last in the Eastern Conference when you average Świderski and Copetti’s together and compare them to the average touches by attacking DPs on other teams in the East. Świderski and Copetti ranked near the bottom in touches per 90 compared to the other DP attackers in the Eastern Conference When averaging Eastern Conference clubs' DP attackers' touches per 90, Charlotte FC rank near the bottom Conclusions There is more than one reason that can explain the lack of touches Copetti and Świderski are getting. One is they both prefer a center-forward role. This type of positioning tends to reduce the amount of touches the player will get as the ball will be in their vicinity less often. This also can explain why the team performs better when they both have more touches. When the two strikers have more touches the ball is more likely to be in the attacking third more often, which increases the probability of success. Even poor teams like Toronto FC were able to get their key attacking pieces (Lorenzo Insigne and Federico Bernardeschi) the ball more than Charlotte. The Columbus Crew also has a striker who plays in an advanced position (Cucho Hernández) and gets more touches than either Świderski or Copetti. Tactically, there should be a solution that gets at least one of Charlotte’s key attackers the ball more often. In 2023, that solution was not found. This lack of touches is also likely the reason The Crown is looking to invest in an attacking midfielder and a winger. If they spend big at either or both of those positions then it increases the amount of high-caliber attackers that Charlotte has on the field getting touches. In this case, if Charlotte’s strikers are left higher up the field, they would still have an attacking piece dropping back and getting the necessary touches on the ball. Similar to what Thiago Almada (75.7 touches per 90) and Luciano Acosta (65.1) provide for their teams. An in-house solution Another solution to this problem might already exist on the roster. Kerwin Vargas. When Vargas gets 44 touches or more Charlotte earns more than an extra point on average. This analysis included all of Vargas' 2023 MLS starts. The "Touches" variable refers to the amount of touches he had in a given start. The "Pts Avg" variable refers to the amount of points the team averaged in those starts. The issue with the young Colombian is that he has lacked consistency with his form. If he can become a reliable week-in and week-out starter in Charlotte's attack, and Smith can find ways to get him the ball more regularly then Charlotte might have an additional solution to their current attacking concerns besides just new signings.

By Brian Maurer Photo courtesy of Charlotte FC While I did not know Anton Walkes well, I remember how often he was willing to show up for us in the media. It didn’t matter if it was a big win or a tough loss Walkes was always one of the guys we could count on for post-match interviews. Since there were so many times he had shown up for us I wanted to do my part to try and show up for him in the best way I know how. With a keyboard. Below is a compilation of memories from his life and his past year: It was clear from when I first met Anton that he was an extremely talented young man, there wasn't a sport he wasn't good at. Football was of course the sport in which he stood out the most, however, so we sent him on a trial at Spurs. It was an extremely proud moment when he signed his first pro contract, and then sitting back and watching his career unfold was a pleasure. Although, one of my fondest memories of Anton does not involve football. Anton was also a very talented long-distance runner; his fitness was unbelievable. At the local Lewisham Championships, he was set to run the 800m, however, we didn't have anyone to run the 1500m race beforehand. He was running around asking anyone and everyone to run the race just to gain some points for our school, however, everyone refused. Just before the race began Anton told me he would run the race, so he did, and he won! He then had a 5-minute rest period before having to run the 800m which he also went on to win. We went on to win this competition by 5 points, so had he not run the 1500m we would have lost. This moment for me really sums Anton up, his passion and resilience to win at all costs was next to none. His attitude gained him so much respect from his peers, that he was voted most likely to become a sports star and most likely to be famous in the class of 2013 Yearbook. It's safe to say the year group knew him well. He will be missed by many. RIP Anton, Mr Marcus Anthony Marcus was one of Walkes' childhood teachers at Prendergast Ladywell. Throughout the past year, the soccer world honored Walkes in a multitude of ways. From tifos to moments of silence, to his daughter, Ayla Walkes, returning to Bank of America Stadium to walk out with Ashley Westwood for the final match of the season. “We’ll take him everywhere we go,” Westwood said in a recent preseason press conference, as Charlotte FC prepares for the 2024 season. Walkes has left a mark on many in the Charlotte soccer community. The outpouring of compassion that has been shown over the past year has been emotional to watch. He showed how quickly one can make an impact in this world, and how important it is to love every moment of it. When the young leave too soon, At a loss of what to do. Take a breath, hear the quiet. There’s emptiness, you can’t deny it. On Saturday, he Walkes the ground. The crowd cheers a familiar sound. Take the field! He’s there with you! Forever Black and Blue! You can join in a Celebration of Life memorial for Anton Walkes at Forest Lawn West from 12 PM-5 PM.

By Jorge Gonzales Photo courtesy of CJ Hellner Per a source, the young Brazilian forward is seeking a new place to call home as he won't be part of the plans as The Crown heads into their third season in existence. Vinicius Mello is currently in talks with multiple clubs as he looks for consistent regular minutes, with Croatia being a potential destination. Per a source, Vinicius Mello fell out of favor after just seeing a few minutes of playing time last season, following a dispute he had with then-head coach Christian Lattanzio, which saw him get sent down to the MLS NEXT Pro side, Crown Legacy FC. The striker enjoyed a positive spell in the MLS NEXT Pro side, scoring five goals in 11 appearances before getting injured in the final stretch of the season. On December 13th, 2021, Charlotte FC signed Vinicius Mello from the Brazilian side Sport Club Internacional to a contract until 2025, with an option for 2026. Vinicius was the Club’s first U-22 initiative player. Mello has struggled to stay fit ever since joining the club as injuries have plagued him in his search for minutes at Charlotte. As of now, there is no path back into this Charlotte Squad for the Brazilian forward.

By Brian Maurer Photo Courtesy of CJ Hellner Joao Pedro (Age: 20) - CB - Crown Legacy FC Pedro was awarded with MLS NEXT Pro Best XI honors for his work in 2023. Now he has an opportunity to carve himself a role with the first team. Here is a report of what he can bring to Charlotte FC. Defensive processing speed Pedro’s ability to process the game quickly allows him to make sound decisions, especially when it comes to picking out his marking assignments. Pedro does an excellent job when the opposition is in their attacking phase of scanning the ball and the runners to ensure he doesn’t lose track of any attackers on his back shoulder. His constant scanning helps him stay close to forwards making runs in and around the box so he can position himself well to prevent any dangerous moments. His strong positioning in these situations makes it difficult to analyze his game using stats as he is in a below-average percentile among most center backs in MLS NEXT Pro. A big reason for this is likely because he marks attackers well which prevents opportunities for defensive actions to occur since the ball is not passed to his marked man frequently. Radar courtesy of Ben Griffis When defending counterattacks Pedro does a good job of keeping his body between his marker and the ball (below). He also puts himself in a good position to make sure that he can cover the space behind him to reduce the likelihood of a through ball. This positioning is key to a defensive backline but does not show up on the stat sheet. His marking on the counterattack example below prevents the forward pass from being able to occur. But since his marker was not open, the passer took a low-percentage shot instead and missed. On the stat sheet, Pedro does not get any of the credit for that defending, but he played a key role in the action of a missed low-percentage shot. Pedro's off-ball man marking on a counterattack Pedro also demonstrates his ability to process the game quickly with how he reacts and covers for his teammates. He can mark his man while also recognizing the danger in other areas and making quick decisions on what the correct defensive action is. In the example below Pedro is marking his man inside the box but notices that there is space for a near post run on the other side of the box and a runner ready to make that run. Noticing the danger he switches from covering his man and shifts to cover the run and he puts the ball out for a corner instead of allowing what would have been a very dangerous attacking opportunity. Pedro providing defensive cover Pedro does a great job of keeping the game in front of him and can prepare for nearly every attack that is thrown his way. He calmly steps towards attacking dribblers and makes good standing tackles with seeming ease at the NEXT Pro level. Whether it's with his tackling or his positioning his processing speed helps him keep the game in front of him and he rarely misses an assignment or allows attackers in behind him. Passing Pedro is capable of making many different passes. He is willing to make the short safe pass, long line-breaking ground passes, and send accurate diagonal long balls over the top. His skill with the ball also made him one of the primary corner-kick takers, even though he is a taller center back who could have been used in the box. His crossing skills made him preferable on corners. Several of his passing stats show that he was one of the best progressive passing center backs at the MLS NEXT Pro level. Part of his strong xAssist and assist stats could be due to the corner kicks and free kicks he took, but his progressive pass volume and long pass percentage wouldn’t be impacted as much by this. Based on both the eye test and his passing stats, he stands out as a high-level distributor from the backline. Pedro making the line-breaking pass through a press Pedro hits a teammate in a tight space in the attacking half Pedro hits a teammate with a long ball over the top Ball carrying Pedro is also a capable dribbler. If given time and space he is more than willing to attack it with the ball and push play forward into the midfield and even into the attacking third. His ball-carrying ability provides a change of pace that defenses have to cope with as he becomes an additional attacker (example below) that needs to be defended who is usually not in that space. He is a strong ball carrier for the NEXT Pro level as he averaged at least one progressive carry forward per game. His 100% success rate highlights that he is smart when picking his spots to dribble, reducing the likelihood of failure. Pedro attacked space with his dribble and then finished the attack with a run into the box Aggression He is willing to jump forward and put pressure on the ball. The advantage of this type of mentality from a center back is that when he times his pressuring action well he can stop the ball and reduce the likelihood of the attack progressing to the backline. However, this aggression can also lead to poor positioning leaving space for the opposition to attack if he doesn’t stop the ball. As Pedro continues to develop his defensive processing and decision-making will be key for him to maintain his aggression while also not costing his team by creating unnecessary gaps. Areas of improvement Aggressive decision making One of the few times Pedro made a defensive mistake during a Crown Legacy FC match versus New England Revolution II was when he jumped out of his backline to pressure the ball but he missed the tackle which put him out of position (below). It is always a risk to put that additional pressure on the ball because when it goes wrong the backline’s positioning becomes a bit out of sync. Pedro’s aggression is also a good quality so he will just need to work on keeping those decisions tidier and make sure when he makes the aggressive jump forward that he knows he will be able to make the play so he doesn’t leave his backline vulnerable. Pedro missed the tackle in midfield -> leading to the backline shifting over to cover him being out of position -> leaving their right flank exposed