Miami FC to play in NPSL in 2018
Image credit: Miami FC
As the Beckham-Miami group is scheduled to announce their MLS expansion news on Monday, Miami FC is expected to make an announcement of their own. Miami FC will field a team in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) during the league’s 2018 season which runs from March through August.
According to NPSL protocol, existing conference teams are required to vote to accept or deny applicant teams for the season. In Miami FC’s case, they will play in the Sunshine Conference in 2018, and current teams voted favorably to bring in the team for the 2018 season.
This vote took place via email over the weekend and the announcement of Miami FC in the NPSL is expected early next week.
Miami FC’s opponents in conference play will be Jacksonville Armada U-23s, Kraze United, Beaches FC, Boca Raton FC, Naples United FC and Miami United FC.
Last year’s Sunshine Conference winners, Miami Fusion FC, will not return to play in the NPSL this season.
It is also understood that Miami FC will use a variant of their name (For example, Miami FC 2 or Miami B) so they are able to field a team in the NASL if the appeal is successful.
The team
Last week Miami FC appointed Paul Dalglish as the head coach to replace Alessandro Nesta. Though the team has lost a few players to transfers, the Miami FC squad still remains one of the (in my opinion, the strongest) strongest squads in lower division soccer.
They are also the squad with the highest-paid salaries.
Will some of the most talented and highest paid soccer players in the country play against college kids? Looks like it. As Soc Takes reported, Jacksonville Armada owner Robert Palmer has facilitated the option for his players to go on loan to other teams while paying their wages. Per Jeff Rueter’s reporting, Miami FC players do not have this option:
#NASL sources telling me that Miami FC is not allowing its players to take up opportunities to sign elsewhere in 2018 despite no firm plan to play before August. Both NY Cosmos and Jax Armada have left decision firmly in players’ hands.
— Jeff Rueter (@jeffrueter) January 26, 2018
Soc Takes has independently verified Rueter’s reporting about the lack of options available to Miami FC players.
It should be noted that Miami FC’s squad is in a far better position than many other NASL athletes. Namely, they have a guaranteed, well-paying contract. And from a business perspective, a strong argument can be made that Miami FC has every right to expect a transfer fee or for interested clubs to pay the wages for players they sign on loan. In other words, why would Miami FC pay the wages of a player for no tangible benefit?
Yet, one can also question the optics of the likes of Richie Ryan and Dylan Mares playing against wide-eyed nineteen year olds suiting up between homework assignments.
Final thoughts
Miami FC can perhaps use the NPSL season as pre-season training to prepare for whatever happens in Fall 2018. And while the club deserves credit for paying their players, perhaps the players find themselves in golden handcuffs with no clear resolution in sight.
Follow Nipun on Twitter: @NipunChopra7.
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