This week has been a great week in so many ways. Just eight days ago I was in Stoke to watch them win the point they needed to move up to the Premier League. It has been 23 years since Stoke last played at the top level of English football. It's been a long wait but on Sunday it was all worth waiting for!!!
The celebrations went on well into the night and I was starting to regret the fact we had booked an early morning flight home the next day. However, we needed to come home, as there was lots to do if we were to be ready for the Aztex home opening game on Saturday. Once back in Austin the week was pretty much a blur, concession vendors came and went, programs needed printing, tickets needed collating and distributing, volunteers needed contacting but somehow it all came together on Saturday evening against the Leones.
It's early but not too early to put ourselves through a self-analytical report card, feedback and reflection are an important part of improvement. I have to say that right now I would give us 4 out of 6 as an organization both on and off the field.
4 out of 6 reflects our current points total, with a win and a tie in our first two games, we are top of the Division and must be pleased with how we have started our first campaign. The players and coaches have done a great job, settling into a new team isn't easy and they have performed well. Yet they know and feel there is more to come. The roster is starting to gel, the teamwork is beginning to flow, the understanding is starting to develop. As the College year wraps up we are still waiting on a couple of players to join us. All of this bodes well for the future.....there is more to come!
We had a successful first home game on Saturday and were delighted to see a crowd of almost 1,500 enjoy the game. Most of our planning and hard work paid off but there is still much more we can do to improve our performance off the field. We have received lots of compliments and we really appreciate them and also some constructive feedback. Behind the scenes we know we have lots more we can improve on. So, off the field, while we don't have a points total to rely on to give us feedback, 4 out of 6 feels about right.
Thanks to all of you who came out to support us, spread the word, tell your friends and bring them out to our game next Saturday. It promises to be another exciting game against local rivals from Dallas. Come out to Dragon Stadium, support your Austin Aztex and make some noise!!!
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Coaching Team
It feels really good this week to have announced both our Head Coach and U 23 Coach. I am delighted we have been able to secure the services of two such experienced and capable guys as Adrian and Wolfgang. My goal from the outset has been to put together a coaching team that complemented each other and give the Aztex diverse expertise and reach. I think we have more than accomplished this with our two recruits.
Adrian has a first-class playing background in Europe and deep experience in coaching in both the English Premiership & Championship. He also has a network of contacts in both the UK and in Europe which will be invaluable to us as we further develop our links with European clubs. He has a great eye for a player and a record of developing young players, both of which will be important to us in the first few years. The one area he will need most help is in building his knowledge of US soccer. But Adrian is an avid student of the game and will have time over the next 12 months to learn the strengths of the US game and develop his own network of contacts.
To assist Adrian in both these areas we now have Wolfgang on the coaching team. He is a Coach that needs no introduction to most soccer people either in Austin or nationally. He has a tremendous track record across all age levels, right up to the National Team. It goes without saying that Wolfgang also brings the ultimate soccer Rolodex with him - his contacts and knowledge of the game will be invaluable to Adrian.
The U 23 tryouts look like being extremely busy! We have players registered from as far afield as Africa and Europe and expect a really high quality turn out.
Along side our coaching appointments I have been working around the clock on securing a stadium for us. I have now reviewed and met with organizations representing more than 16 stadium alternatives. Many of the options are not available in '08 due to scheduling conflicts, field reconstruction or policy issues but I am determined to find us the very best option. That means a stadium we can call home for the whole season, that has a good location and is the right size for us to create a good atmosphere. We have a couple of great options and I am confident that in the next few days/week we will have good news to share. I am sure we won't please everyone but then again who can?
Finally, thanks for all your continuing encouragement and support, our fan club now stands at over 100, the Founders Club is over 25% taken and I continue to get dozens of emails and positive feedback from y'all.
Phil
Adrian has a first-class playing background in Europe and deep experience in coaching in both the English Premiership & Championship. He also has a network of contacts in both the UK and in Europe which will be invaluable to us as we further develop our links with European clubs. He has a great eye for a player and a record of developing young players, both of which will be important to us in the first few years. The one area he will need most help is in building his knowledge of US soccer. But Adrian is an avid student of the game and will have time over the next 12 months to learn the strengths of the US game and develop his own network of contacts.
To assist Adrian in both these areas we now have Wolfgang on the coaching team. He is a Coach that needs no introduction to most soccer people either in Austin or nationally. He has a tremendous track record across all age levels, right up to the National Team. It goes without saying that Wolfgang also brings the ultimate soccer Rolodex with him - his contacts and knowledge of the game will be invaluable to Adrian.
The U 23 tryouts look like being extremely busy! We have players registered from as far afield as Africa and Europe and expect a really high quality turn out.
Along side our coaching appointments I have been working around the clock on securing a stadium for us. I have now reviewed and met with organizations representing more than 16 stadium alternatives. Many of the options are not available in '08 due to scheduling conflicts, field reconstruction or policy issues but I am determined to find us the very best option. That means a stadium we can call home for the whole season, that has a good location and is the right size for us to create a good atmosphere. We have a couple of great options and I am confident that in the next few days/week we will have good news to share. I am sure we won't please everyone but then again who can?
Finally, thanks for all your continuing encouragement and support, our fan club now stands at over 100, the Founders Club is over 25% taken and I continue to get dozens of emails and positive feedback from y'all.
Phil
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Busy Times
Since the launch of the Aztex in late January times have been busy in the Rawlins household!
The response to our announcement bringing professional soccer to Austin has been phenomenal. We have been deluged with emails of support, offers of help, job applications etc, etc. And I am extremely grateful for all the support we have received.
Aside from answering everyones emails the big jobs on the agenda have been to secure a stadium, hire our coaching team and secure a couple of major sponsors. I will share more on the stadium and sponsorship fronts in the next few days, for today I would like to focus on the coaching team.
The response to our announcement bringing professional soccer to Austin has been phenomenal. We have been deluged with emails of support, offers of help, job applications etc, etc. And I am extremely grateful for all the support we have received.
Aside from answering everyones emails the big jobs on the agenda have been to secure a stadium, hire our coaching team and secure a couple of major sponsors. I will share more on the stadium and sponsorship fronts in the next few days, for today I would like to focus on the coaching team.
When we launched I had a view that we could utilize the Head Coach in 2008 as the Coach of the U23 team and said as much. However, after interviewing candidates and listening to experienced people around me I decided we should modify the plan and appoint BOTH a Head Coach and a dedicated U23 coaching team.
So, on Thursday of this week we will announce the first ever Austin Aztex Head Coach. I am over the moon about his appointment, I think it will be obvious that we have attracted a very well qualified and talented guy to lead us on the field. His experience and contacts will be invaluable to us, as will his infectious enthusiasm for the game. He has great eye for spotting talent and for developing young players.
His first and major task in '08 will be to scout and recruit the players we need for our '09 roster. Freeing him up to do that is one of the primary reasons we have also appointed a dedicated U23 coaching team. The U23 Coach has years of experience locally and has had a hand in developing most of the talented young players that have graduated from our City over the past ten years. We expect to announce the U23 Coach and his support team early next week.
I believe both announcements will send a message both nationally and locally that the Aztex have arrived and that we mean business!! I hope you will be as excited as I am about their appointments and join me in welcoming them to the Aztex team.
Phil
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