Plenty of questions linger after a disappointing end to their season, starting with who is in and who is out?
It’s early days in the FC Dallas offseason, and we expect that some roster decisions will be dropping to get the silly season started this week.
Here are my three big questions:
Who will stay and will go?
With roster news expected this week, including whose contracts FC Dallas will pick up or renegotiate, there will be fascinating nuggets that tip the front office’s hand for how the team approaches next year. For the most part, the core of this 2022 squad is under contract. That doesn’t mean some players won’t be renegotiated or shopped come January. Evidently, there wasn’t a lot of wiggle room left after the summer, so the team will need to clear out space to bring in new faces.
Head Coach Nico Estevez had some strong success working with Andre Zanotta to reshape the squad quickly, but some of this roster may not fit his vision. Can they move enough pieces around to make room for the signings this team needs to take the next step? Will they continue to be creative via intra-league trades?
Will this be more of an offseason where the team hopes to build off a strong 2022?
Post-World Cup, there will be plenty of deals to be had from up-and-coming players who may feature on the world’s biggest stage. It should be extra silly this year.
How will FC Dallas shift North Texas SC’s direction?
North Texas Head Coach Pa-Modou Kah was relieved of his duties after that team’s playoff appearance in the inaugural MLS Next playoff. He definitely leaves behind a mixed record. The young squad was very competitive and went toe to toe with more experienced teams across the league, but rumors of discontent swirled and fluctuated in key positions. Ultimately, the front office decided to move in a new direction.
What will this new direction be? How could North Texas better serve and support the senior team in the coming year?
Will Jesus Ferreira depart?
There is no bigger question than this for me as an FC Dallas follower and fan.
Will Jesus stick around for 2023? Or is he gone?
I think you can make arguments in both directions. If Jesus has a strong showing in the World Cup, it’s unlikely he is with FC Dallas in 2023. Some team is going to swoop in and give him a chance. But if the US has a lackluster performance and Jesus fails to impress, Frisco is still home. The offseason for Dallas hinges on a lot of directions for his future.
If he is around, the team doesn’t have to go out and grab the big-time striker they will need, addressing other areas of the roster to improve.
If he gets that big offer, the front office will have to find a productive replacement for Jesus in a short amount of time. Based on their track record, that is difficult. There is no ready replacement for Jesus on the roster at the moment. What a conundrum for this team.