Calvalry FC preview: Club confident, intact in defence of CPL title

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Tommy Wheeldon Jr. is a confirmed winner.

Due to that, the architect of Cavalry FC’s profitable 2023 soccer season has had his contract prolonged by way of 2026, giving the affable gaffer the prospect to defend the regular-season title — many times and once more — by way of three extra Canadian Premier League campaigns.

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And, yeah, it’s defence-first for the Cavalry FC heading into the 2024 Canadian Premier League marketing campaign …

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In a number of alternative ways.

After all, Calgary’s skilled footie aspect is out to defend the honour gained final fall — the one which gave the membership bragging rights, the Canadian Premier League Defend and a coveted berth in Concacaf Champions Cup.

After which there’s the power of Cavalry’s defence — the strong unbroken corps making up the spine of the staff which has not been compromised regardless of a number of roster changes made within the low season.

“It’s a great feeling,” mentioned celebrity goalkeeper Marco Carducci, when wanting on the top-shelf defensive group that’s returned to assist him hold the ball out of the Cavalry internet, starting with Saturday’s season-opener in opposition to host Forge FC in Hamilton (2 p.m. ET, OneSoccer, OneSoccer.ca).

“We’ve constructed a chemistry that takes time,” continued Carducci, a two-time Golden Glove Award winner because the league’s prime goalie. “And clearly, gamers come and go, and that’s part of the fact {of professional} soccer. However to have that chemistry that we’ve constructed and boosted by the success of final season, we’re feeling nice about that.

“The communication, understanding tendencies of each other after which having that perception system understanding precisely what we must be doing … these are issues that go a good distance. So for me, I’m very excited to have the ability to look in entrance of me and see a number of acquainted faces.”

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‘We’re proud of the group we’ve bought again there’

These acquainted faces carry cachet, as well.

On the prime of that revered checklist is Daan Klomp, whose good 2023 marketing campaign earned him the CPL Participant of the Yr honour.

Younger Eryk Kobza additionally stepped up big in his rookie season, and fellow first-year-man Callum Montgomery confirmed he’s able to be a full-time a part of the defensive construction.

And, after all, there’s the wily veterans in that defender/midfield combine — Fraser Aird, Shamit Shome, Charlie Trafford and Bradley Kamdem-Fewo, together with second-year sparkplug Jesse Daley.

“Even Tom Area has performed rather a lot by way of pre-season, so it’s been actually good to see,” mentioned Cavalry gaffer Tommy Wheeldon Jr. “Clearly, we’ve bought a great goalkeeper in Marco, and bringing younger Jack Barrett into strengthen that depth is essential.

“However having the ability to hold your Klomps, Kamdems, Kobzas, Montys on the roster is so essential to chemistry,” continued Wheeldon. “And you then’ve bought your Frasers and Shams and Charlies that may play a number of roles within the defensive and offensive features.

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“Yeah, we’re proud of the group we’ve bought again there.”

Up entrance?

Nicely … there have been adjustments.

Most notably, the CPL’s co-Golden Boot winner in Myer Bevan — he of 12 objectives complete final 12 months — is out indefinitely on a go away of absence for household causes.

However again to steer the assault are the opposite scoring stars in dynamic Ali Musse — who was named the CPL’s Gamers’ Participant of the Yr in 2023 — veteran scatback Sergio Camargo — the membership’s all-time chief in objectives with 21 — and Willy Akio — a dynamo himself who can change the tempo of any recreation.

And so they have 5 new teammates to work with in looking for the twine.

Wheeldon has added intelligent phenom Lucas Dias, former Australian under-20 star Lleyton Brooks and CPL veterans Diego Gutierrez, Toby Warschewski and Malcolm Shaw.

All 5 seemed incredible in pre-season play, which included three constructive friendlies on a visit to Mexico and an exhibition affair with Calgary Foothills FC.

“Sharp, eh?” Wheeldon mentioned. “Lleyton’s bought nice tempo and 1-v-1 means. We like Lucas Dias — he’s bought good mushy touches. Guti’s bought class. Toby’s bought finesse and energy mixed. After which Malcolm Shaw was an important final addition to hitch us late as a veteran, so grateful we bought him.”

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However with so many new faces, it could possibly be unusual for the Cavs within the attacking zone to begin the 28-game CPL schedule and Canadian Championship.

“Not unusual in any respect — it’s so enjoyable,” Camargo mentioned. “The gamers which can be round us simply make it simpler and make it extra thrilling. They provide me extra alternatives to get in entrance of the online and make assists and rating objectives. So I’m actually wanting ahead to this season, particularly with all of the attacking choices that we have now.”

Staff’s roster offers bench boss choices

There are additionally the younger choices at hand for Wheeldon & Co.

Defender Michael Harms and midfielder Maël Henry return to bolster depth.

And different new-ish faces in midfielder Niko Myroniuk and defenders Max Piepgrass and Caden Rogozinski have been chosen and supplied U SPORTS contracts by the membership. All three gamers are native to Calgary and got here by way of the Calgary minor soccer system.

“We’re excited,” Carducci mentioned. “I feel it’s about specializing in the steps that bought us there within the first place final 12 months. We began this season with seven attracts in a row — six within the league — and lots of people mentioned, ‘Nicely, this isn’t a staff that’s going to compete.’ However we caught true to what we believed, and we ended up lifting the defend for a motive.

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“Now we need to recover from the road in playoffs — we haven’t achieved that but,” added Carducci. “And we all know is that we need to win the league and need to get again within the Champions Cup. All of these issues are going to information us.

“However the first focus is Forge on Saturday, after which we’ll go from there.”

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Wheeldon on his extension: “I’m delighted to signal an extension with a membership and a metropolis that I like, and I can’t wait to proceed this nice journey that we’re on. I’m grateful to our possession for his or her fixed assist and continued attempt for excellence, notably Linda Southern-Heathcott, for her and her household’s imaginative and prescient in constructing one thing particular for our group and past.” Cavalry president/COO Ian Allison thought of the transfer a no brainer. “Many issues in skilled sports activities are troublesome,” Allison mentioned. “Working alongside Tommy Wheeldon Jr. isn’t. Having Tommy proceed to steer our membership was a simple resolution. Tommy is a part of Cavalry FC’s DNA and has been since we first began this journey in 2018. His success on the pitch is apparent. He has recruited, mentored and coached greater than 100 gamers, coaches and assist personnel by way of our system, and we’re delighted that he shall be doing so for no less than the following three years. His perception within the recreation, this group, within the Canadian Premier League and in our membership’s values, objectives and goals align completely. We’re delighted he’ll proceed to play a significant function in subsequent chapters in Cavalry FC historical past.” … Bevan (go away of absence) and Henry (hamstring) are the one gamers not out there for choice Saturday … Notable names not again with Cavalry are: attackers Joe Mason (contract expired), Ethan Beckford (contract terminated) and Gareth Smith-Doyle (contract expired), midfielder Ben Fisk (traded to Vancouver FC for second-round choose in U SPORTS draft) and defenders Udoka Chima and Roberto Alarcón (contract terminated) … Saturday’s different two CPL contests kicking off the season are: York United FC at Atlético Ottawa (11 a.m., OneSoccer, OneSoccer.ca) and HFX Wanderers FC at Pacific FC (5 p.m., OneSoccer, OneSoccer.ca).

tsaelhof@postmedia.com

http://www.x.com/ToddSaelhofPM

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