Frank Yallop has it easy.
"(I joke) my job is much easier with the rebrand and stadium announcements we just had," Yallop said. "There were five of the players at the press conference, and their faces were beaming. The big thing is making sure this team is set up for long-term success, and I think we’re on the right track."
OK, so the second-year coach may just be kidding when he says his job is easy, but when you compare the situation now to when he first came to the club in December of 2015, it's clear how close joking is to reality.
Yallop's arrival was announced on December 23, 2015. He had less than two full months to build nearly an entire team out of scratch while most clubs in the United Soccer League (USL) had already filled their rosters with the players they wanted for preseason training camp. He didn't officially have a stadium to call home. And he didn't yet have a full staff built.
What a difference a year makes.
By December 23, 2016, Yallop already had 16 players signed for the 2017 season. He not only knew where he was going to play, but he had his own stadium and wouldn't have to share it with a Major League Baseball team. And as for his staff, he doesn't yet have a full one after assistant coach Marc Bircham left for a job with Queens Park Rangers.
Two out of three isn't bad.
Having a head start heading into the 2017 season has allowed Yallop to build the team the way he wants and not out of necessity to fill a roster.
"Last season gave me a chance to evaluate what we had and what players we should keep," he said. "I think we kept a good core of players with core values that Phoenix Rising is going to have. I’ve kept them because they think about the team first and not themselves. And I think that’s the theme of our team this season."
"That’s my big main thing," Yallop added. "Making a team that sticks together no matter what."
In all, eight players have been carried over from last year's team. And Yallop said he was looking for the same type of character in the new players that he was signing as well.
He was also looking for versatility.
"Competition for places is everything," he said. "I want to have a squad that doesn’t miss a beat if somebody is injured or someone gets suspended, or somebody’s not quite playing like they should play. I want to be able to mix and match my squad and make sure that I can fill these guys in. And there’s competition at all positions. That’s what makes a healthy team."
Yallop praised new signings like A.J. Gray, Matthew Hurlow-Paonessa, and Jason Johnson for their ability to fill in multiple positions and their dynamic play. And he intends to keep looking for that quality as he continues to build the roster heading into the season.
"Depth is everything and versatility in the positions for players is big," Yallop said. "If I can move players around in the system and I can use different players coming in and out of the team, it just gives me more choices and more possibilities in the attack and along the backline."
So Yallop's job has been easier as he continues working on his roster, heading to various combines, and even traveling outside of the U.S. to scout players in Mexico. He has the time he didn't have before, and he has a home venue he couldn't sell to possible players previously.
All of that means that Yallop will have a lot more options to think about as he tries to build his best XI on a weekly basis.
His job will become harder.
Not that he's worried about it.
"I’ll be the one who manages all of that that," Yallop said. "But I like that side of my job."
Frank Yallop has it easy.
“(I joke) my job is much easier with the rebrand and stadium announcements we just had,” Yallop said. “There were five of the players at the press conference, and their faces were beaming. The big thing is making sure this team is set up for long-term success, and I think we’re on the right track.”
OK, so the second-year coach may just be kidding when he says his job is easy, but when you compare the situation now to when he first came to the club in December of 2015, it’s clear how close joking is to reality.
Yallop’s arrival was announced on December 23, 2015. He had less than two full months to build nearly an entire team out of scratch while most clubs in the United Soccer League (USL) had already filled their rosters with the players they wanted for preseason training camp. He didn’t officially have a stadium to call home. And he didn’t yet have a full staff built.
What a difference a year makes.
By December 23, 2016, Yallop already had 16 players signed for the 2017 season. He not only knew where he was going to play, but he had his own stadium and wouldn’t have to share it with a Major League Baseball team. And as for his staff, he doesn’t yet have a full one after assistant coach Marc Bircham left for a job with Queens Park Rangers.
Two out of three isn’t bad.
Having a head start heading into the 2017 season has allowed Yallop to build the team the way he wants and not out of necessity to fill a roster.
“Last season gave me a chance to evaluate what we had and what players we should keep,” he said. “I think we kept a good core of players with core values that Phoenix Rising is going to have. I’ve kept them because they think about the team first and not themselves. And I think that’s the theme of our team this season.”
“That’s my big main thing,” Yallop added. “Making a team that sticks together no matter what.”
In all, eight players have been carried over from last year’s team. And Yallop said he was looking for the same type of character in the new players that he was signing as well.
He was also looking for versatility.
“Competition for places is everything,” he said. “I want to have a squad that doesn’t miss a beat if somebody is injured or someone gets suspended, or somebody’s not quite playing like they should play. I want to be able to mix and match my squad and make sure that I can fill these guys in. And there’s competition at all positions. That’s what makes a healthy team.”
Yallop praised new signings like A.J. Gray, Matthew Hurlow-Paonessa, and Jason Johnson for their ability to fill in multiple positions and their dynamic play. And he intends to keep looking for that quality as he continues to build the roster heading into the season.
“Depth is everything and versatility in the positions for players is big,” Yallop said. “If I can move players around in the system and I can use different players coming in and out of the team, it just gives me more choices and more possibilities in the attack and along the backline.”
So Yallop’s job has been easier as he continues working on his roster, heading to various combines, and even traveling outside of the U.S. to scout players in Mexico. He has the time he didn’t have before, and he has a home venue he couldn’t sell to possible players previously.
All of that means that Yallop will have a lot more options to think about as he tries to build his best XI on a weekly basis.
His job will become harder.
Not that he’s worried about it.
“I’ll be the one who manages all of that that,” Yallop said. “But I like that side of my job.”