The Earlier the Better for FCC Training, for New Arrivals and Club Mainstays

January 24, 2024 – Major League Soccer (MLS) – FC Cincinnati News Release

CLEARWATER, Fla. – Preseason training is an opportunity for a fresh start. The results of the previous year can be left behind with a new story to be told. For FC Cincinnati, part of that new story is continuing last season’s excellence while doing so with fresh faces.

FC Cincinnati has three new first team players in training camp this year, with two more draft picks and one new member of FC Cincinnati 2 joining them for their trip to Clearwater. The free agents – Miles Robinson, Corey Baird and Kipp Keller – all arrive with significant MLS experience but are new to the organization, having just joined the team or spent less than a week in training. The draft picks – Brian Schaefer and Kenji Mboma Dem – have yet to sign formal deals with FC Cincinnati, but are getting their first taste of professional soccer. Nico Benalcazar has been a stalwart in the NYCFC academy and MLS NEXT Pro for eight years and is now getting a fresh start at a new club.

“It’s always better to have players in as early as possible, where they’re not playing catch up,” head coach Pat Noonan said before the club’s departure to Clearwater. “There’s a lot more stoppages probably than we typically have as the year progresses, and there’s a better understanding of what we’re looking for.”

Of the new arrivals, Miles Robinson was the only one to not rejoin the group for the week-long training in Cincinnati before heading south. For good reason, though, as he, Roman Celentano and Ian Murphy were all called to the annual January camp for the U.S. Men’s National Team. The trio met up with the club in Florida and have now partaken in their first formal training of the year.

The rest of the group, though, made significant strides in the first few days of training camp and feel fully ingrained in the group now that the team has begun outdoor sessions in Florida.

“You can see the progression from the early stages,” Noonan added. “It’s us being able to teach more.

“I enjoy these moments a lot. I like seeing the players’ ambition and willingness to learn. So that’s why it’s always a priority in the offseason. When you’re looking at player additions, how quickly can we get them in-market? How quickly can we get them acclimated on the field and off the field to see a good version of those players in their new environment when the season starts.”

The opportunity to all get on the same page early in the season is invaluable. It…