Football Season Guide

Switchbacks limped their way to the playoffs last season and were ultimately dumped out in their Conference quarter-finals to Tulsa. This came as little surprise given that they had lost 5 of their previous 7 regular season games – including 3 successive home fixtures. These accounted for half of the 6 home defeats they suffered all season. Finding the net at home was one of their biggest issues. They scored 15 times in 15 games, and while this allowed them to win 7 times, the 6 occasions they lost certainly counted against them. They were comfortably in the post-season in the end – but this was a disappointment for a team that had finished no lower than 5th in the previous 4 seasons. There’s been a change in the dugout, with James Chambers replaced by Alan McCann as manager. Exactly what this means is unclear. The 36-year-old has graduated through Switchbacks’ ranks from match analyst in 2021 through various roles to this point. He has never taken a job of this magnitude before. It should come as little surprise given Switchbacks’ disappointing attacking record that they have focused their recruitment on signing attacking plyers. In this regard, they lost top scorer Marco Micaletto, but given he only scored 6 times last term, there’s little doubt that he’s replaceable. Khori Bennett has joined from Sacramento, where he scored 5 times in just 623 minutes last season in a promising return. With Kyle Vassell more of a workhorse forward, it may be that the onus is on the Jamaican to continue his good scoring record. While Yosuke Hanya has been retained after a modestly successful loan spell last season, he will be challenged on the right wing by Adrien Perez, who was given limited game time by Louisville last season but was somewhat successful. Having netted 10 goals at this level for San Diego Loyal in 2023, he is a potentially smart pick up. The heart of the pitch has also been bolstered, with Sam Williams, Frank Daroma and Devon Williams all expected to add some steel in this area. Of this trio Daroma arrives with the biggest reputation, having amassed nearly 2500 minutes with El Paso last term. Equally, the defence is strengthened with the arrival of Patrick Burner on the right and Talen Maples in the middle. With Colin Shutler providing real competition in goal, Switchbacks look like they have enhanced their squad in each area.