Still yet to suffer defeat, AFC Ann Arbor enter the home stretch of their season hitting the peak of their form. With 20 points from eight games, they continue to remain out in front of the pack and hope to reach a milestone of becoming back-to-back NPSL Great Lakes Division champions.
Fast Times in Ann Arbor:
Four games, twelve days, ten points. Just another week-and-a-half in the life of the Mighty Oak. AFC have come away from the busiest segment of their season with a firm grasp on first place in the table, a position helped greatly with a 2-0 victory over Grand Rapids FC in the first fixture of the four crammed together, and a victory in their most recent match, an unforgettable 1-0 victory in Keyworth Stadium against Detroit City FC. Were they bothered by the speed in which those fixtures came? No, not really. I spoke with center-back Jack Cawley, a stalwart in the Mighty Oak's back-line during this run, and he was happily unfazed:
"It's momentum. When you're winning games, it's good to have them coming thick and fast. If you're doing well in every game, you want to keep playing every game and keep winning every game."
Ann Arbor's ten points came at a crucial time for them, as they were missing out on having three important players in their line-up. While the Mighty Oak were going through this tough stretch, Yuri Farkas, Mathieu Braem, and Hector Morales were in England involved in the CONFIA World Cup representing Cascadia. To many teams, this would be a massive blow. Farkas, even having missed four matches, remains the Mighty Oak's leading goal-scorer (helped greatly from four goals in Lafayette against FC Indiana) and Braem has been a presence in the AFC back line more than just this season. Not for this side. Not only do AFC have stellar depth, with multiple attacking players like AZ Liadi and Jordan Montoya, among multiple others, showcasing their ability during this stretch, but, as manager Eric Rudland himself noted to me, they prepared for this happening:
"We were able to come up with an approach and a plan to fill some of those gaps that Frenchy and Yuri had filled for us. And getting them back makes things competitive to winning a spot."
Coach Rudland would also add:
"They've gotta train hard and they've gotta prove themselves and they can win the job back.""
Yes, indeed, with the stretch that AFC are coming off of, a healthy sort of competition can be in bloom on the training ground. With players competing for that starting spot, you have a bit of added fire in the training ground. This can only lead to good things, and instead of the headache you have in training, instead of immediately trying to throw players who have been out of the side for a couple of weeks back into a side with a different sort of chemistry, Rudland now has the opportunity not to rush things and allow his side to play the sort of football that he desires from them as a flexible unit.
The Mainstay:
One man who's been with the side for this entire stretch is center-back Stanley Okumu. One of AFC's standout men, Okumu is a rare breed in the NPSL as he has a senior cap for his home nation of Kenya, which came two years ago against Sudan at the age of just 19. Now 21, Rudland says it all when speaking of Okumu, "He's been very impressive. He's been everything we'd hoped for when we committed to bringing him over here." It's near-impossible to want more from the man Rudland describes as "an out-and-out defender" as he's been the driving force behind this Ann Arbor defense that has conceded just twice in the NPSL season. There's absolutely a reason for this sort of performance from not just Okumu, as Cawley explains about his connection to Okumu as well as his entire defense:
"We gel well together. It's like, we haven't played together long but we have an understanding of each other, like with Stan, to one goes forward and one goes back. We seem to have a good understanding along the back four."
The partnership of Cawley and Okumu has really grown over the past few games and now with Braem back, Rudland faces the happy dilemma of having three top-quality center-backs available for his selection for the rest of the season, all three with a great understanding of each other.
Okumu is without question, ultra-talented, but what makes him that way? There's an answer from Rudland:
"He's got some intuition, he's got good passing range, and at the end of the day when you look at a player like that you can see the athleticism, you can see the technical range, but what drives him is just his internal motivation. Blocking shots and throwing his head in front of balls that not many would do, has been impressive. And it's not like he's doing it at this game and taking a game off, he's doing it in training day in and day out he's done it every game, day in day out."
There is a desire in Okumu to spur his team and his talents on to the next level, and it shows. In multiple games now, Okumu has made crucial blocks and won vital headers to help his side's cause. Whether it's a booming headed clearance to relieve pressure on his side's defense, or, like last match against Detroit City, a vital block to a shot on target in second half stoppage time, Rudland truly means he has not taken a day off. From watching just one practice, you can tell pretty quickly what sort of player Okumu is. He is a man who will not take a play off and is going to do what he can to drive his team forward. Whether that's through his vital defending, or the stellar long balls he plays from the back, or his occasional bursting runs through the middle of the pitch, it's very clear that he has the attributes to, as Rudland notes, "...have a bright future here in North America."
Spirit of the Oak:
A successful team is almost always one with chemistry. AFC, while talented, also have that sort of camaraderie that you expect from a top-tier football side, but given the fact that so many nations, cultures, and languages are represented by the side, that may come as a surprise to some. There's an adage that Rudland faults to, though, when describing his side, "Football is the universal language." Rudland expands on this statement, as he continued on to me, "So once we get guys into our system and get into our environment day-in and day-out a lot of those barriers are broken down."
There is something almost poetic about it. Something out of a young adult novel. Players from all sorts of places, all different ages and walks of life, joining together to play football. It's not nearly as melodramatic as that, but the fact is that Rudland speaks truth. These are guys who have come to Ann Arbor in some cases, like Okumu or country-mate Chris Odhiambo, traveling across continents to join a side that is steadily becoming known for its competitive football and high-level results.
Rudland's solution to the problem of potential barriers can often be easier said than done. Footballers are human too. Different problems like life adjustments, home sickness, simple youth and inexperience in the real world all can impact each player in a different way. Fortunately for him, he has an outstanding staff alongside him and gives them due credit as well:
"Our assistant coaches do an amazing job bridging some of those gaps. We have Boyzzz [Khumalo] who's played at a really high level and is from South Africa, who can really relate to the other players. Rod [Asllani] is Albanian, he's played football in Europe, he's coached and managed, and Bilal [Saeed, chariman of AFC Ann Arbor] obviously. Guys who can put themselves in the players shoes, who have been there, done that, it helps players feel comfortable and ease into things here."
Upon visiting the practice facility, there is an immediate air of not just friendliness, but a sort of familial bond, which is appropriate for a side who is very open about their connection to the community as one of being like a family bond. You have an entire side that is happy to be around each other and enjoys working together. Every player and every coach do a remarkable job of contributing to an unfailingly positive atmosphere.
Marc Ybarra was around the side last summer and has known Eric Rudland for a while through his own football as well as his brother's, but when speaking with him, a quote stood out to me about the side in particular, "It was really easy to get integrated in the team, and the guys are really welcoming." With players like Ybarra's talent, around the same age, and in or around college, a welcoming attitude can go a long way in building up a whole team's confidence. And that certainly seems to be what is going on with the Mighty Oak.
The Road Leading to Hamtramck:
There is not much more that one can say about the vitally important win over Detroit City on Sunday, but it was clear that both the fans and the side acknowledge just what a big victory it was. When asked about a win in such an important match, Ybarra responded, "It's big. That game against Detroit especially was one that we knew was a pivotal one. Top of the table, and that one stretched our lead." He is not wrong in referring to the match as pivotal. With control of their own fate hanging in the balance, AFC were everything they needed to be as a side. They were strong on defense, able to create chances, make big clearances when need be, and, perhaps most importantly, stay cool under pressure.
Following the goal, shortly after Detroit had taken control of the game, at about the 60 minute mark, things began to get a bit testy between the sides. In a stadium like Keyworth, giving into the heat of the moment can occasionally spell death for a side. Almost as if they knew that, the Mighty Oak dug back in with renewed focus and saw out the last 30 minutes of a 1-0 victory. Sometimes it takes more guts to hold your ground and stick to your guns than giving into the environment and snapping. AFC held true to side that they are and while not giving up their physicality throughout the remainder of the match, they stayed focused and in control of their emotions.
There is a reason that sort of game can cause the fragile balance of the match to tip over. Games like Sunday's are exciting. AFC and DCFC are the two closest teams to each other in the NPSL, separated by just under 50 miles. You can take I-94 all the way from one side's stadium to the other if you wished. Additionally, the two sides have generally been the top two in the state, however Grand Rapids FC are doing an outstanding job at attempting to change this. Regardless, there is a sort of feel to this game that means something more. Sunday's captain, Cawley, summed it up nicely:
"When you play football, you grow up and you want to play in games like that. All the adrenaline, and you get through the game, and afterwards you feel relief...It's a derby, isn't it? We've done the double over them, it's very exciting to do so you could see from my relief after the game, I was so happy for everyone."
Indeed, it was clear he was happy for everyone. The AFC players showed plenty of happy emotion as they celebrated with their side's fans who made that trek down I-94, or wherever they may reside, to watch their club pull off a victory that may not have been the prettiest of matches, but a victory nevertheless. At the end of the day, three points is three points, there's none added for style. Ann Arbor did what they had to do, and they scored their second win over their closest regional rival of the season.
Where To Now?:
Four league matches are all that stand in the way of the Mighty Oak from their divisional crown. Each of them carry their own set of complexities. Kalamazoo remains the only side to hold AFC scoreless in the league. Grand Rapids is the second placed team in the division and hung with Ann Arbor outside of ten clinical minutes in the first meeting on the campus of Eastern Michigan University. Columbus were the first team to score on this side and, with their clinical front three, nearly snatched a point away from them at home. Finally, Indiana, despite their poor record, nearly upended a Milwaukee side who were likely looking at them as a walkover opponent.
The four rapid-fire games gave some great momentum, as Cawley pointed out, but now things are slower. The biggest win of the season to date has come and gone, and just under a week will go by until they can return from action following it. The joy of the past result can be muddied by that of the next one. Eric Rudland and his staff do not breed complacency. They are four games away from their second straight Great Lakes Divisional Championship and continuing their streak of three-out-of-three years in the national NPSL playoffs, having not missed the postseason as a member of the league. The start was strong. The middle brought momentum. It is now time for the Mighty Oak to finish.
Follow me on Twitter @RMAB_Ryan! I have coverage of all AFC Ann Arbor matches, including coverage live from the home matches, as well as coverage of Michigan basketball and Liverpool FC.
Fast Times in Ann Arbor:
Four games, twelve days, ten points. Just another week-and-a-half in the life of the Mighty Oak. AFC have come away from the busiest segment of their season with a firm grasp on first place in the table, a position helped greatly with a 2-0 victory over Grand Rapids FC in the first fixture of the four crammed together, and a victory in their most recent match, an unforgettable 1-0 victory in Keyworth Stadium against Detroit City FC. Were they bothered by the speed in which those fixtures came? No, not really. I spoke with center-back Jack Cawley, a stalwart in the Mighty Oak's back-line during this run, and he was happily unfazed:
"It's momentum. When you're winning games, it's good to have them coming thick and fast. If you're doing well in every game, you want to keep playing every game and keep winning every game."
Ann Arbor's ten points came at a crucial time for them, as they were missing out on having three important players in their line-up. While the Mighty Oak were going through this tough stretch, Yuri Farkas, Mathieu Braem, and Hector Morales were in England involved in the CONFIA World Cup representing Cascadia. To many teams, this would be a massive blow. Farkas, even having missed four matches, remains the Mighty Oak's leading goal-scorer (helped greatly from four goals in Lafayette against FC Indiana) and Braem has been a presence in the AFC back line more than just this season. Not for this side. Not only do AFC have stellar depth, with multiple attacking players like AZ Liadi and Jordan Montoya, among multiple others, showcasing their ability during this stretch, but, as manager Eric Rudland himself noted to me, they prepared for this happening:
"We were able to come up with an approach and a plan to fill some of those gaps that Frenchy and Yuri had filled for us. And getting them back makes things competitive to winning a spot."
Coach Rudland would also add:
"They've gotta train hard and they've gotta prove themselves and they can win the job back.""
Yes, indeed, with the stretch that AFC are coming off of, a healthy sort of competition can be in bloom on the training ground. With players competing for that starting spot, you have a bit of added fire in the training ground. This can only lead to good things, and instead of the headache you have in training, instead of immediately trying to throw players who have been out of the side for a couple of weeks back into a side with a different sort of chemistry, Rudland now has the opportunity not to rush things and allow his side to play the sort of football that he desires from them as a flexible unit.
The Mainstay:
One man who's been with the side for this entire stretch is center-back Stanley Okumu. One of AFC's standout men, Okumu is a rare breed in the NPSL as he has a senior cap for his home nation of Kenya, which came two years ago against Sudan at the age of just 19. Now 21, Rudland says it all when speaking of Okumu, "He's been very impressive. He's been everything we'd hoped for when we committed to bringing him over here." It's near-impossible to want more from the man Rudland describes as "an out-and-out defender" as he's been the driving force behind this Ann Arbor defense that has conceded just twice in the NPSL season. There's absolutely a reason for this sort of performance from not just Okumu, as Cawley explains about his connection to Okumu as well as his entire defense:
"We gel well together. It's like, we haven't played together long but we have an understanding of each other, like with Stan, to one goes forward and one goes back. We seem to have a good understanding along the back four."
The partnership of Cawley and Okumu has really grown over the past few games and now with Braem back, Rudland faces the happy dilemma of having three top-quality center-backs available for his selection for the rest of the season, all three with a great understanding of each other.
Okumu is without question, ultra-talented, but what makes him that way? There's an answer from Rudland:
"He's got some intuition, he's got good passing range, and at the end of the day when you look at a player like that you can see the athleticism, you can see the technical range, but what drives him is just his internal motivation. Blocking shots and throwing his head in front of balls that not many would do, has been impressive. And it's not like he's doing it at this game and taking a game off, he's doing it in training day in and day out he's done it every game, day in day out."
There is a desire in Okumu to spur his team and his talents on to the next level, and it shows. In multiple games now, Okumu has made crucial blocks and won vital headers to help his side's cause. Whether it's a booming headed clearance to relieve pressure on his side's defense, or, like last match against Detroit City, a vital block to a shot on target in second half stoppage time, Rudland truly means he has not taken a day off. From watching just one practice, you can tell pretty quickly what sort of player Okumu is. He is a man who will not take a play off and is going to do what he can to drive his team forward. Whether that's through his vital defending, or the stellar long balls he plays from the back, or his occasional bursting runs through the middle of the pitch, it's very clear that he has the attributes to, as Rudland notes, "...have a bright future here in North America."
Spirit of the Oak:
A successful team is almost always one with chemistry. AFC, while talented, also have that sort of camaraderie that you expect from a top-tier football side, but given the fact that so many nations, cultures, and languages are represented by the side, that may come as a surprise to some. There's an adage that Rudland faults to, though, when describing his side, "Football is the universal language." Rudland expands on this statement, as he continued on to me, "So once we get guys into our system and get into our environment day-in and day-out a lot of those barriers are broken down."
There is something almost poetic about it. Something out of a young adult novel. Players from all sorts of places, all different ages and walks of life, joining together to play football. It's not nearly as melodramatic as that, but the fact is that Rudland speaks truth. These are guys who have come to Ann Arbor in some cases, like Okumu or country-mate Chris Odhiambo, traveling across continents to join a side that is steadily becoming known for its competitive football and high-level results.
Rudland's solution to the problem of potential barriers can often be easier said than done. Footballers are human too. Different problems like life adjustments, home sickness, simple youth and inexperience in the real world all can impact each player in a different way. Fortunately for him, he has an outstanding staff alongside him and gives them due credit as well:
"Our assistant coaches do an amazing job bridging some of those gaps. We have Boyzzz [Khumalo] who's played at a really high level and is from South Africa, who can really relate to the other players. Rod [Asllani] is Albanian, he's played football in Europe, he's coached and managed, and Bilal [Saeed, chariman of AFC Ann Arbor] obviously. Guys who can put themselves in the players shoes, who have been there, done that, it helps players feel comfortable and ease into things here."
Upon visiting the practice facility, there is an immediate air of not just friendliness, but a sort of familial bond, which is appropriate for a side who is very open about their connection to the community as one of being like a family bond. You have an entire side that is happy to be around each other and enjoys working together. Every player and every coach do a remarkable job of contributing to an unfailingly positive atmosphere.
Marc Ybarra was around the side last summer and has known Eric Rudland for a while through his own football as well as his brother's, but when speaking with him, a quote stood out to me about the side in particular, "It was really easy to get integrated in the team, and the guys are really welcoming." With players like Ybarra's talent, around the same age, and in or around college, a welcoming attitude can go a long way in building up a whole team's confidence. And that certainly seems to be what is going on with the Mighty Oak.
The Road Leading to Hamtramck:
There is not much more that one can say about the vitally important win over Detroit City on Sunday, but it was clear that both the fans and the side acknowledge just what a big victory it was. When asked about a win in such an important match, Ybarra responded, "It's big. That game against Detroit especially was one that we knew was a pivotal one. Top of the table, and that one stretched our lead." He is not wrong in referring to the match as pivotal. With control of their own fate hanging in the balance, AFC were everything they needed to be as a side. They were strong on defense, able to create chances, make big clearances when need be, and, perhaps most importantly, stay cool under pressure.
Following the goal, shortly after Detroit had taken control of the game, at about the 60 minute mark, things began to get a bit testy between the sides. In a stadium like Keyworth, giving into the heat of the moment can occasionally spell death for a side. Almost as if they knew that, the Mighty Oak dug back in with renewed focus and saw out the last 30 minutes of a 1-0 victory. Sometimes it takes more guts to hold your ground and stick to your guns than giving into the environment and snapping. AFC held true to side that they are and while not giving up their physicality throughout the remainder of the match, they stayed focused and in control of their emotions.
There is a reason that sort of game can cause the fragile balance of the match to tip over. Games like Sunday's are exciting. AFC and DCFC are the two closest teams to each other in the NPSL, separated by just under 50 miles. You can take I-94 all the way from one side's stadium to the other if you wished. Additionally, the two sides have generally been the top two in the state, however Grand Rapids FC are doing an outstanding job at attempting to change this. Regardless, there is a sort of feel to this game that means something more. Sunday's captain, Cawley, summed it up nicely:
"When you play football, you grow up and you want to play in games like that. All the adrenaline, and you get through the game, and afterwards you feel relief...It's a derby, isn't it? We've done the double over them, it's very exciting to do so you could see from my relief after the game, I was so happy for everyone."
Indeed, it was clear he was happy for everyone. The AFC players showed plenty of happy emotion as they celebrated with their side's fans who made that trek down I-94, or wherever they may reside, to watch their club pull off a victory that may not have been the prettiest of matches, but a victory nevertheless. At the end of the day, three points is three points, there's none added for style. Ann Arbor did what they had to do, and they scored their second win over their closest regional rival of the season.
Where To Now?:
Four league matches are all that stand in the way of the Mighty Oak from their divisional crown. Each of them carry their own set of complexities. Kalamazoo remains the only side to hold AFC scoreless in the league. Grand Rapids is the second placed team in the division and hung with Ann Arbor outside of ten clinical minutes in the first meeting on the campus of Eastern Michigan University. Columbus were the first team to score on this side and, with their clinical front three, nearly snatched a point away from them at home. Finally, Indiana, despite their poor record, nearly upended a Milwaukee side who were likely looking at them as a walkover opponent.
The four rapid-fire games gave some great momentum, as Cawley pointed out, but now things are slower. The biggest win of the season to date has come and gone, and just under a week will go by until they can return from action following it. The joy of the past result can be muddied by that of the next one. Eric Rudland and his staff do not breed complacency. They are four games away from their second straight Great Lakes Divisional Championship and continuing their streak of three-out-of-three years in the national NPSL playoffs, having not missed the postseason as a member of the league. The start was strong. The middle brought momentum. It is now time for the Mighty Oak to finish.
Follow me on Twitter @RMAB_Ryan! I have coverage of all AFC Ann Arbor matches, including coverage live from the home matches, as well as coverage of Michigan basketball and Liverpool FC.
So, hey. I found my way here because Brian, of MGoBlog fame, linked you in today's Unverified Voracity. I'm the "Marc" he mentions this blog being the perfect match for. Are you part of the Detroit chapter of LFC? I'm just wondering because I was talking to some of the regulars there (both at Thomas Magee's (the Liverpool bar in Detroit) and on the FB group) about doing a regular blog about LFC and the Detroit chapter. Things haven't gotten off the ground with the chapter, but I was then talking to some other friends (Michael Elkon, who writes for SBNation and for Hail to the Victors, among them) about doing a Euro football blog, in general (Michael is a Barca fan, but Jerry Hinnen, who writes for CBS, is a Huddersfield fan, and I know a couple Spurs and ManU fans that would be interested in contributing, as well.) So, let me know if you're interested. I'm at jack DOT wraith AT gmail DOT com.
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