With the 2024 Canadian Premier League season about to get underway, there’s a level of excitement around Atlético Ottawa’s squad that hasn’t been seen leading into any of the clubs’ four previous seasons. Off-season signings have caused a massive buzz online. But is that how fans are really feeling?
Through The Stepover Podcast’s social media accounts, I asked fans to fill out a pre-season survey to answer some questions, with opportunities to provide additional context.
What phrase best describes your feelings towards Atlético Ottawa’s upcoming season:
- Excited: 78.1
- Cautiously optimistic: 18.8
- Skeptical: 3.1
- Indifferent: 0
- Pessimistic: 0
- Frustrated: 0
What fans are saying:
“Tons of great signings have me excited, but concerned about the team gelling.”
“Either we are going to have the best team Canada has ever seen or we will have too many A-type personalities and they will clash leading to failure.”
My analysis:
Coach Carlos Gonzalez is going to have an extremely difficult time picking his starting XI with the plethora of talent at his disposal, especially at midfield. Who do you leave on the bench? Last year’s Golden Boot-winner Ollie Bassett? Spanish legend Alberto Zapater? Prized-signing Manny Aparicio? Returning superstar Ballou Tabla? It’s an enviable problem to have, but is it too much star power? Every player wants their minutes, and getting every star enough time on the pitch might be the toughest job this season for coach CarGo.
What do you think was the biggest reason for Ottawa’s disappointing 2023 season?
- Coaching: 31.3
- Roster construction: 50
- Injuries: 0
- Bad luck: 12.5
- Poor officiating: 6.3
What fans are saying:
“I’m not an expert, but I think the team never had control of the midfield enough. Plus the strikers weren’t getting fed enough.”
“We were way too defensive, and didn’t have the talent to create scoring and finishing chances. The team needed some emotional resilience and maturity mid-season … and had moments where it was lacking.”
My analysis:
Last season saw Atlético finish a disappointing 6th, missing the playoffs. I think the voting here is a fair representation of the problems seen in 2023. With 81.3 per cent of fans voting for either coaching or roster construction, it’s clear the disappointing results on the pitch were seen as a result of decisions made off of it. High roster turnover is a fact of life in leagues like the CPL, and you can’t expect positive results if you don’t replace the talent you lose in the off-season.
What fans are saying:
“Not winning a title would be really disappointing”
“I expect top two for the shield. And a good playoff run. I do think we should make the semis of the Canchamp.”
My analysis:
Fans are very confident about this squad, and rightfully so. We’ve already seen how a good off-season can turn a bad team into one that wins hardware (exhibit A: Atlético Ottawa 2021 to 2022). But I have reservations. Hopes among many fans were high to start last season and were dashed by the season’s end. The off-season recruitment has been lauded, but defence is still a weakness, as it was in 2023.
What fans are saying:
“Indifferent, there are better managers & backroom staff elsewhere in the CPL.”
“My trust in CarGo is iffy. They put together a good team but after last season, a lot of the issues stemmed from an inability by the coach to maintain intensity.”
My analysis:
Opinions of coach Carlos Gonzalez have ebbed and flowed so much among the Ottleti faithful that it’s enough to give you whiplash. The 2022 CPL Coach of the Year winner could do no wrong in his first season with the club, as he coached them to the regular season title. Last year though, he seemed unable or unwilling to make the tactical or personnel adjustments needed. I’m regretting not splitting this question, and asking for fans’ confidence levels in coach CarGo and CEO Fernando Lopez separately.
Based on this past off-season, what letter grade would you give Atlético Ottawa for their job recruiting players for the upcoming season?
- A: 87.5
- B: 12.5
- C: 0
- D: 0
- F: 0
What fans are saying:
“Good talent ID on expiring contracts for instant success whilst adding pieces for the future in MdB and Yesli.”
“Very solid stuff! Still needing defensive reinforcements.”
My analysis:
Little surprise here, with Ottawa’s recruitment being the talk of the league. Fans are, to put it mildly, psyched. The club recruited top stars, but also leaned into the local angle, securing Russell native Tyr Walker, former Carleton Raven and OSU standout Matteo de Brienne, and bringing home Kris Twardek after years playing abroad. What’s not to like?
What fans are saying:
“I’m not a big fan of the collars for the primary kit and there are too many colours going around for the alternate kit.”
“The alt kit is out of this world. New, unique, fresh, stylish, eye-popping, everything. And the partnership(s) that join it are great.”
My analysis:
Being owned by a bigger and more famous club can present some challenges. The primary kit (this year called the “Community First Kit”) will always be, in some way, an exercise in brand awareness for Atlético de Madrid. The famous red and white stripes of Los Rojiblancos will always be a part of the primary kit, as it is for sibling club Atlético de San Luis in Mexico. That said, red has been an Ottawa sporting colour for decades, and I like that the club is adopting more black accents to the kit, rather than the blue you’ll often see accenting classic Atlético Madrid kits.
The alternate kit (this year called the “Soccer Culture Kit”) was created in tandem with Ottawa Tourism, and it’s a knockout. Across the league, kit supplier Macron has done a great job on the 2024 kits, and you could make a strong case that the CPL is one of the best-dressed leagues in the world this year. Ottawa’s alternate kit uses a ton of colour and strikes a nice balance of being something fun to wear on the street, and something that will look fantastic on the pitch.
Who should be in Ottawa’s starting XI on opening day? (per cent of vote)
My analysis:
I asked for fans to pick their starting XI, and made a lineup with the 11 players picked most often. Fans were in lock-step with CarGo, as this was his exact starting lineup on opening day. The biggest surprise to me was fans voting for Sam Salter over the newly recruited Kevin dos Santos. It will be curious to see who of Salter or dos Santos will be the consensus starting striker by midseason.
In your opinion, what would be the most important thing for Atlético Ottawa to achieve this season?
- Winning a Canadian Championship (Voyageurs Cup): 6.3
- Making the playoffs: 9.4
- Hosting a playoff match: 3.1
- Win regular season title (CPL Shield): 43.8
- Win the CPL Final (North Star Cup): 37.5
My analysis:
No question, fans are expecting to win, and win a lot this season. Throughout the league’s existence, Forge and Cavalry have consistently been the standard-bearers. Ottawa’s roster moves put them firmly in the conversation with Forge and Cavalry as title contenders for 2024, but until they show who they are on the pitch, it would be pure disrespect to assume they are head-and-shoulders above the rest of the league.
Kris Twardek. Photo credit: Chris Hue.
Any other final thoughts ahead of the 2024 season?
“Wishing the boys the best of luck this season! VAMOS ATLETI!”
“Watch Twardek, he may be the best player in the CPL!”
Atlético Ottawa’s next home match is April 20 against Cavalry FC. Single-game tickets are available online or at the TD Place box office.
