香港三级片

There are two ways to look at a night at St. 香港三级片 City SC鈥檚 stadium:

One, as a game 鈥� the casual American way of describing this experience, which is a competition, sure, but also a celebration of our town, its soccer culture, its cuisine and its cold beer.

Two, as a match 鈥� the intense international way of describing the fierce feuding of feet on the pitch, where wins are on the line (and sometimes draws).

And so, as we enter City SC鈥檚 third season Saturday at the newly named Energizer Park, St. 香港三级片ans are ready to chant and cheer ... but also chase a postseason berth.

鈥淭he expectation for 2025 is: We will make the playoffs,鈥� City SC owner Carolyn Kindle told the Post-Dispatch. 鈥淭here鈥檚 no waver. Yes, that is the expectation. ... We鈥檝e said from Day 1 that we want to be a playoff-quality team every year. And so, when you don鈥檛 make the playoffs, you really do have to do a deep dive on: What do we need to do differently? And I think that everybody 鈥� whether it鈥檚 sporting or business 鈥� took the time and really did that deep dive.鈥�

In a conversation that included questions about the new coach, potential Major League Soccer divisions and a possible women鈥檚 pro team, Kindle answered with honesty and passion.

鈥淚鈥檓 very excited for the team this year,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 think the team came together at the end of 2024. After an extensive process, we hired an amazing head coach (Olof Mellberg), I think, not only from a culture perspective but a philosophy perspective. We鈥檙e ready to unveil some new fun activities. Really continue to promote match day but also promote City2 and our community events. And I think there鈥檚 just a general excitement that soccer鈥檚 back.

Here鈥檚 more from Kindle:

Q: What can you share about Mellberg and the team鈥檚 culture and philosophy?

A: So (City president and general manager) Diego Gigliani and (sporting director) Lutz Pfannenstiel went through a very extensive research process, using everything from data to just their Rolodex. And you know, the top three candidates were all fantastic. And of course, I鈥檇 be remiss if I didn鈥檛 say thank you to John Hackworth for stepping in and taking over as interim coach. But I think that we got a gem in Olof. Mild-mannered but from a sporting perspective, very much aligned with the philosophy that Lutz and the ownership group put in from Day One 鈥� an aggressive, high press (style on the field).

Q: How might the momentum from the end of last year affect this year?

A: We had the most active summer transfer window compared to any other MLS team. And we always knew that, at some point, we were going to have to be a little bit more active in how we attract and retain talent. I don鈥檛 think we were expecting it to be that window, but it was time to make some pretty significant changes.

And if you look at the players and the talent that we were able to obtain in that transfer window, they really were game-changers. Not only personally did they fit in with the team, but they鈥檙e definitely a little bit of a higher caliber than maybe some of the players we had, which I believe makes every player want to be better. We鈥檝e had two additions come in during the winter. And so I think that they had half of last season to really play together and start to kind of understand how they want to interact, both on and off the pitch. So going into this season, I think we have the benefit that they have spent time together. And I think that that鈥檚 key.

Q: As the National Women鈥檚 Soccer League grows, it鈥檚 easy to jump to a conclusion that you鈥檇 be interested in buying a team as you鈥檝e tapped into the St. 香港三级片 soccer community and you鈥檙e the first female-led ownership group in MLS. Is this a possibility and on your radar?

A: I mean, it鈥檚 always something that we鈥檝e been watching 鈥� certainly the success of the KC Current and some of these other teams. However, I go back to (the fact that) we still have a lot of work to do with what we have. And 鈥� how do we really elevate City2? How do we continue to get wonderful kids into our academy system? So it鈥檚 always out there, it鈥檚 always being watched, it鈥檚 always being discussed. I just think that right now, we really need to still continue to focus on what we currently have.

Q: Could MLS create divisional play to create local rivalries such as with Chicago, Columbus and Kansas City?

A: So that鈥檚 been a discussion that we鈥檝e sort of kind of quietly advocated for 鈥� is there a point where you would ever go to three divisions? ... Right now, from the league perspective, (the scheduling plan involves): How do we capitalize on the upcoming World Cup? And then what does the calendar look like going forward? And to their credit, they鈥檙e putting a lot of work into trying to determine what is the best way to go.

Q: How has Lionel Messi鈥檚 existence in MLS helped your team and the league in general?

A: It鈥檚 probably more from a league in general. It鈥檚 definitely helped sell Apple TV subscriptions. It鈥檚 brought in a very different demographic because of the heavy Hispanic following. He鈥檚 an international superstar, so to have him play in MLS, and whether he鈥檚 playing in your facility or not, people know Messi 鈥� and now they鈥檙e saying, 鈥淢essi plays in MLS, in North America.鈥� And so I think that, from my perspective, it was more about elevating the quality and the recognition of the league as a whole and not so much specific teams.

Q: Lastly, can you describe the journey of City becoming so much part of the city?

A: Well, each year my expectations get exceeded 10 times over. You know, we鈥檙e in the high 90s-percentage of season ticket renewal rate. We onboarded a wonderful partner in Energizer to name our beautiful stadium Energizer Park. So the momentum keeps just continuing.

But I also like the fact that people have sort of settled into the routine, and they know what player they鈥檙e going to support, they wear the name on the back of the kit, they follow them on every single social media channel, they feel like they鈥檙e a part of their life. And that鈥檚 exactly what we wanted to have happen. I鈥檝e become much more of a soccer fan. I think most importantly is I am continued to be awed by the support, unwavering support we get for the region. Five years ago, City didn鈥檛 exist. Didn鈥檛 exist. Now you see the City logo and crest (everywhere). ... You kind of have this moment of pride.