Cosmopolitan League

Standings, results and other stats

       
Mark Semioli is upbeat and it's not because spring is in the air.
The New York Athletic Club boss can see daylight after his team's slide to unfamiliar depths last fall.
"I feel that this spring season will be the beginning of a big turnaround for the (club),” he said in midweek ahead of the First Division (East) stragglers' 2006 opener against Lansdowne Bhoys at Travers Island this Sunday.

"Things are looking up," said the former MLS star. "Not only have we added some young, talented players, but, maybe more importantly, most of our injured players are healthy again. This provides us with depth for both teams and will allow the first team some flexibility in our games."
Fritz Ladd, Nadav Gottesman and Jeff Hare are three of NYAC's new signings.

"While they will all be initially competing with the NYAC reserve team as per club policy, each one of them has the background to help the club move up in the standings this year," Semioli said.

"We have added several other players and are in the process of signing them for either this spring season or for next year. We expect by adding these new players and fusing their talents with some of our veterans, we will have a successful finish to our season."

Definitely music to the ears of NYAC followers. The former Cosmopolitan Soccer League champions, who in years past would have had the title gift wrapped by Christmas time, finished the first half of the season rock bottom in the East.

They managed just one win in eight games, drawing three times and losing four. 
Under Dubliner Ronan Downs' lengthy reign, NYAC won six CSL titles in a seven-year span between 1995 and 2001.

HOPEFUL KICKERS
Rich Webb, Manhattan Kickers' inspirational playmaker, will miss the spring half of the season as well for Mike Fitzgerald's First Division (West) title hopefuls who resume hostilities with New York Albanians at Fox Lane High School (2pm) on Sunday.    
 
The former pro is pursuing an MBA at Oxford University in England.
Forward Hussein Nasreddin also is doubtful because of a crocked ankle, while goalkeeper Chris Schilling is unavailable for the first couple of weeks.
Still, Fitzgerald, Kickers' player-coach who should fill in for Schilling between the posts, is optimistic that his second place side (5-2-1, 16) can maintain the challenge on Pancyprian Freedoms (8-0-1, 25).

"Always optimistic," he notes. "Health will be the number one concern. Consistency and getting off to a good start is the most important thing.  If we drop one or two (games) early it will put out us in a deep hole that we may not be able to recover from." 
Kickers have signed David Carlos from Central Park Rangers.
"He plays striker and could help us in the scoring (department)," observed Fitzgerald.

SHAMROCK REVIVAL
If their winter break acquisitions and preparations are anything to go by, look for a Shamrock revival one season after the Irishmen's plunge from Division One to Metro Division II.

"We've signed nine new players since the winter break and they're all decent players," said first team coach Robbie Walsh.
And that's not to mention the return of hot shot Paddy Gerathy from Ireland and Brian Houlihan from a broken ankle.

The Rocks stayed sharp during the break by training at St. Sebastian Community Center in Woodside, Queens.
"It's getting together. We're looking forward to the spring. We'll take every game as it comes," said Walsh, giving props to one of the club's big supporters, the Breffni Bar in Sunnyside.
Shamrock ended the fall 2-3-3 (9), fourth in the six-team division.

The expansion of the Shamrock first team, which had 15 registered players in the fall, is a blessing for Over -30 coach Sean Keogh.
"That frees up some players for us," said Keogh, some of whose men often saw double duty for both the Over-30s and Walsh's team.
Keogh is also hopeful that several ex-Rocks that left a couple of years ago to join the Long Island Gaels will be returning to the fold with Gaels' future in doubt. 

On his winless side's prospects in the 'B' Division this spring, he said: "Having extra players is something I'm excited about and I've two very good scorers upfront."
The latter was a reference to Joe Behan and John Guildea, the Over-30s, key finishers. 
  
                                                                    

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