Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Having won four significant championships in their first six years of existence, the Rochester Rhinos have a high standard of expectations amongst its fans, which makes their six-year title drought despite a championship appearance two years ago a major topic of discontent in upstate New York.

After suffering a 3-0 loss at home in the 2006 final, the Rhinos overcame a rushed preseason last year due to schedule changes to open the season with a 2-1-2 record. The Rhinos, however, were never really able to find their stride with significant injuries to Matthew Delicate and Scott Vallow, among others, sidelining the pair during the course of the season. The clubs best run over the course of the year was a 4-0-3 stretch that led to the midseason and they only posted three consecutive wins once.

The struggle to find consistency, however, did not lead the Rhinos to their first-ever missed postseason appearance in 12 years. The Rhinos finished fifth in the table, but a 2-1 defeat in Atlanta was all the advantage the Silverbacks needed as they played the Rhinos to a 1-1 stalemate in Rochester in the second leg for the series victory en route to their first appearance in a championship game.

Many may consider the 2007 season as having extended to March of 2008 when a new owner acquired the USL-1 franchise rights to Rochester, marking a new era in Rhinos history.

The 2008 Season

Since Rob Clark’s acquisition of the Rhinos March 20, the club has undergone a fast-paced overhaul on and off the field. The club immediately dismissed former Rhinos coach Laurie Calloway after three years with the club and brought in former star striker Darren Tilley to guide the team in what will be his professional coaching debut. Shortly after Tilley’s appointment, the club also announced the addition of experienced former England international Steve Guppy, who has played in the English and Scottish Premier Leagues, as a player-assistant coach.

The team also made several other additions in the squad to bolster the roster, bringing in former USL-1 star defender Leslie Fitzgerald from MLS as well as Luke Kreamalmeyer (Portland/Charleston) and former rival Ze Roberto (Montreal). New faces in the form of Canadian Evan Milward, Ecuadorian Juan Pablo Reyes and Trinidad & Tobago international defender David Atiba are also expected to play significant roles in ensuring the Rhinos don’t endure a rebuilding year – a concept that is not acceptable in Rochester.

Perhaps the biggest signing is of Mauricio Salles, a striker who was the only player in USL over the 2004-06 three-year period to finish in the top 10 in scoring each year. Delicate was the only player in that period to do it twice. He spent 2007 in the J-League and in the MISL.

While the club did lose up-and-coming players in the form of Mike Ambersley, Kenney Bertz, Josh Bolton, Chad Severs and Stephen Shirley-Black, the front office retained the services of key veterans such as John Ball, Tenywa Bonseu, Matthew Delicate, Rey Martinez, Johnny Menyongar and Scott Vallow as well as Hamed Diallo, who enters his second campaign after a successful career in France.

The First Five

The Rhinos played in the league’s season opener last year. This year, they will be the last club to open their campaign, a welcome fact given the late changes on and off the field with the club. The bad news is as a northern club they find themselves on the road for the first five games of the year. They open against two of the lower finishing clubs from last year with a trip to Charleston (10th) on May 2 and a visit to Minnesota (11th) two nights later. The Rhinos then embark on their northwest journey to face Portland (2nd) on May 8, Vancouver (7th) on May 10 and defending champion Seattle on May 14. Their sixth fixture will be their home opener, a second meeting with the Battery.