Club looks to build on 2020 success despite deep roster turnover, new coach
Hartford Athletic, nearly seven months removed from its first trip to the playoffs, has some doubters. That’s just the way first-year coach Harry Watling likes it.
According to FiveThirtyEight’s USL Championship season projection, the young club is expected to finish 25th in the league and sixth in the Atlantic Division.
“The pressure is a privilege,” Watling said. “We’re really enjoying playing that role. That role of having that success last season, but also being perceived as a little bit of an underdog. I think we’ll be the surprise package this year.”
After making the USL Championship playoffs in its second season, Athletic is tasked with building on that success.
Hartford returns just six of its 23 roster players from last year, and Watling takes over for Radhi Jaidi, who spent just one season at the helm of the team.
The team was young last year, but even younger this season. Still, the goal remains the same.
“It’s taking the good stuff from last year and continuing that,” said midfielder and team captain Danny Barrera. “The intensity, the structure of our play and learning what Harry has brought to the table. His game, his style of play. Taking the best of both and just continuing to improve.”
Barrera, 31, is one of the six returners from last year’s team which went 11-2-4 and lost in the first round of the playoffs. Defender Alex Lara, forward Alfonso Vazquez, midfielders Gabriel Torres, Arthur Rogers and Connor McGlynn are the others. The team has an average age of just slightly over 23 years old, making Athletic the youngest non-MLS reserve team in the entire league, and will need to replace five of its top six leading goal scorers from a year ago.
“Lots of learning going on,” Watling said. “We’re a young side but massive positives. Love the energy of the team, love the style. They’re starting to understand it . ... I’m very fortunate in terms of this being my first job — having to select the entire locker room. Normally you come in and there’s 17, 18 guys that have carried over. But fortunately I was able to recruit a lot of guys myself. And the guys I’ve inherited, I’ve been fortunate enough to get those as well.”
Watling himself is young. A 31-year-old native of the United Kingdom, Hartford is his first stint as a head coach. He coached previously in the Chelsea and West Ham academy systems in the English Premier League.
He stressed bravery and speed in his introductory press conference in January. As preseason has began to wind down, the team is beginning to take that form.
“Love our energy,” Watling said. “Personality — that’s the big word. Bravery with the ball, the guys buy in ... we’re learning about each other every day.”
Watling’s presence has been well-received by returners, too.
“He’s great,” said Barrera, one of the league’s best passers. “I think he plays a style of football that I feel the most comfortable with. I feel like he’s definitely implementing keeping the ball and playing that attractive football. With that, we’ve taken that on board where from last year we were more of a direct team. It’s a bit of a transition, but I think that we’re dealing with it pretty well.”
Among the new signees is Bradford Jamieson IV, a 24-yearold forward with MLS experience. A native of California, Jamieson IV began his career with the LA Galaxy in 2014 and scored four goals in 42 appearances for the team through 2019. He spent 2020 with Danish club Vendsyssel FF before arriving in Hartford.
He played on the United States’ U-17 and U-20 teams. Watling said he’s been “brilliant.”
“It’s all about connecting the dots,” Watling said. “He could be a serious, serious player for us. He’s played with players like [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic with the Galaxy. He’s been fantastic. With him, I need to not coach him so much. I need to allow him to be a free spirit.”
Said Jamieson IV, who’s scored 15 career USL goals with LA Galaxy II and San Antonio FC: “I’m taking it upon myself to have pressure and have responsibility, which is something I definitely wanted coming into the team. I’ve been playing for a while even though I’m not necessarily an older guy. I think the responsibility is a good thing to have.”
Watling singled out keeper Jeff Caldwell, who is among the candidates to replace last year’s keeper Parfait Mandanda as someone who’s had a strong preseason.
Hartford will play a 32-game regular season starting April 30 against New York Red Bull II. It’ll play its first home game at Dillon Stadium on May 15 against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC. The team announced earlier this month that spectators would be allowed in at 50% capacity.
Athletic will compete against New York, Pittsburgh, Loudoun FC, Miami FC, Tampa Bay Rowdies, Charleston Battery and Charlotte Independence in the Atlantic division.
Hartford will play each division foe four times — twice at home and twice on the road. In addition to division play, Hartford will play three inter-conference games: home vs. Real Monarchs SLC (May 29), at Colorado Switchbacks FC (Aug. 7) and home against New Mexico United (Oct. 6). Hartford will also host two-time USL Champion Louisville City FC of the Central Division on Sept. 7.
The top four teams from each division — Atlantic, Central, Mountain and Pacific — will qualify for the 16-team single elimination postseason, which begins in October.