Gotham FC coach Juan Carlos Amorós sat within the snug Marbella, Spain, solar Friday as he fielded quite a lot of questions by way of Zoom with reporters.
Past the laptop computer that sat on the desk in entrance of him was a picturesque view of palm bushes, sandy seashores and the Mediterranean Sea.
It’s certainly paradise.
However this journey is way from a trip for Amorós and Gotham.
After struggling a heartbreaking loss within the NWSL semifinals, Gotham skilled some roster shake-up this winter and wishes each little bit of preseason coaching the crew can get to regroup for the upcoming season.
Crystal Dunn, Lynn Williams, Yazmeen Ryan and Delanie Sheehan have been amongst members of final season’s crew who’ve signed to play elsewhere this season.
On the flip aspect, Gotham added Brazilian star Gabi Portilho, U.S. Youth Nationwide Group defender Lilly Reale and former Seattle Reign midfielder Jaelin Howell together with a number of faculty standouts for the 2025 season.
Gotham additionally re-signed star Midge Purce, who missed most of final season with a knee harm, to a one-year deal this week.
Purce joined the crew for a few of its observe Thursday.
She’s thought of “one hundred pc wholesome,” in keeping with Amorós, however nonetheless has some limitations on what she will be able to and can’t do.
It’s unclear whether or not she will likely be obtainable for the crew’s season opener March 15 on the Seattle Reign.
Gotham additionally doesn’t have a longtime time for Rose Lavelle to return after she had offseason ankle surgical procedure.
Having two stars on the mend and introducing loads of new faces to Gotham’s type is a part of what makes the crew’s journey to Spain so essential.
“Nothing bonds a crew like a world journey,” defender Mandy Freeman stated. “We’re all right here type of in the identical house. We spend loads of time collectively outdoors of coaching. Simply constructing friendship and relationships.”
Gotham’s lodging are only a quick stroll away from each the seashore and observe discipline. That was by design.
As a result of as a lot as this preseason camp is about preparing for the season with conditioning and on-field coaching, it’s additionally about serving to construct crew chemistry.
Ten days into the journey, issues have gone effectively.
“The vibes have been actually optimistic,” Amorós stated. “I believe everybody has [been] actually clear that final 12 months we misplaced by inches and we wish to guarantee that this 12 months the inches go away.”
Amorós and his employees will get a greater concept of the place the crew is Saturday, when Gotham performs their first of two closed-door scrimmages in Spain.
Gotham will tackle SK Brann from Norway Saturday earlier than enjoying FC Nordsjælland of Denmark Feb. 14.
Gotham, which introduced their full preseason slate Friday afternoon, can be scheduled to play a pleasant match Feb. 26 towards Fort Lauderdale United FC earlier than their preseason finale March 2 towards Tampa Bay Solar FC.
It’s exhausting to know the way good Gotham will likely be this season.
In fact, there’s hope the crew, which gained a title in 2023, can choose up the place it left off on the finish of final season.
Gotham’s strong core stays intact. Their high three scorers, Esther González, Lavelle and Ella Stevens, are again, together with most of their again line, who allowed solely 20 targets final season.
Freeman, Gotham’s longest-tenured participant, stated this offseason has been a “rebuild” of types.
To not say that’s a foul factor.
“The potential is type of limitless at this level,” stated Freeman, who’s been with Gotham since 2017. “We’ve a brand new squad, it’s loads to construct off of. However we even have type of like a core group and loads of expertise nonetheless.
“We had a reasonably good file defensively final 12 months, in order that’s a typical that we actually wish to proceed to uphold. And offensively, now we have loads of creativity up high, and so having thrilling video games, scoring targets continues to be all the time going to be on the high of our to-do record and simply actually honing in our type,” Freeman added. “We’ve loads of new faces, so simply coaching our particular type, we prefer to excessive press so it’s going to be a bit of little bit of a studying curve on the subject of that, however I believe we nonetheless have the potential to complete excessive this 12 months.”