Dean Smith, newly appointed head coach of Charlotte FC, brings a fresh perspective and a vision for creating a legacy with the team.
"We can go and create our own history,” said Smith soon after he officially signed. “That's something that really takes my fancy. I like the fact that we can mold the identity as a team and as a Club moving forward."
For Smith, togetherness is the cornerstone of success on and off the field. He believes that fostering a sense of unity among players is crucial for the team's progress.
"Togetherness. That's my biggest word, always. I think there's lots of traits that get you to togetherness. The training facility here, the culture, the behaviors that we have every day, I think are all really important for moving forward."
Smith jokingly (or not) mentioned that his first change would be to rename the first team’s auditorium – where the team reviews film – to the Learning Zone to reflect his commitment to player development.
"I want players to learn and get better. To become better players and better people. And that's why I like this to be a learning zone."
As a former professional player himself, Smith recognizes how much players have affected the trajectory of the modern game. While the fundamentals remain the same, players have transformed in terms of speed, fitness, and learning styles. Smith emphasizes the need to adapt coaching methods to suit the contemporary player.
“The game of soccer has never changed. You know, there's two teams, and the idea is to stop them from scoring in your goal and you score in theirs,” said Smith with a smirk on his face. “Players, mainly, they're the ones who've changed.”
“They learn differently to what it was 25 years ago when they were told what to do. Now they need to be guided on what to do. Prodded to ask questions and find out more about them, so the learning styles of the players has changed. "
To improve the team collectively, Smith puts an emphasis on improving individual players and finding common traits that drive them to excel.
"If you can improve individuals, then your team improves as a collective. If you can find a common trait with them, something that's going to drive them and get the best out of them, you can improve them massively. That's what we've got to do."
Acknowledging the steep learning curve of MLS, Smith expressed his excitement about the challenges that lie ahead.
"I've got to learn fast. That's one of the things that excites me. I like to be pushed and prodded, so I'm going have to learn fast myself, and I'm looking forward to that."
"The biggest thing is making sure we're set and ready for the first day that the players turn up and they have clarity about what we want from them and what we want them to do. I think when we do that, there'll be some hard work involved during the preseason, and we'll go into the regular season full of optimism."
Dean Smith's approach to coaching is marked by a commitment to molding a cohesive team, fostering a culture of continuous learning, and adapting to the ever-evolving landscape of soccer. As the team embarks on a new journey under his leadership, the emphasis on togetherness and individual development could be the winning formula for success on the field.
