The Local Fe26 was on hand when the Ironmen introduced the players to the press during Tuesday's Media Day event. Here are the highlights and a few of our observations:* In his opening remarks, head coach Omid Namazi reflected on a busy off season that included the signings of 1o new faces. "We had to make changes to compete for the championship," the two-time MISL Coach of the Year stated. He went on to note that anything less than a championship would be a "disappointment" for this season's highly talented Ironmen squad.
* There were two players introduced whose signings have not yet been officially announced: forward Nebo Stamenkovic and goalkeeper Pat Hannigan. Nebo is a returnee from last season. The former Red Star Belgrade reserve had a goal and two assists in seven appearances last year. Hannigan's resume includes time with Miami FC of the USL-1. [Defender Aaron Bonser was also introduced at the event. The 23-year-old defender played with the California Cougars last season].
* Namazi told the press that the Ironmen are currently waiting on the status of two players from last year's squad. The unnamed players are apparently in Brazil where they are attempting to secure the paperwork necessary for them to rejoin the team. One of the players may be forward Mauricio Salles, who was in Brazil seeking documentation for his family during the summer.
* There were two highly noticeable absences from the event. Goalkeeper Tony Meola was not amongst the players introduced. As we reported earlier, Meola is rumored to be a candidate for the general manager position with Major League Soccer's Philadelphia expansion team. Also absent was Jonathan Steele. The 2008 USL-1 MVP is currently listed on the official roster, but did not appear in the team photo that was distributed to the press. We will continue to monitor the status of both players.
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