Chattanooga Football Club again makes lineup adjustments

photo Chattanooga Football Club player John Carrier drives the ball down the field during their season opener against the Knoxville Force at Finley Stadium in Chattanooga.
Arkansas-SEMO Live Blog

The Chattanooga Football Club has played three games this season. Because of injuries, adjustments and some limited player availability, the starting lineup for each game has been radically different.

That will be the case again when CFC (2-1) hosts Rocket City United (0-2) at 7 tonight at Finley Stadium, the first of four straight home games.

"This is the point where I thought [a lineup] would come together, but now we've got three would-be starters out sidelined with injuries," first-year CFC coach Bill Elliott said. "When you have guys out, that means you have opportunities for the guys that have been wanting to play."

Fynn Glover and Luis Trude started the past two games and will be out this week due to injury, as will Greg Eckhardt, who started the first two games. Elliott said at least 16 players have started at least one game already.

Injuries are an unpredictable part of the game, but having players miss games for graduation, weddings or family functions isn't something that happens in most sports. But it happens in the amateur National Premier Soccer League, which has teams made up mostly of collegiate players and former players who still want to play, while also settling down and starting families and post-soccer careers.

Defender Russell Courtney is one of those players who has a young family and a career and still has the skill to play for CFC. Courtney, in his fourth season with the club, started the season's first game but will miss his third in a row due to other commitments.

"Things have changed as far as my schedule and having a lot more things on my plate as a dad," he said. "The competitive edge is still there and it's still a lot of fun, but obviously priorities change when you have a family. ... Family takes priority over soccer."

General manager Sean McDaniel said CFC plans for having players in and out of the lineup. The club brings in enough players each season so that if several are out for whatever reasons, there are guys available so there can be a full bench for each game.

"It's why we need to carry 28-30 guys each year," McDaniel said.

Because of the number of players on the roster, CFC will play some reserve games this season. The first will be today at 4 p.m. against Rocket City United's reserves.

"It's for the younger guys or the guys that can't always travel," McDaniel said. "I think we're meeting the soccer needs of these guys. One, by bringing a lot of people in. Two, by giving them matches as well."

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