Club de Lyon FC 2024 NISA Season Recap
A recap of Club de Lyon FC's 2024 NISA Season.
Head Coach: Juan "Burrito" Martinez
Venue: Showalter Stadium
2024 Regular Season: 5W-4D-10L, 19 pts, finished 3rd in the NISA Eastern Conference
2024 Season Recap:
Club de Lyon FC completed its second season in the NISA league with a third-place finish in the Eastern Conference with 19 points. In its first season in the league in 2023, CDL finished 7th in the NISA table with 23 points. The league went to a divisional format this season, which meant fewer matches (20 games for East teams/18 for West teams) than 24 matches in previous seasons. CDL made plenty of roster moves in the off-season while recruiting young talent from around Central Florida. Club de Lyon began its 2024 NISA season without a head coach as Héctor Almandoz took a job with a first-division club in Chile. Assistant Coach Francisco Núñez and club owner Fabian Pourrain filled in as coaches on an interim basis in their first four matches, going 1W-1D-2L. In the 2024 U.S. Open Cup first round, Club de Lyon defeated AS Frenzi 3-2 before falling to Miami United 2-0 in the second round. Juan "Burrito" Martinez was named player/Head Coach by the club on May 10. In his first match in charge, CDL lost 4-1 at home to the Maryland Bobcats FC. CDL went on a 4-match winless streak before Martinez got his first win as head coach on June 7 with a 2-1 victory over Georgia FC. As we hit later in the summer, Club de Lyon won three out of five matches, beating Georgia FC, Michigan Stars FC, and the Savannah Clovers. Their only losses during that time were also to the Savannah Clovers and the Maryland Bobcats. In the NISA Independent Cup, CDL won three straight matches defeating AS Frenzi, United Soccer Alliance, and SC United Heat to win the Southeast Regional Championship. As we enter the season's home stretch, Club de Lyon only won once against Savannah, got two draws against Georgia FC and Maryland, and had three losses in their final six matches. CDL also forfeited two matches against the Michigan Stars and their final regular season match against the Maryland Bobcats. Martinez finished the season with a coaching record of 4W-3D-8L. Juan "Burrito" Martinez also finished the season as the club's top goal scorer with five goals. Still, Club de Lyon missed qualifying for the NISA playoffs for the second consecutive time.
Offseason Updates
Like last year, the off-season has been quiet this time for Club de Lyon. The club hasn't posted anything on their social media pages since September 4, the team website has gone dark, and the players have reportedly not been paid in months according to Dan Creel of Protagonist Soccer. The club hasn't announced any roster decisions or if Martinez will return as head coach next year. CDL has also dealt with venue issues towards the end of the season, with their final home matches moved to Lake Mary, FL, and Atlanta, GA. In a recent interview on BT90, Kartik and Calum asked NISA Commissioner John Prutch for any updates on the situation regarding Club de Lyon FC in part 2 of their interview series. Commissioner Prutch stated that the league is investigating the player's issues and working with the club to resolve its venue issues. Speaking of a home venue, Commissioner Prutch also hinted in that same interview that the league is having conversations with CDL about potentially relocating the club from Orlando. Club de Lyon FC's attendance has not been good in the City Beautiful, whether they played matches in Clermont, Lake Mary, or Winter Park. In case you missed it, I made a very compelling case in one of my recent podcast episodes on why CDL should leave Orlando and consider other Central Florida locations to relocate such as Melbourne, Lakeland, Gainesville, or, wait for it...a return to Daytona Beach? That last relocation option seems unlikely, but hear me out. I'm not saying CDL should return to Daytona Stadium. Maybe consider a high school stadium nearby or a small college stadium like Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's ERAU Stadium. As Kartik alluded to in the interview with the commissioner, playing 5 miles from Inter&Co Stadium, the home of MLS side Orlando City SC and NWSL side Orlando Pride, is not an ideal situation to try to carve out a niche for fans. Also, the Pride just won their first NWSL championship last November. You also have to factor in the entertainment dollars with all those theme parks nearby to attract tourists and locals. Orlando has become a crowded soccer market with Orlando City, the Pride, and Orlando City B of MLS NEXT Pro, and CDL needs a fresh start somewhere and give itself a chance to build a fanbase. I'll keep you posted if any more news develops with Club de Lyon during the off-season.
What are your thoughts on Club de Lyon FC's 2024 season in NISA? Let me know in the comments section below.