The Loons start their first season in MLS on Friday and their head coach believes loyal fans and tough conditions can forge a strong identity
In his first press conference the Minnesota United head coach, Adrian Heath, referred to his team as the “Newcastle of MLS,” as well as expressing his desire to find players who specifically wanted to play for the Loons. Now that he’s been in the job for a few months, Heath is able to see how that may play to his side’s benefit as they approach their first ever game in MLS, a meeting with the 2015 champions, Portland Timbers, on Friday night.
“They’re some of those places that are out of the way,” Heath says about both Newcastle and Minnesota. “It isn’t exactly trendy compared to everywhere else. It’s got those harsh-weathered conditions at certain times. The other thing that stuck out is that people from [Minnesota] are really proud of it, a bit like the north-east of England. If we can be remotely as important to the people of [Minnesota] as Newcastle United is to theirs, we’ll be a great addition to MLS.”
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