Exclusive 1-on-1 with Marc Dos Santos

Goals Are Set to be Reached

Marc dos Santos has held plenty to smile about during his first campaign at the helm of Fury FC.

Entering play in their inaugural season, neither Ottawa Fury FC’s players nor supporters knew what to expect. An ever-evolving league, the NASL, a brand-new squad of players put together by manager Marc Dos Santos- it could have all gone very wrong, and nobody would have expected anything better from an expansion team.

However, fast-forward two months and it’s a very relaxed, focused Dos Santos which greets media at a mid-week press conference. His club has just announced a friendly against Scottish giants Glasgow Rangers on July 23rd, and he is clearly feeling confident about his side’s abilities after a very credible debut in the NASL’s 2014 Spring Season. “One of our main goals was to gain the respect of the league, and in league circles now everybody knows that when they play the Ottawa Fury, it’s going to be a tough game. They know they will have to suffer to beat us,” he explains.

As with any start-up company or expansion franchise, there have been growing pains for Fury FC. Dos Santos’ side has suffered two last-minute defeats at home, against teams in the thick of the NASL’s ‘Championship’ picture; Minnesota United and the San Antonio Scorpions. By the same token, there have been moments of ecstatic happiness for the club and its supporters, including a 4-nil master-class victory over the then-hot Carolina RailHawks on April 24th.

“For a club with two-and-a-half, three months of history, and only ten competitive games played, I think we can be proud of what we have done this spring,” beams Dos Santos, who has built an admirable expansion squad which features players from four different continents.

The Canado-Portuguese manager, who had success with the Montreal Impact during their time outside of the MLS, says the key to any expansion team is vision. “If you build an expansion team, you need to have a clear model of play in place. You need to know exactly the type of players you want to go after.”

The 37 year-old Dos Santos has played a relatively consistent 4-3-3 throughout Fury FC’s inaugural campaign, and has brought in suitable players for his formation- including NASL Team-of-the-Week member Tony Donatelli. “Tony won the league with me in Montreal (in 2009), playing. Not on the bench, people forget that. He won in 2008 with Vancouver, playing- not on the bench or in the stands. At the end of the day, he is one of those players that brings something to every team he plays on. He’s a more mature player now, more responsible, and great for our squad.”

When asked to name his personal MVP for the Spring Season, Dos Santos automatically responds, “The team.” There truly is a sense of togetherness in the Fury squad, which shows both on the pitch and off it. “The group, the character, the willingness to learn from mistakes. I’m very happy with the group as a whole, and we just have to continue to grow. These guys have a lot of ambition, and that’s important when you’re trying to build a winning team.”

The Fury FC manager, who treats his team as his second family, highlights the importance of squad identity- especially in a team’s first-ever season. “We don’t need to do a big squad rotation,” he says firmly, when asked about the inclination certain teams have to make massive roster changes between the NASL’s Spring and Fall campaigns, “I’m happy with the guys we have. There could be a move or two for the betterment of the team.”

On a more personal note, Dos Santos wants to ensure that Fury FC does not become, as he describes it, “A revolving door of players.” He wants Fury FC’s players to become recognizable in the community, and wants to instill a sense of continuity in his squad. “I want our supporters to associate with our players, not ask ‘Who is that guy,’ and ‘Where did so-and-so go’,” he explains towards the end of the presser.
In terms of setting goals, Dos Santos is looking both to the 2014 Fall Season and beyond. “It’s all about the long-term with me. Yes, we have some areas we need to get stronger in the now- we’ve just signed these guys named Tom and Nicki, they will help a lot,” he jokes, referring to recently-injured striker Tom Heinemann and still-injured midfielder Nicki Paterson. “We are going to get stronger where we need to get stronger, but a lot of that won’t come until 2015- this is a long-term vision here with Fury FC.

The main focus for Dos Santos and his coaching staff remains this season’s pursuit of a spot in the NASL’s ‘Championship’. “Right now we are four points out of fourth. To ultimately reach our goal, we will need to be at least fourth. You will not see me truly smile until that is done,” says a focused Dos Santos, turning on heel and heading off towards the training pitch to prepare his charges for their final match of the NASL Spring Season this weekend against the defending-champion New York Cosmos.

Tagged: Dos Santos, Marc Dos Santos