Editor’s note: While many fans of the game have criticized NISA, rarely do we get the perspective or insight of the players participating in the league. This interview took place in mid-September as the NISA season was winding down. Brady is not the player’s real name. He asked to be kept anonymous due to possible negative repercussions. His opinions, descriptions, and perspectives are his alone, but offer insight on the day-to-day lives of the players in the league.

Brady’s Story

“Just wanted to tell you about how bad this league has been this year and how bad Club de Lyon treats their players.”

Trips

“The trips are a joke. Some trips [owner, Fabian Pourrain] sent the starters a day before and the bench on game day at like 5 am. Then he just started sending everyone on game day at 5 am. One of our games vs Michigan got canceled because he booked flights on game day. We were gonna get to Michigan then drive straight to the game. What kind of pro team does that? Well our flights got canceled because we were flying with Frontier (cheap ass airline) and there was no time to arrange another flight because he booked our flights on game day😂 that’s why we forfeited that game. The owner blamed the league and Michigan for that by the way.”

Editor’s note: On May 18, the Michigan Stars were scheduled to host Club de Leon. Prior to the match, NISA sent out a press release stating “[d]ue to weather impacting travel and causing flight cancellations yesterday and continuing into today for Club de Lyon FC, the match between Michigan Stars FC v. Club de Lyon FC scheduled for tonight, Saturday, May 18, 2024 at 7:00 PM ET will be rescheduled for a later date.” On June 4, NISA sent out a follow-up press release stating “[t]he postponed May 18, 2024 National Independent Soccer Association match between Michigan Stars FC (MSFC) and Club De Lyon FC (CDL) has now been officially declared a forfeit and, as a result, will not be rescheduled. NISA identified operations agreement violations on the part of CDL in relation to the match which led to this determination. CDL has also been issued an undisclosed fine for failing to follow standard set forth in the NISA League Operations Manual.”

“Our first away trip for Maryland we all had flights at 4 am on game day. We had all slept like 3-4 hours that day to play Maryland who are top of the table. By minute 60 we were all dead. We lost that game 5-3. Our last two trips to Georgia have been a joke. We had to drive eight hours there and eight hours back in either cars or shitty mini vans. Every meal we have on trips are either 2 for $20 at Applebees or Chili’s by the way. We don’t get per diem on trips. On away trips the flights back are usually 10 pm coming back the next day. So we have to wait in the airport or in the city until our flight. He only gives us 10 dollars for food… for the whole day. One trip there were a couple guys that had a flight two days after. The hotels are four to a room. So two guys have to share a bed. That’s on the trips.”

Fields

“We have trained on about eight different fields. Most of them are horrible fields. I’m guessing it’s cause he doesn’t pay for the field… idk. The owner always has an excuse on that - either the weather, they are fixing the field, or he just makes up some bullshit. I was told we were gonna train in one turf field and our home games were going to be in one location so I found a cheap place to rent close to it. That all changed two months into the season when we were hopping around fields in Orlando. There have been times where we had to train on the side of a park or we have gotten kicked out of the field because we didn’t rent the field. I’m guessing that’s why the other game vs Michigan was “postponed.” It was because he couldn’t rent out a field. That is also the case in why we played Georgia over there when it was supposed to be a home game.”

Editor’s note: Club de Leon was scheduled to host the Michigan Stars on August 17 in Lake Mary, Fla. at Don T. Reynolds Stadium. That match was canceled and Michigan received a forfeit win. Four days later, Club de Leon traveled to play Georgia FC at Atlanta Silverbacks Stadium. The match ended in a 3-3 draw.

“There have been games where we don’t have a locker room. I think 90% of our games we have had no trainer too. Independent Cup final we had no trainer and the other team needed one because of a player's health risks. We had to have a player from our team with a certificate be the trainer which meant he couldn’t play. It has been a joke.”

Editor’s note: Club de Leon won their Independent Cup region by defeating UPSL side, SC United Heat, 2-0 at Don T. Reynolds Stadium on July 28.

Coaching

“So we didn’t have a proper coach until like June. I’m not even sure if you can call our coach a proper coach. At first the owner was our coach. Then we got some guy that’s the coach now but the owner and his son [editor’s note: Matias Pourrain] make all the decisions. Every team has politics though so I get that. The owner's son is a great guy though. Nothing much he can do. [Juan Manuel Martínez, aka “Burrito”], has been on and off with us. He has NEVER been our coach and has never made any decisions. He just started sort of coaching last month because of an injury he got. From what I’ve heard he has not been paid all year.”

Payments

“Most players haven’t been paid since June. Some haven’t been paid since May. Others weren’t getting paid and [Pourrain] cut them from the team. When we were getting paid our checks would bounce because the account supposedly had insufficient funds. So there was one month where I couldn’t get paid cause the check would keep bouncing. We were supposed to get paid the tenth every month, however every check we got we could only deposit the 20th. Something like that. It was always a hassle to get paid because so many checks would bounce. Then in June he just stopped giving checks. He’s sent us emails and told us excuses on why we haven’t gotten paid; saying that he got sick and he has to pay medical bills. Other excuses saying he had to pay 20k for the game against Michigan that got canceled😂. Just plain out bullshit and lies.”

“[In August] he said he will send an agreement with how he will pay us. Every week he says he will send it but never sends it. Every injuries our players have had they have to pay out of pocket. He helps nobody with hospital bills or injuries. One player tore his ACL and the owner told him to keep on playing on it. Mind you nobody is making a lot of money here. Most guys are getting paid $150 a month and he can’t pay that. [A few] guys are making $600 and he can’t pay that. I was using that to pay rent because I wanted to play in a “pro” league again but now I’m not even getting that money lol. I’m sure you know of [another Club de Leon player]. He was a baller but they treated him like shit so he left.”

“Most of the guys stay here because they live here and it’s the best they can get. They want to play in a “pro” league. It’s a joke. I live only three hours away so I decided to deal with this bullshit in hopes of finding a team next season. The coach we have is a puppet and a joke too. He complains that some of us don’t show up to training or complain about not getting paid. We have played friendlies against Venezuela, Rowdies, and Orlando City. The owner uses that and manipulates players saying that they will not get a chance anywhere else like that. This year NISA has really been a joke. Georgia hasn’t gotten paid too. [Another NISA player] tells me how bad Savannah is. That nobody gets paid the amount they signed their contract for.”

NISA

“Now it feels worse than UPSL. I am grateful that I play for a “pro” league, but NISA should not be considered pro. So many players deal with this shit just to accomplish their dreams. Although it really is not worth it. Dealing with this league and the shitty teams in it is not worth it. It’s very tough mentally and physically just to fulfill guys' dreams and to try to get in a better league.”

- Dan Creel