Protagonist Soccer has received information from a knowledgeable source of internal conflicts at New Amsterdam Football Club among the front office, technical staff and owners. While bubbling under the surface for some time, these issues intensified this summer. The chaos is being pushed out through social media posts, private rumors, and competing club accounts. While the league has remained silent on the issues, it has become clear that there are big problems with New Amsterdam and they cannot be ignored by a responsible media organization. We have sought to show the issues without the use of rumor or conjecture. We’ve stuck to facts and what we are sure of. That may disappoint those looking for castigation or condemnation, but writing about a league with such ardent and outspoken fanbases has its challenges.

It is understood that there has been conflict between majority owner, Laurence Girard, and sporting director Max Mansfield. It is unknown if Mansfield, also a minority owner, is still with the club as sporting director or has formally severed ties as a member of the front office. It seems clear that Mansfield still has some role when it comes to the management of the club, but it may currently be on an ad hoc basis. Girard may be acting practically in the sporting director role for New Amsterdam since the beginning of the current NISA Fall season. We aren’t privy to the internal structure of the team or how things have changed over the course of the season. As of yesterday’s match with Detroit City FC, Mansfield was listed as a substitute player for the match.

The Audio and What It Means

Protagonist Soccer has obtained audio reported to be Jermaine Jones’ address to the team of his leaving the organization and Girard’s audio response to that. Jones, a former U.S. men’s national team member and Bundesliga veteran, joined New Amsterdam as an assistant coach in early June at the end of the NISA Spring 2021 season. Jones was no longer with the club as of the beginning of the current NISA Fall season.

In the audio, Jones thanks the players, coaches and staff for “a fun ride” of “two weeks”. He talks about his hope that he could have worked with Max Mansfield and assistant coach, Stephen Hoogerwerf, to build something long-term with the club. Jones also congratulates Bouna Coundoul for getting the New Amsterdam head coaching position over Jones.

In the audio, Jones then talks about why he had to step away from the club. He mentions that Laurence Girard reached out to him a couple of times inquiring whether he would still have the opportunity to play goalkeeper with New Amsterdam. Jones says that he could not tell Girard yes or no because he believes that Girard needs to get into better shape and lose 70 pounds to which Girard agreed. Jones then says that Girard reached out to Coundoul with the same question and was told that he could still play. Jones says he told Girard he would “leave the door open” for him to play but that he would need to get fit and he would get a chance if he was one of the best keepers because “I want to win.”

Jones then talks about how he did not want to discuss the issue anymore with Girard because it would not be fair to the other players. He told Girard that he has to pick a side of being an owner or a player. Jones relates that he does not know if that factored into Girard’s decision to pick Coundoul as the head coach but notes that he was surprised by the decision and that the players and staff were also surprised by the decision.

“The only person who is not surprised is Laurence,” Jones says.

Jones says that the decision was not handled in the “correct way” and it was not fair to the players and the staff. He notes that him staying with the club would never be “a money situation” and they “would find a solution” based on that but it was not the case in his stepping away. That was due to “a personal situation...because [Girard] picked for himself.” Jones tells the players they can contact him and he is there to advise them if they need help. He says he has talked to the players and that they are sick of losing and, after he joined, had hoped that the club was going in a different direction “and not a club with Laurence making his own decisions.”

The second audio obtained by Protagonist is a follow-up by Laurence Girard to Jones’ team address. He first thanks the players for all the hard work they were doing during the pandemic, noting how difficult it is to not be able to play in front of fans and how that meant the club had not been able to pay as much to the players.

In explanation as to why he picked Coundoul, Girard notes that being a good player does not make someone a good coach. He notes that someone needs to be a good leader and someone that builds culture and inspires and motivates people. “And that’s what Bouna has,” says Girard in the recording. “I’ve known Bouna for eleven years. I know that he’s a good person.” Girard notes that Coundoul is from New York and that most of the team are New Yorkers, too. “Jermaine? I don’t know him.”

Girard then goes on to talk about what he feels are off-the-field issues about Jones telling the team to “do a simple Google search about him.” Girard talks about Jones’ divorce issues and a report of him purchasing an assault rifle. He notes that, as an owner of the club, what players do off the field are just as important as what they do on the field.

Gerard relates, “And, there’s going to be a lot of changes to the club that are going to benefit the players. This club has not had a good culture since the beginning.” He notes he won’t say why but that a lot of the team does know why. He says that Coundoul, Michael Hitchcock, the club’s new CEO, and himself will rapidly improve the club for the benefit of the players and the fans.

He tells the players that if they want to stay with the club, they need to give Coundoul “their 100%.” Otherwise, they should “quit now and leave.” Girard says the club will be more professional moving forward.

As to his playing, Girard states “this club wouldn’t even exist if I didn’t have a desire to play. And, I know a lot of you have seen me play well. And some of you have seen me play poorly. But, the club exists partially because I have a passion for soccer. And, I’m not going to quit soccer. I’m 29 years old. And I’m not the most fit player on the team but I have a passion for soccer. I have a desire to get fit and improve myself.” He notes that he has played on the reserves but not the NISA squad because he is not the best goalkeeper in the club.

“But, I’m not going to stop playing soccer just because Jermaine Jones thinks I should stop playing soccer. It’s never going to happen,” says Girard, noting that he wants to become the best player that he can. He goes on to note the importance of creating a good workplace and a better culture in the organization. He asks the team to reach out to him for any feedback they have and that he will introduce the CEO they hired. He recommends that any players who don’t fully support Coundoul to reach out to the new head coach “because he’s one of the best people I’ve ever met” which is what the club needs.

“This decision with Jermaine has absolutely nothing to do with me playing,” Girard says. “I already told Jermaine that I’m not...I’m probably not fit to play in the fall season. But it doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t improve myself as a player. So, I’m not going to stop playing soccer. I’m not going to stop supporting this club.”

And that choice has become a public sticking point, even for staff members of Protagonist Soccer. Girard may have been a talented keeper in his past, but he is well out of playing shape at this point. To continue to insert himself in the lineup has disappointed many fans of NISA, who see the move as a black eye. His involvement in matches has certainly brought mockery and derision from those who see the league as unprofessional. Can he play in matches? Of course, he owns the club. The question is, should he? And the public certainly thinks he should not.

Filling the Roster Spot

New Amsterdam’s first choice of goalkeeper during the NISA Spring 2021 season was Jesse Corke, the former starter for New York Cosmos. Corke was injured in May and replaced as starter by another former Cosmos, Kevin Tenjo. For most of the spring season, Mahamed Keita served as New Amsterdam’s backup goalkeeper.

At the beginning of the NISA Fall 2021, Tenjo returned as New Amsterdam’s starting keeper but Laurence Girard was on the bench as backup. It is understood that Keita was no longer with the senior club at that time. Tenjo was injured after only two games and Sheldon Parkinson, newly-signed for the Fall season, replaced him as starter. Girard continued as New Amsterdam’s backup goalkeeper for the next three NISA matches. The next match New Amsterdam traveled to face Detroit City FC at Keyworth Stadium. Girard was not on the bench for that match as he was the starter for New Amsterdam FC II in that team’s first EPSL match against Lansdowne Yonkers. New Amsterdam FC II lost that match 5-1. No backup goalkeeper for New Amsterdam is listed on the official NISA website for that June 11 match against Detroit City, but ElevenSports lists Kabal Virk as the New Amsterdam backup keeper for that match. Virk had previously started in net for New Amsterdam in their July 31 Independent Cup match against Mass United Rush. Girard himself started an Independent Cup match as goalkeeper for New Amsterdam against Lansdowne Yonkers on July 28.

Parkinson was injured after that June 11 match and, for New Amsterdam’s next NISA match hosting Stumptown AC at Hofstra Soccer Stadium, Girard was the starting goalkeeper with Mahamed Keita brought back on the senior roster from the NAFC reserves and cleared just before the match served as the backup keeper. Stumptown won that match 2-1. Following that match, New Amsterdam has played two more matches and Keita has started both. Girard was back on the bench for the first match on September 18 against the Maryland Bobcats. It is unclear if New Amsterdam had a backup goalkeeper on their roster for their next match on September 25 at Stumptown AC. On September 29, New Amsterdam played a home match at Hofstra Stadium Detroit City FC. Girard started in goal and played all 90 minutes in a 6-1 loss to the defending NISA champions. Keita was on the bench for New Amsterdam for that match.

Further Issues

A public showing of a possible front office schism is the appearance of multiple social media accounts for the club. Since February 2020, the @NAFCNY Twitter handle has reported itself as the “Official Twitter of New Amsterdam FC.” In July, a new Twitter handle, @NAFCNYC, was launched also claiming to be the official New Amsterdam account. NISA has publicly stated that the newer account is the official one. Both accounts have actively posted during the fall season. This duplication of New Amsterdam social media accounts has also popped up on Instagram.

Another prominent outward example of possible administrative and logistics issues at the club occurred in mid-September. These problems may have led to the club’s reserve team, New Amsterdam FC II, having to forfeit a U.S. Open Cup qualifying match against the New York Pancyprian Freedoms. While many teams have had to forfeit USOC qualifiers due to player registration issues, it is not likely that this was the case with New Amsterdam’s forfeit. But, it is unknown exactly why the team was unable to play that home match on September 18 at the Hudson Sports Complex in Warwick, N.Y. No official reason has been given. Protagonist reached out to the EPSL, the league which NAFC II plays for, but was told they had no information. The club has also offered no reason for the forfeit.

Yet, It Lingers

Regardless of all the information we do know, we cannot speculate too deeply as to what the root issues are in the club, nor how to best fix them. Every source contacted within the club has refused to go on record, leaving us with only what we can prove (the recordings, the club’s performance, and social media rumors). The team originally responded well to Coundoul coaching, becoming one of the more potent attacks in the league, currently tied for third most goals scored in the league this season. Flashes of greatness have shown in matches, particularly the club’s visit to Chicago in August, when NAFC scored 4 goals in a shutout win. But since that win, the team has lost 6 of 7, including the dramatic 6-1 loss to Detroit City FC this week. The club is in freefall and the chaos seems to be consuming the goodwill the club garnered early in the season.

How these matters work themselves out remains to be seen. Girard’s importance to the league cannot be understated (regardless of the hottakes from his detractors). It is his (and his wife’s) investments that have given NISA two clubs this season (NAFC and Chicago House AC). While more clubs are on the horizon, the more churn within the league lineup, the more damage done to the reputation of the fledgling league. While the league does not need the negative press coming out of New Amsterdam, it seems clear that the league needs New Amsterdam, regardless of who is playing in goal.

- Protagonist Staff