FC Cincinnati: How debutants will inspire Hell is Real derby
FC Cincinnati will have a new head coach and new star player in MLS is Back. Here is how they can inspire the team in the looming Hell is Real derby.
When the MLS is Back Tournament kicks off in July, FC Cincinnati will enter a new-look team and organisation. From the very top, this is a different club. A new head coach, three new Designated Players, and a whole new outlook on life in Major League Soccer after a disastrous first season following their expansion from the USL. And they will get a true taste of MLS in all its guts and glory.
Drawn into their group was the Columbus Crew, the other half of the Hell is Real derby. Just off Interstate 71 south of Columbus, a sign erected 30 years ago reads, ‘Hell is Real’. It was meant as a religious message, but since this is on the 110-mile trip between Columbus and Cincinnati, the impact reached uncontrolled, viral intensity used in this professional soccer rivalry.
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The teams tried to promote the rivalry as the Ohio Derby. This attempt began in 2017 when Cincinnati FC got past Louisville City FC in the U.S. Open Cup and then met the Crew on the pitch. Supporters quickly tossed the derby title into the trash during the Open Cup match. That’s when the first Hell is Real sign went up. They’ve multiplied by the dozens since then. Columbus lost that Open Cup game 1-0 and will never be allowed to forget it. FC Cincinnati was a USL club at the time.
This week, new DP signing, Siem de Jong, spoke about the derby and what it will be like to play in it, even without fans in the stadium. Speaking with FC Cincinnati’s official website, he said:
"“Most rivalries are good because of the fans and because of a good atmosphere in the stadium or a hostile atmosphere at the away stadium. Those things are nice to look out for. That will be a big part missing in these moments, but we have to deal with that. For fans, it’s still a really important game, and for us, as well.”"
This isn’t the only match de Jong is looking forward to, however. He will also face Atlanta United head coach Frank de Boer. De Jong played under the coach at Ajax in the Netherlands. He was the captain as the team won six trophies, including three consecutive league titles.
For de Jong, this is not the only weird development. He has never played in MLS. He only joined his teammates after the first two games, during the pandemic suspension. He revealed what he has done to prepare for competitive play despite having not yet featured in the league:
"“I’ve seen most of the two games, and in both games, parts of the game were pretty good and we can build on that. We had some phases in the game that were difficult, but I think we showed against both teams that we can compete and we need to build on that and take note from those moments.”"
Also debuting for FC Cincinnati in the MLS is Back Tournament is head coach Jaap Stam and assistant Said Bakkati. Stam was only hired last month and has had difficulty in traveling to the States as he is based in Holland. He is another sign of the new era in Cincinnati.
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For FC Cincinnati, then, the Hell is Real Derby is the must-win fixture of the group. But Stam and de Jong, this is the start of a new era, one they hope will put to bed last year’s nightmares.