CHARLOTTE FC

Charlotte FC academy is expanding with a full-time under-15 side to go with U-17 and U-14 sides and U-12/13 program launched last year.

ROCK HILL, S.C. – Charlotte FC is building a club beyond the first team.

As the Major League Soccer expansion side prepares for its inaugural season, it continues to lay the foundation for future development. The first team’s inaugural season kicks off in 2022, a year later than scheduled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the academy kicked off on schedule, launching two full time teams, an under-17 and U-14, and a discovery program, U-12/13, in summer 2020. The U-17 side advanced to June’s MLS NEXT playoffs in Texas. They will compete in MLS NEXT with the addition of a full time U-15 side.

Charlotte FC assistant coach Christian Lattanzio is the first of the MLS team’s coaches to move to Charlotte. Head coach Miguel Ángel Ramírez was briefly in Charlotte in July for an introductory press conference but has since returned to his native Spain before making the transition to Charlotte next month. Assistant coach Mikel Antía’s arrival is to be determined.

Lattanzio spent Thursday morning with the academy at their training session. All three first team coaches have backgrounds in youth development. While the first team will demand much of their time, expect to see them involved with developing future players. Ramírez said during his introductory press conference: “I know myself. In Brazil and Ecuador when I had a break in the first team, I went to the under-12 training or met with the academy coaches or the academy director.”

Lattanzio brings a similar approach, but with MLS experience – the only member of the first team coaching staff with any as an assistant with New York City FC from 2016-18. Lattanzio left NYCFC for OGC Nice in France, and before NYFC was Manchester City’s Elite Development Squad’s technical coordinator from 2013-15.

“Our background is very similar in that,” Lattanzio said. “I have been working with young players for many years. I love to see them become players at the highest level.”

Lattanzio said he hopes to see academy players make their debut with the first team and establish themselves.

“We want to be integrated all the way from the academy through to the first team,” academy manager Dan Lock said. “Every strong club has that integration and pathway. That starts with good people. Obviously Christian has a ton of experience and expertise in youth development in England, his time with New York City FC and in France and Italy. Very fortunate to have his expertise, but also his passion for developing young players. We’ve heard how Miguel has that same passion as well.”

Academy expansion
The academy expanded from 36 players to 54. Lock said the first few weeks with players is about establishing their identity and getting to know the players and new staff. Bryan Scales joined them as the U-14 head coach, Jorge Herrera, a longtime Charlotte Independence and Charlotte Eagles player, shifted to U-15 head coach, Abdul Chibsah stepped into the role of academy head of recruitment and Bruno Paschoalini was named head of academy operations.

MLS NEXT competition kicks off in September. They will play in the Eastern Conference, without the travel limitations posed by 2020.

“It’s a pretty extensive competition, tough opponents, lots of travel for the boys to experience,” Lock said. “The level of competition increases, and it’s what we need them to be going through if we want to prepare them for the professional game.”

Said technical director Marc Nicholls: “We all know the benefits of having and developing your own players. As much as we can integrate together and understand where we’re going, not only does that help with the transition of young players, the exposure for young players to guys like Christian who has had a wonderful career coaching and coaching the best in the world, but also the way it makes everybody feel. For us, this is the most important thing.”

Future home
The academy trains at Manchester Meadows in Rock Hill, but their eventual home will be in Charlotte at the former Eastland Mall site. Tepper Sports & Entertainment, which owns Charlotte FC and the Carolina Panthers, will contribute $4.25 million to $26.6 million infrastructure funding for Eastland’s development.

The 22-acre site will include two large fields for academy use, one large field for public use, four medium and six small fields for public use.

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