"I think it's actually an advantage for us. It's obviously hard not having much of an offseason, but I think our group's cohesiveness is going to be really awesome going into this season. Gotham FC followed up its 2023 championship with a semifinal loss to Washington the next year, and the team is hoping to have a better defense this time around."
"There's a target on your back, but that's what's really fun about this league. You want as much pressure and for the stakes to be as high as possible. That's what keeps this entertaining. The team also returns Jaedyn Shaw, who was traded from North Carolina with a record $1.25 million in transfer fees last season."
"The team believes they underperformed last year, which led to that seeding, but has always contended they were more talented than their record suggested. The championship proved that. Hopefully, we're not even in the conversation of underdog status this year."
Gotham FC begins its title defense with a largely unchanged roster that has been training since early January, including preparation for the FIFA Women's Championship Cup in Europe where the team earned bronze. Despite the abbreviated offseason, players view the continuous competition as beneficial for maintaining momentum from their championship run. Key returning players include Rookie of the Year Lilly Reale and Jaedyn Shaw, acquired via record transfer fees. The team acknowledges the increased pressure of defending a championship but embraces it as motivation. Gotham finished as an eighth seed last year before winning the title, proving they were more talented than their regular season record indicated.
Read at www.amny.com
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