Among the key changes that fans can look for will be a new attitude on the training ground. Rennie gave every indication that he expects players to work within his tactical system and to be committed to team play. The individual midfield peregrinations of Martin Nuñez, Matt Watson and Santiago Fusilier may be a thing of the past. "Winning is not enough," Rennie said, "we want to win with style and we want to win as a team."
Fans can expect Rennie's RailHawks to play a fast tempo game that is possession orientated (vs. lumping the ball forward), that builds from the back, and that works collectively to defend (vs. waiting for Chris McClellan to work miracles in goal). Perhaps the most encouraging statement of the afternoon was when Rennie said, "Winning is nice, but it is much sweeter when you can share the joy with the community." While the RailHawks represent a bigger stage on which to display his coaching acumen, Rennie seems to understand that he is part of a much larger endeavor.
The RailHawks have a hugely talented group of players to draw from and Rennie will have much work to do in the coming months as he restructures what has been a dysfunctional team culture. The RailHawks will host open tryouts Dec. 13-14 and hope to capture some local talent who are knocking around in the many Latino leagues in the Triangle. Though the 2009 season seems impossibly far away, it began in earnest today. The RailHawks have made a hugely positive step in hiring Martin Rennie: bienvenidos al triangulo, laddie.