There's a new captain for Austin FC.
In a press conference at Q2 Stadium on Thursday, head coach Josh Woff announced that Sebastián Driussi has been announced as the new Verde captain for 2023. The role was occupied the past two seasons by midfielder Alex Ring, and while the move is a positive one for Driussi, it also calls into question how much the former Finnish international might fit into the club's plans this season.
"We've talked at length as to what he means to this organization," Wolff said. "We're excited by that opportunity for him to share that with his teammates this season. Obviously, there are a lot of games this year, and we're going to have many different leaders at different times, but he's our captain for the upcoming season."
Driussi, also present in Thursday's press conference, noted through a translator, "It's a big and beautiful responsibility, of course. Luckily I have teammates that will help me achieve all the things I have set myself to achieve for the season. And I will work hard to just do what a captain should be doing."
While Wolff has been talking up Driussi's verbal confidence and mastery of English during the season, it's more likely that Driussi remains a more "quietly lead by example" style of captain, rather than the more talkative version of leader that Ring has been. Driussi is also aware that with Ruben Gabrielsen out, Austin's lost one of its more gregarious and verbal on-the-field and in-the-mixed-zone leaders. That's a void the team's already looking to fill.
"Obviously, Ruben was great, and I wish that I had the personality that Ruben has," Driussi said. He added that he'll "probably start with learning a little bit more English first, to give positive words to everyone else," though he also notes that goalkeeper Brad Stuver will be stepping up as the team's primary positive motivator.
As for Ring, he appears to no longer be the inked-in starter that he was in Verde's first and second seasons. Responding to The Striker's question about recent midfield rotation, with the young trio of Dani Pereira, Owen Wolff and Sofiane Djeffal starting together in preseason, Wolff was equivocal about what 2023 will look like for the designated player.
"Alex is a warrior. He's a pro. He understands also what this league looks like. I've mentioned we're going to have 40 to 45 to 50 games this year across different competitions. We are competitive in every position and I've talked about that to him early on in preseason. We've talked about his role both on and off the field.
"So Alex understands where things are right now," Wolff continued, adding in a two-way metaphor by saying, "it's an evolving door. Results and performances dictate playing time, and we'll utilize all of our players throughout the season."
He also added that Ring might get the start this Saturday against St. Louis, then remarking, "We'll just have to see how it plays out as it goes, but you've got a competitive group and that's important."
Certainly, Ring could play a valuable role in the opener, with St. Louis City SC employing an "energy drink soccer," press-dependent style of play, popularized by the Red Bulls who were Ring's crosstown rivals during his time with NYCFC. Wolff expects an opponent who will be excited for their first-ever MLS match, but also vulnerable despite playing a style that gave Verde fits last year.
"That will naturally happen coming into Q2, the first game of the season, their first season in existence," Wolff said of the energy that City will bring to the match. "So they'll have that regardless of what they're philosophically all about. We'll learn more about St. Louis as the year goes, but understanding where their coach comes from, the pedigree ... it's certainly more than a Red Bullish-type [of play], but they also show a little bit more of an ability to play with the ball, use the ball, so we have to be mindful of some of those things.
"We have to be very clear with what we want to do when we have the ball and not play into the opponent's hands," Wolff added. "To have a good understanding of what they look like. We've been able to see video of them, so we have an idea. But the game is the game, and it will provide opportunities for us to to exploit them, but we also know they're going to be difficult to break down."