New York City Football Club have set the schedule for their first-ever preseason as a club.
Jason Kreis’ side will spend 10 days in England training with sister club Manchester City in February 2015, as they sandwich that stint in-between a training camp in Florida and playing in the Carolina Challenge Cup.
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With their squad starting to take shape, NYC FC are certainly steaming ahead towards their inaugural season in MLS. Kreis is delighted to be taking his team, which includes Designated Players David Villa and Frank Lampard, overseas.
“It’s so exciting to be able to share the details of our first preseason and to be talking about the squad coming together for the first time. It’s what we’ve all been working towards and it will be great to be with the team on the training pitch,” Kreis said. “The training camp in Florida will be vital in determining the condition of the squad, getting to know one another both on and off the field, and bringing us up to the fitness levels required to take part in high level football matches.”
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With his incredible form for Manchester City, maybe Kreis will wrestle Lampard back with him? Rumors continue to persist that Lampard could extend his loan deal from NYC FC to Man City past January. This camp in England will allow Lampard to link up with his teammates as his loan deal with City will likely expire at the end of January, a month more than originally expected. NYC FC will also play two exhibition games in Manchester, as Kreis continues to build his squad as he has just seven players on the playing staff to date.
Major League Soccer are expected to announce the 2015 schedule in December, as New York are joined by fellow new boys Orlando City with MLS celebrating its 20th season as a league with 20 teams in play. Below is the full schedule for New York’s preseason.
New York City FC’s preseason schedule
Florida training camp: 01/24/15 – 02/02/15
City Football Academy, Manchester: 02/06/15 – 02/16/15
Exhibition Match – 02/10/15
Exhibition Match – 02/15/15
Carolina Challenge Cup: 02/19/15 – 03/01/15
