Core of Louisville City FC's roster to return

The task this offseason won't measure up to the one Louisville City FC coach James O'Connor faced a year ago, when he assembled from scratch a roster that competed and won immediately in United Soccer Leagues competition.

"There were a couple of times I walked in and the dog started to bark at me, because I hadn't been home that long," O'Connor, the 36-year-old Irishman, joked Tuesday.

A self-described workaholic, O'Connor said weeks of preparation remain heading into the offseason before he thinks about a vacation. That type of preparation carried Louisville City FC to a 14-8-6 league record, good for second in the USL behind only the Eastern Conference-leading Rochester Rhinos.

Louisville City FC's first season ended with a 1-0 loss Saturday at Rochester in the USL semifinals. The Rhinos play LA Galaxy II for the USL title on Friday, while Louisville City FC has already turned to Year 2, and it already has at least one key void to fill.

USL assist leader Bryan Burke, a defender, won't return, according to O'Connor, who when wrapping up the 2015 season said Burke "definitely exceeded any expectations that were out there."

As many as 85 percent of City's players remain under contract for next year, but Burke had signed only a one-year deal. The defender played with O'Connor previously and excelled in his first full season back from a serious leg injury.

"He wanted to go to the MLS, and obviously having played with Bryan, it was an instance where we wanted to come and help provide a platform to make that happen," O'Connor said. "Wherever Bryan signed, it was only ever going to be a one-year deal. We wish him the very best of luck."

Other major personnel questions left for Louisville City FC haven't yet been answered.

While record-setting striker Matt Fondy is under contract for 2016, a higher-level club could still buy out that deal. Fondy recorded multiple hat tricks and also netted a pair of goals in City's playoff-opening victory over the Charleston Battery.

"I would expect there to be a lot of interest, because strikers that score 22 goals in 28 games are obviously in demand," O'Connor said of Fondy.

The coach also has to reach an agreement of his own before returning. Any doubt is not due to O'Connor's job security but rather that he has emerged as a rising star in his profession.

"I know there was some dialogue yesterday about that," O'Connor said. "I think that will continue to be the case. Hopefully we can get that agreed and all boxed off."

Meanwhile, most of Louisville City FC's players have already left town. O'Connor's parting words: "You can be really proud of the season. The disappointment of Rochester – it happens. I think great teams use that as motivation for next season. That's something we'll definitely be doing.

"The pain of that Rochester game is something that lives in me now. I can assure you, next season that's something that will certainly be pushing us forward and driving us on."