For FC Edmonton head coach Colin Miller, the biggest change entering Saturday’s North American Soccer League season opener oddly has been the lack of changes.

In past years, the team has seen massive turnover — 17 players in the 2013 lineup were no longer on the roster by the end of the 2014 season — but that hasn’t been the case this winter with only five new faces to get up to speed.

“This year, there’s a nice combination of the quality of player we’ve added to the team and continuity,” Miller said. “I’m not starting from scratch. I’m just trying to educate four or five lads that have come in new.”

The Eddies coach, who is entering his third year at the helm, has put in a lot of work to mould FC Edmonton into a legitimate NASL franchise. During Miller’s term, he has seen the club develop into a more consistent and professional group.

“The culture from when I first came into the club has completely changed,” he said, “so much to the point that I would say this is Year 2 for me. In the first year, we needed to make some real big changes to the players, the training habits, and the culture of the club.”

The 50-year-old Miller has brought his trade mark intensity and work ethic to the job and has tried to instil those traits into his players. The club is obviously a fan of the coach’s work; Miller signed a three-year extension during the off-season.

A self-described natural-born leader, Miller always knew he would make a better manager than a player. The thought of one day heading a club first arose when he was a well-travelled defender, playing for 12 different teams across Canada and Scotland.

“I was always chosen as the captain for every team I played for (with the exception of Scottish club Heart of Midlothian),” Miller said. “That itself is a statement that you’re a leader.”

Miller built up quite the reputation during his 32 years of professional soccer. Although he was born in Scotland — moving to Vancouver at the age of 10 — he captained the Canadian national team and later coached it on an interim basis. His broad experience forms the foundation of his management style.

“I was not necessarily the silkiest player, but I was someone who was consistent, reliable and hardworking, and that’s what my coaching style is all about,” Miller said. “I put in an honest day’s work and I expect my players to do the same.”

The Eddies coach has been putting his players through their paces over the last three weeks in Florida. Saturday’s season opener at 5:30 p.m. MDT will mark the inaugural game in the Jacksonville Armada’s history.

Edmonton’s players and coaches have noticed an excitement about the game in the city, even having the team’s logo recognized.

“The state of Florida is going crazy for football. The buzz in the city has been absolutely fabulous,” Miller said.

The Armada are hoping to capitalize on a Florida fan base already stimulated by Major League Soccer’s Orlando City SC. That team, spearheaded by former Ballon d’Or award winner (European player of the year) Ricardo Kaka, has drawn more than 93,000 spectators over their first two matches.

While Saturday’s game will likely not attract that many fans, the goal is to top the NASL record of 14,953 fans for the Ottawa Fury’s home opener last season.

The match will be played at Everbank Stadium (capacity 67,246), the home of the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars. It is yet to be seen if “the other kind of football” will be able to fill the arena’s seats, but Miller is entering the match with one thing in mind.

“It’s a big day for the Jacksonville Armada,” he said, “but we’re there to spoil the party and come home with the three points.”