The Ottawa Fury FC season ended on November 1st in Ft. Lauderdale but their off-season started today as the Fury announced the club will not extend the club option on three of its player’s contracts and declined to re-sign another. Omar Jarun, the Palestinian International defender, was re-signed with no terms or conditions announced. The four players cut range wildly in playing time and skill, but will forever be a part of the successful season that saw professional soccer return the the National Capital.

Kenny Caceros

Caceros, the 26 year old Ottawa-born defender, was signed on March 29, 2014, the same day the kits were revealed, after making the team as a try-out player. Kenny, the former Fury PDL and Capital City FC player, never started a game for the Fury and only played 19 minutes of competitive soccer in 2014. Having never cracked the starting lineup it’s no surprise he won’t return for 2015, although many will claim he wasn’t given a fair chance.

Ramon Soria

A lot was expected from Ramon Soria, the 25 year old Spanish defender, when the Ottawa Fury FC made him the clubs first ever defender when they singed the former Spanish youth international on December 13, 2013. Soria didn’t start seeing extensive playing time until the departure of Maykon and played admirably until the club signed Jamaican international O’Brian Woodbine. Never being consistent enough to warrant steady starting XI consideration it was no surprise that the Fury cut him to free up a valuable international spot.

Pierre-Rudolph Mayard

Mayard, the 26 year old winger, was signed on February 20, 2014, saw action in 20 competitive matches for the Fury, however, 12 of those he was brought on as a sub. Playing primarily on the wing Mayard wasn’t able to replicate his ability on the field to the score-sheet scoring only once with no assists. The Wing positions were perhaps the weakest on the team, and Mayard often found himself behind Oliver, Carl Haworth, and Phillipe Davies on the roster. Mayard was often most effective coming off the bench and using his size and speed to beat tired defenders. Arguably the most surprising of today’s cuts, Mayard just simply did not do enough in 2014 to earn a return in 2015.

Vini Dantas

25 year old Brazilian striker Vini Dantas may have been cut by the club, but he will always be remembered in club lore as the scorer of the first Fury goal, a 50th minute header in the home opener at Carelton. Dantas wasn’t helped by his visa issue getting into Ottawa late to start training camp, coupled with the the injury to Tommy Heinemann, he was left as the lone striker to play the majority of the Spring Season. While he didn’t have the scoring record that might have kept him around, he did lead the Fury in assists and times subbed on. Dantas found himself stuck behind Heinemann after he returned from injury and was barely able to break the staring lineup. That didn’t stop Dantas from playing in 28 of the 29 competitive maches the Fury would play in 2014. When given a chance to start Dantas almost single-handily tore Atlanta apart in the lone victory at TD Place for the Fury. If the Fury were to improve up front it would have to be at the expense of the former Tranmere Rover target as Heinemann is under contract for 2015. Dantas is a complete young player and will land on his feet wherever he goes. Dantas currently plays MASL indoor soccer with the Baltimore Blast alongside Fury midfielder Tony Donatelli.

With the signing or Jarun, the Fury currently have 6 players under contract for next year: Paterson, Ryan, Peiser, Heinemann, Trafford and Jarun. With the loss of the four players today that leaves: Gorrick, Bush, DeBellis, Beckie, Woodbine, Eustaquio, Ubiparipovic, Donatelli, Haworth, Davies and Oliver as the 11 remaining players to be re-signed from last years squad (Richter was on loan and his contract is owned by Toronto FC). With Marc Dos Santos saying he want’s to bring 8-9 new faces into the organization, that means we should expect to see 4 or 5 of those eleven players not return to Ottawa next year. While it’s tough to see players go, it will be exciting to see who MDS and the Fury staff bring in to replace them to make the team a playoff team in 2015.

Blog Smith @BlogFuryFC