Ottawa Fury FC is going to have a very clear priority when the off-season begins.

When the 2015 fall campaign wraps up, in addition to what's looking more likely to be at least one playoff game, the North American Soccer League club's attention will turn to re-signing head coach Marc Dos Santos, whose current deal is set to expire.

With Dos Santos having taken Fury from the NASL basement as an expansion franchise to a side battling for a league title, there's no doubt the club wants him back.

But if Fury continues to progress the way it has under Dos Santos and his staff, it wouldn't be a huge surprise to see the Montreal-born, Portugal-raised gaffer get a call from Major League Soccer. At the very least there will be chatter, especially considering the Montreal Impact, where Dos Santos coached from 2009-2011 before the organization made the jump to MLS, is currently operating with an interim head coach after recently firing Frank Klopas.

But the 38-year-old has spoken often about Fury being a work in progress, a project his fingerprints are all over and one with plenty of room to grow. Unless Fury should go the distance and capture an NASL championship in year two, and minus a particularly compelling offer to coach at a higher level, it would be surprising for Dos Santos to move on this early in what has been successful tenure. It would be even more surprising if Fury didn't do everything it could to keep him in the mix, though don't expect it to be a deal similar in length to the five-year extension Jacksonville Armada signed Guillermo Hoyos to earlier this summer.

All that said, with Fury holding down first on the fall table and sitting second in the overall standings, the coach's contract status isn't top of mind for anyone. Dos Santos wants to focus solely on the stretch drive to the post-season.

"I have a contract until the end of the season and I want to focus everything and put all my energy on what I have to do this season," Dos Santos told the Sun this week. "I'll talk with the people I have to talk to at the end of the season. For now my focus is 100% on the Ottawa Fury and my focus is to try to make the playoffs with this group."

Team president John Pugh is one of the same opinion, though he's keenly aware of the pivotal role Dos Santos has played in getting Fury to where it is now.

It's hard to blame either for not wanting contract talks to get in the way of what's been a remarkable past few months. Other than going winless in its most recent three-game homestand, everything is going well for Ottawa's first professional soccer team. The success on the pitch has brought with it steadily growing crowds, with attendance at last three fixtures exceeding 6,000.

But considering Dos Santos' popularity and ability to build a championship contender while working with one of the league's lower budgets, questions about his future are inevitable.

Pugh understands and accepts that. While he wouldn't directly answer if he and Dos Santos had sat down for contract-specific talks, the two are in touch daily about all aspects of team operations and have started looking towards next season.

"We don't want to be doing anything other than focusing on what's a great opportunity for us in terms of the playoffs," Pugh said Thursday as Fury trained at Algonquin College. "It's almost a little bit of a dream come true that we went on that incredible (12-game unbeaten) run and it's given us an opportunity to win a playoff spot.

"We'd rather concentrate on that."

A new contract isn't something either side is interested in rushing and there will be more than a couple conversations once Fury's sophomore season is in the books. Until then, it's full steam ahead towards the playoffs.

Oliver earns weekly accolades

Fury forward Oliver's first goal of the season Saturday night has earned the Brazilian a spot on the North American Soccer League's Team of the Week.

Celebrating his 23rd birthday, Oliver beat Tampa Bay Rowdies keeper Matt Pickens to give Fury a 2-0 lead in the first-half. Though Ottawa would cough up the lead and eventually settle for a 2-2 draw, Oliver was named man of the match.

The club's leading scorer in 2014, injuries have limited Oliver's role this season but he has turned in a few strong efforts in a row and seems to be putting the tough stretch behind him. He has now featured in Ottawa's last nine matches.

Fury returns to action in San Antonio against the Scorpions on Saturday night.

Twitter: @chrishofley