Riccardo Silva 'very happy' with Miami FC's solid start in NASL

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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2016/11/11/riccardo-silva-very-happy-with-miami-fcs-solid-start-in-nasl/

Riccardo Silva 'very happy' with Miami FC's solid start in NASL

Bob Williams

11 November 2016 • 7:30pm

As Riccardo Silva reflects on his first season as Miami FC owner, it quickly becomes clear that his value to the North American Soccer League is huge.

Over the course of our interview, the Italian media magnate casually mentions he personally arranged the league's TV deals with CBS and beIN Sports - and he even got Phil Collins (whose youngest children play soccer with Silva's in Miami) to come to a Miami FC home game as a fan.

Silva says he is "very happy" with how Miami FC have done both on and off the field and, as he looks at the bigger picture, is pragmatic about some of NASL's problems this year.

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The NASL itself has had a difficult year, with Ottawa Fury and Tampa Bay Rowdies unexpectedly leaving for the rival United Soccer League, with Minnesota United making the jump to Major League Soccer.

But just as Silva is looking to the long-term with Miami FC, he is doing the same with NASL and US soccer in general.

"For me it is a 20-year project so if this is a football match we are considering the first 10 minutes. Of course, it's important but for me the view is much wider.

"The league has some problems but soccer in the US has gone through ups and downs. We will see how it goes.  All these movements between leagues are not so important right now as soccer in the US in the next 20-25 years will be very strong."