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A pair of “Wolff out” chants went down from the Austin FC fan section during the 1-0 loss to the Seattle Sounders. (courtesy of Austin FC)
OK. Let’s talk about the plane.
If you attended Austin FC’s most recent home game – a 1-0 loss against the Seattle Sounders on Saturday night – or if you swim in the online waters of ATXFC fandom, you already know the plane in question.
If you weren’t and didn’t, then you might have missed the fact that, circling a few thousand feet above Q2 Stadium for an hour before kick-off, was a small one-man plane towing a message to the ownership of Austin FC . , apparently funded by a vocal (and growing) faction of the ATX fan base.
photo by Eric Goodman
Message: “AUSTIN DESERVES BETTER #WOLFFOUT”
Or, at least, that’s apparently what was meant to be said. Instead, hilariously, the banner read: “AUSTIN DESERVES BETTER #WOLFDUT”
This is why everyone needs a copy editor! But never mind the little clerical error. Pair the aerial stunt with at least two “Wolff! Out!” cheers coming from the fan section during the second half of Saturday’s game, and it’s clear that the wolf-phobic faction of Austin FC fans chose July 13 to clearly, loudly and publicly plant their flag against coach Josh Wolff .
And that was a mistake.
Look, fans have every right to express their opinions about a team they support and to spend their hard-earned money on, as long as those opinions are shared appropriately. Singing? Fair play. Advertising employment in the sky? Expensive game, but also fair if you have money. The problem here is not the actions. It is at the time, which is poorly thought out (if thought at all).
First, quickly, the micro scale: On Saturday night, Austin FC was fresh off a win in its previous game against NYCFC, a game that vaulted El Tree back into a playoff spot. Calling for the coach’s head right after a big win doesn’t make much sense.
But, okay, maybe these flights require booking a few weeks in advance. In that case, let’s look at the macro scale, which suggests that mid-July could be the worst the moment to make such a bold statement.
With a third of the 2024 season remaining, and Austin FC still in solid contention for the play-offs, the club is set to officially welcome at least two of its three big summer additions – Osman Bukari and Mikkel Desler – to the squad for the matches future. Match against Charlotte FC on Saturday night (third, Oleksandr Svatok, likely won’t be ready for action until then).
With so much imminent roster flux, absolute The last what the club should consider is further upsetting the apple cart with a mid-season coaching change.
This is number one.
Number two: Sporting director Rodolfo Borrell continues to work hard to further rebuild the roster. It is unclear if more moves are on the cards for this summer, but what if Borrell is indeed in talks with a player? That player can rightly be excluded from the view of a club whose fan base is actively rebelling against their manager in the middle of a transfer cycle.
And finally, number three. What happens if Wolff leads Austin FC, fueled by top-tier young talent, on a late-season fee into and through the playoffs? This sort of thing happens regularly in the troubled waters of MLS, and it appears to be largely built into the club’s strategic approach to the 2024 season.
Fans may doubt the likelihood of this outcome, but if it happens, we’ll all be looking at photos of the infamous #WOLFDUT plane laughing at more than just a misspelled hashtag.
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