NWSL 2014 season previews: Getting ready for year 2

You’ve just finished third on the table, grabbed a come from behind semifinal win, and then won the championship despite being a player down for more than 30 minutes, what are you going to do now? How about watch your coach step down, trade away some key players, trade to get some of them back, bring in one of the world’s best goalkeepers and hire Paul Riley? Because that’s what the Portland Thorns did.

Head Coach: Paul Riley, first season

The 2013 Western NY Flash were never the complete package, but somehow, Aaran Lines’ side always made it work. A trip to the final ended with a loss to Portland, ending the Flash’s title streak at three. A year later, Western NY returns most of its core, including Abby Wambach, Carli Lloyd, Sam Kerr and McCall Zerboni. Goalkeeper Adrianna Franch is the one notable absence, and just how well WNY can cope with the loss of their starting keeper may be thing that puts the Flash in the race for another title, or on the outside looking in.

Head Coach: Aaran Lines, second season (or fourth, depending on how many leagues you’re counting)

2013 had to be frustrating for FC Kansas City. This was a team that grabbed every major player award; Goalkeeper of the Year, Defender of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Golden Boot, MVP. But the Blues couldn’t even make it to the final. FC Kansas City was very good on paper, and they were very good on the field too. Except that last part was too often for only about 75 minutes, which, with that pesky soccer games being 90 minutes thing and all...

Head Coach: Vlatko Andonovski, second season

The Boston Breakers. Ah, the Boston Breakers. Of close games, a plus-one goal difference, the middle of the table. The Breakers added some stability in net with Alyssa Naeher available for a full season, and some serious firepower up front with the addition of Lisa De Vanna. But are the few changes Tom Durkin made enough to get Boston those last couple inches, or are the Breakers in for another middle of the road kind of season?

Head Coach: Tom Durkin, first season

The Red Stars finished 2013 kind of exactly where you’d expect them to: right in the middle of the table. Chicago were never the flashiest team, but they wouldn’t bore you either, with a penchant for stealing games late and at the very least always making things a little interesting. And so, in a lot of ways, Chicago’s offseason moves have been sort of perfectly Chicago -- minimal and not flashy. The Red Stars kept a large chunk of their 2013 roster, but they also made a few additions that could make 2014 anything but typically Chicago.

Head Coach: Rory Dames, second season

To describe the Washington Spirit’s 2013 as dismal might be generous. The Spirit couldn’t win, couldn’t score goals, couldn’t defend, and even managed to get themselves officially eliminated from playoff contention on an own goal because of course that’s what the Washington Spirit did. The good news? It’s almost impossible that 2014 could be any worse. And Mark Parsons and his staff took some big steps in the offseason to ensure that it won’t be.

Head Coach: Mark Parsons, second season

Welcome the Houston Dash, NWSL’s first ever expansion franchise. Seemingly taking a page from Paul Riley’s Spare Parts Strategy to Building Expansion Teams, first-year head coach Randy Waldrum has put together a roster that’s heavy on underused and discarded veterans with some new talent sprinkled in for good measure.

Head Coach: Randy Waldrum, first season