The Columbus Crew will need to put questions over the team’s future behind them as they look to build on last year’s strong finish.
The good news for the Crew is that news of a potential relocation to Austin came out late last year and despite the cloud hanging overhead, they came within a hair of the MLS Cup, losing to Toronto by a goal in the Eastern Conference final.
Of perhaps bigger concern on the field is the need to replace the team’s top two scorers from 2017, Ola Kamara and Justin Meram. If Gyasi Zardes, acquired from the Galaxy in a trade for Kamara, can regain his form from a few years ago, it will go a long way toward filling at least one of those voids.