Nashua Eagles forward Nick Cardenas of Hudson, left, battles Mass United's Odean Irons for the ball during the Eagles' tough 2-1 loss in their home opener last season at Rivier's Joanne Merrill Field. Cardenas of Hudson will be a key player this season when the team opens on April 2. (Telegraph file photo by TOM KING)

NASHUA – Look up in the air, the Eagles are already flying, and that means they are landing a lot earlier than usual, and with new wings – a new coach, and basically a new team.

The Eagles of the International Soccer Club of Nashua, which plays in the United Premier Soccer League, will open their fourth season on Saturday, April 2 – nearly a month earlier than in the past.

It’s a past that hasn’t been all that kind to the area’s lone high-level amateur soccer franchise, which will take on new entry Villanovence FC out of Danbury, Conn., at Rivier’s Joanne Merrill Field a week from Saturday at 6 p.m.

And not only is the team in the UPSL’s Premier New England Division starting early, it’s been nearly completely revamped, with 15-18 new players and new coach Eusebio Marote, a former player from the Daniel Webster College glory days who is the head coach at Northern Essex Community College. Barbosa, Marote and general manager Jeremy Zelanes had a busy winter.

Those who want to get acquainted with all the new faces can see them at a season launch party Sunday at Peddler’s Daughter on Main Street.

“We’re rebuilding,” team president and co-owner Jarod Barbosa said. “Of course winning is important, it’s something we want. It’s a new year, we’re going to have new faces, young faces, we’re going to build around these guys. It wouldn’t be productive to say we’re going for a national championship.

“We’re giving these younger guys exposure, these guys who are hungry, ready to prove themselves on this stage and keep playing at high levels.”

Marote replaces Gerald White, who coached the team for its first three seasons. But the Eagles crash-landed last season, going 0-6-2. A fresh start, it was determined, would serve everyone best.

At DWC, Marote, who will be assisted by Diego Cardoso, was a two-year captain and he was part of three Eagles NCAA conference champion/tourney teams. His 75 games played at DWC is a school record. He took over at NECC in 2019, spearheading the return of the program after a 25-year hiatus.

“He’s played at these particular amateur levels, he sees and understands the game,” Barbosa said. “He has the experience within the game for sure. … A lot of people know Eusobio. He’s well-known within the soccer realm for sure.”

With that in mind, Barbosa said a key factor too was Marote’s ability to bring in good young players. As for White, Barbosa said it was important for the Eagles to evolve.

“We can’t take away what Gerald White provided us, he was exactly who and what we needed in that time,” Barbosa said. “A huge thanks to him and appreciation to him for what he was able to do over the few years.”

White isn’t the only staple who won’t be back with the new-look Eagles. Popular – and arguably most talented – forward Quincy Appah won’t return, as the roster is now focused on youth.

He and others have moved on with their careers in and out of soccer.

“There’s not enough to say about Quincy,” Barboas said. “He was massive for us. Massive, massive. An amazing player, an amazing all-around person. He’ll definitely be missed.”

But things had to move forward.

“We were spoiled, it was impeccable timing,” Barbosa said. “A few years go by and those players are focusing in on their careers, building families, and the sport becomes second in those cases. It was a timing thing, not pointing fingers. It’s getting players at the right time, a balance.

“We’ve got some familiar faces, but we’ve also got some up and coming talent, and we’re looking to work with them, build with them.”

It’s a tough decision, but things have to evolve, Barbosa said. The ISC of Nashua has levels below the pro team and it was time as those players got older for them to move up.

“At this level, as a manager, you’re kind of assessing where the players are at,” he said. “What are we going to do with this guy, how long can we expect him? Going into this year, it’s about rebuilding, giving opportunities to our younger guys who are coming through our ranks, our youth ranks as it is. Giving them the opportunity, giving them the exposure, and going from there. It’s about timing. You’ve only got these guys for a short period of time. … The goal is to get a little bit younger, get that demographic of college, post-college, younger, hungry players who are hungry to compete and play at higher levels at their young age.”

Not all the Eagles from last year have left the nest, however. Back, though, is one of last year’s key players, Nick Cardenas of Hudson. Also, Eagle original Pedro Perez will provide leadership. Another key is Gus Fornoh. “Those are our more seasoned guys,” Barbosa said.

It’s been a tough road for this franchise. It opened up in 2018 on a raw, rainy May day at Merrill Field, but attendance did improve as the games were played in nicer, warmer weather through mid-July. The next season, with the Linda Robinson Pavilion under construction, the Eagles were forced to play almost anonymously in Manchester.

Then the 2020 season was scrapped due to the pandemic. And last year, finally able to return to Rivier with arguably the nicest facility in the division, the team went winless on the field.

And now, those warm, sun-splashed July games are gone with an early opener as the league wants to end early to avoid conflict with college practices starting in August.

While the Eagles love their home – “Rivier has been great, it’s been a great relationship,” Barbosa said – they don’t like the early start to the season as it will likely impact attendance.

“It’s not ideal, let’s put it that way,” said Barbosa, whose team will have as many as five other home games. “I’m optimistic about getting a crowd this particular season. I feel good about it. I would prefer it to start later, a May start time would be great. But there’s only so much the league can do in terms of their deadlines. We’ll be all right.”

The regular season will end the weekend of June 11, which normally would be a time when the season would be just a few weeks old.

The Eagles will also have home games on April 23 (6 p.m.), May 1 (7 p.m.), May 7 (6 p.m.) and another game the logistics of which haven’t been set. Barbosa said it will likely be on or around April 30.

But May 7 will be the final home game as Rivier will doing some work on Merrill Field. Thus the Eagles won’t have that warm weather.

“It’s a little bit unfortunate,” Barbosa said.

There are four new teams in the league: Villanovence, the Worcester Warriors, Boston Street FC, and Santa Cruz FC out of Lowell.

They join Nashua, Brockton FC, UNations FC (Marlboro, Mass.), Jaguars United FC out of Medford, Mass., and Lincoln (R.I) CF.

Brockton is a heavy favorite. “They’re an amazing team,” Barbosa said. “The other teams are at a good level. It will be very competitive.”

And that’s what the Eagles hope to do – compete. Once they accomplish that, they’ll try to spread their wings to

success.