team took a turn for the worse. It was evident that Toribio Rojas had lost his edge and after an embarrassing 2:1 loss against bottom table Minnesota Thunder was let go from his coaching position and given the post of Youth System Director, when he left the team with a record of 1–3–3. Also, attendance declined. Clarke Era (2007–2011) Acting quickly, the club replaced Rojas with former FC Dallas manager Colin Clarke, who had found himself without a job after the Virginia Beach Mariners went out of business. He immediately established himself as a hard and hotheaded coach demanding discipline from his players. Shortly after he was nicknamed "El General" by the media and fans because of the way he led the squad during practice. This change also translated in a change of fortunes for the club, in the first match under Clarke the club beat the Minnesota Thunder 2:1, just a week after, under Toribio, they had lost against them. Clarke also brought in players who would become key figures in the future like Haitian International Fabrice Noel, then Englishman, now Kenyan International, Taiwo Atieno Willie Simms on loan from New England Revolution, and John Krause, who played briefly for Clarke on the Mariners. The club would finish comfortably in 6th place, two spots on top of the last playoff spot. The Islanders managed to edge out Montreal during its Quarterfinals series with an aggregate score of 5:3, but fell 4:2 in penalties against Regular Season Champions Seattle Sounders after losing the home leg and tying the series in Seattle. The 2008 season would be Clarke's first full season as the club's manager and he worked quickly to revamp the club's line-up, bringing back just a few players from the 2007 squad. He would bring in players like Sandi Gbandi, Jonny Steele, Bill Gaudette, Kendall Jagdeosingh, Osei Telesford among other who would prove key in the race for the regular season title. After a brief preseason in Florida playing against weaker college sides, the Islanders started the 2008 season with a 1:0 defeat against Portland, the club had a slow start with a record of 1 victory, 2 ties and 3 losses in its first 6 games, but by the end of July the Islanders were on a 5-game victory streak that would lay the foundation for their first Commissioner's Cup run. On August 8 the club would beat