Current Roster Nick Noble - G - #1 (9/1/84) Brian Sylvestre - G - #92 (12/19/92) David Flynn - G - #24 (3/21/89) Stephen Basso - D [LB] - #13 (8/21/87) {Costa Rica} Thomas Brandt - D [CB/DM] - #11 (2/23/90) Colin Zizzi - D [RB] - #6 (1/20/88) Coady Andrews - D [CB] - #4 (1/31/89) Greg Jordan - D [CB/DM]* - #2 (4/5/90) Damani Richards - D [LB/CB] - #7 (11/30/94) {Trinidad & Tobago} Andrew Ribeiro - M [DM/CB] - #21 (10/22/90) Tom Mellor - M [LM] - #14 (8/13/90) {England} Morgan Langley - M [RM] - #15 (6/9/89) Jason Pelletier - M [DM] - #22 (4/24/85) Cristhian Hernandez - M [CM/AM]* - #23 (10/30/93) {Mexico} Jimmy McLaughlin - M [RM/LM]* - #18 (4/30/93) Matthew Bahner - M [RM/RB] - #16 (3/12/90) Kenny Caceros - M [CM/DM] - #26 (4/6/88) {USA/Canada} Antonio Bua - M [LM/RM] - #10 (8/23/90) Sainey Touray - F - #20 (2/8/90) {Gambia} Lucky Mkosana - F - #17 (9/30/87) {Zimbabwe} Yann Ekra - F - #7 (10/12/90) {Ivory Coast} Jamiel Hardware - F - #5 (3/12/92) {Jamaica} Injured Reserve Andrew Welker - M [DM/CM] - #12 (7/31/89) Garrett Pettis - F - #9 (8/31/89) Union Players - Formerly on Loan to HCI Don Anding - D [LB]* - #19 (5/31/91) Leo Fernandes - M [LM/AM]* - #10 (12/23/91) {Brazil/USA} Aaron Wheeler - F #25 (5/11/88) Union Training Players - On Loan From HCI (?) Brian Holt - G (11/14/88) In-Season Trialists Current Trialists None Former Triailists GK - Darius Motazed (St. Francis) [CANADA] M - Alvi Fakou (Cruz Azul - PDL) [CAMEROON] M - Alex Mendoza (Philadelphia Union trialist, Pumas – Mexico) M - Antonio Bua (York College) @ M - Kenny Caceros (Edmonton - NASL) [USA/CANADA]@ M - Jason Villagomez (Southern Connecticut State) F - Taylor Morgan (George Mason) [ENGLAND] Guest Player F - Joe Julius (Lower Dauphin HS - will be attending SIU - Edwardsville) Former Pre-Season Trialists GK – Phil Tuttle (Harrisburg City) GK - Tunde Ogunbiyi (Philadelphia Union trialist. Ocean City – PDL, Boston College) GK - Steve Spangler (MLS Pool Goalie, Oregon State University) GK - Bret Mollon (Michigan Bucks – PDL, Temple University) GK – Larry Jackson (University of Santa Clara, US U17) GK – Charlie Sales (FC Sonic Lehigh Valley – NPSL, Western Illinois University) D - Saurel Olrish (Victory SC – Haiti) {Haiti} D - Eric Schoenle (Philadelphia Union draft pick, University of West Virginia) D – Reed Matte (Columbus Crew draft pick, University of Alabama Birmingham) D – Kevin Garcia (New England Revolution draft pick, Villanova University) D – Nurdin Hrustic (KFC Uerdingen – Germany, Jacksonville University) {Bosnia} M – Sola Abolaji (Ullensaker/Kisa - Norway) M – Tyler Whitmer (Harrisburg Heat – PASL, Temple University) M – Sean Peckham (Lafayette College) M – Robbie Tice (Nesodden – Norway) {Canada} M – Zach Bowman (York Region Shooters – Canada, Stevens Institute) M – Peter Kelly (SIU – Edwardsville) M - Stephen Brossard (Marist College) M - Jennings Rex (Seattle Sounder draft pick, UNC – Charlotte) F – Marco Mangione – (Baltimore Blast – MISL, Towson State) F – Babayele Sodade (Seattle Sounder, University of Alabama Birmingham) {Canada} F - Matt Kadoch (Millersville) Notes * - on loan from Philadelphia Union @ - in-season trialist who later signed with HCI
Corrected it - thanks. The initial post kept getting a strike-through font style in the last few lines when I posted it and would not let me edit it - was able to correct it now.
http://www.pennlive.com/sports/index.ssf/2013/05/another_loan_brings_leo_fernan.html Union loans Leo Fernandes (LM/AM) - rookie from Stony Brook - to HCI and recalls Anding.
Congrats to Anding, he certainly excelled at left back in his short spell in Harrisburg. The move frees up Becher from having to pick between Basso and Anding, but I'm not sure if Basso is ready for 90 minutes yet after being injured. Sorry to see Anding go because he played great, but happy to see him move up to the Union. Good luck! Welcome to Harrisburg, Leo! I'm not sure where he fits with this squad. He certainly shined at Stony Brook, America East Midfielder of the Year, 31 goals and 17 assists in his collegiate career including 9 goals and 7 assists in each of the past two seasons. 6'1" and 165, seems tallish, not sure how physical or fast because I haven't seen him play. Tom Mellor has been the team's primary left-sided midfielder, so I can't imagine Leo replacing him in the lineup, maybe if Ekra's injury prevents him from playing a while he can slide into the attacking midfielder/withdrawn forward position he plays. Cristhian Hernandez has assumed the #10 role, Jimmy McLaughlin plays wide on the right, while Jason Pelletier and Tom Brandt will share the defensive responsibilities in the center of the midfield. So does Leo just provide cover for Mellor and Ekra/Hernandez at LM and AM? Should be interesting to see how Becher uses him.
David Flynn was signed as the reserve goalie. He attended St. Bonaventure and was on the Pittsburgh Riverhounds roster last season. http://gobonnies.sbu.edu/sports/m-soccer/mtt/flynn_david00.html
Was just looking at the roster and it's great to see a number of local players on the roster. I counted 6 players that listed local birth places. It just goes to show that Central Pa is a good source for players. And on a side note, you could say there are 7 local player on the roster. But I don't consider Bryn Mawr, PA as part of Central PA. LOL
Don Anding returns to Harrisburg, not quite sure why considering that Philly is shorthanded in defense, but I'm sure the City Islanders will welcome him back with open arms. I wonder if someone returns to Philly as a result? Does Anding replace Basso in the first XI?
i'm curious if anyone knows what happened to Chase Harrison? After the union cut him, i thought he might go back to HBG, but it doesn't look like he is playing for anyone as far as i could see.
Harrison has not popped up anywhere on trial since the Union cut him. Given his age (29) and journeyman career, he may have opted to start his non-soccer career although a team like the Virginia Cavalry (NASL expansion team next year) may be a good fit given his time with other regional teams (Philly, DC United, HCI, Richmond, Crystal Palace Baltimore, Virginia Beach - college @ Virginia Tech). HCI would not have been a good fit now since Noble is a veteran #1 who is already under contract and they likely wanted younger, cheaper back-ups.
Interesting report of three trialists in Harrisburg from Bullock: "CITY ISLANDERS AUDITIONING PLAYERS Three players – forward Taylor Morgan, midfielder/defender Jason Villagomez and goalkeeper Darius Motazed – began training with the City Islanders earlier this week. The English-born Morgan was released last month by Major League Soccer's Toronto F.C., which used its fourth-round pick in January's supplemental lottery to select the former George Mason star. Villagomez, a 5-8, 155-pounder who is capable of playing just about every field position, attended Massachusetts and Southern Connecticut State before moving to Europe and spending time with clubs in Germany and Poland. Motazed is a Canadian-born netminder who played at St. Francis University in Loretto." http://www.pennlive.com/sports/index.ssf/2013/06/post_134.html I can't imagine a keeper seeing any action unless Noble gets injured or called up to MLS (which would surprise since I feel like his play has been weaker than last season). The offense has been potent and Becher has many possibilities up front with Touray/Mkosana at the striker position, Mellor/Anding on the left, McLaughlin/Langley on the right, Ekra/Hardware withdrawn, and Hernandez as playmaker. The team could use depth in the center of the midfield where Hernandez, Pelletier, Ribeiro, and Brandt (recovering from injury) play. The one thing the club lacks is a physical target forward, something Becher loves, and at 6'5" Morgan fits that bill. Should be interesting to see if anyone is signed, the team did bring in late roster additions during their great 2011 campaign, including a strong target forward in Brian Ackley who started during the drive to the USL final.
Morgan would give them a big target forward that they lack. He seemed to have a decent run with TFC but required an international roster spot which TFC has been rolling in losts of foreign players so they likely needed the spot for a more MLS-ready player. Villagomez has the same agent as Touray (http://www.krahlingsports.com/CLIENTS.html) - supposedly he got some good reviews on his trials with clubs in Poland. Motazed would seem to be battling for the #3 goalie spot.
Pretty much my take: Morgan seems a good candidate to play right away, perhaps Sainey moves to right wing as the result? I wonder if HCI coaches figure some Union loans might not happen as frequently, such as Wheeler if he's converted to a center back, or Anding with the Keita deal falling through, thus the effort to bring in reinforcements? Or perhaps they figure they have a team who could conceivably win this thing, so why not add more depth? Either way, I wonder if they'll be allowed to trial with the HCI U-23 academy squad that plays the Newtown Pride in Sunday's doubleheader? I'd guess it's unlikely, but I suppose they could also get a look in the Union friendly because Philly could play Hernandez, McLaughlin and Jordan against HCI, leaving Harrisburg a little understaffed.
Two new signings announced via the HCI Facebook page: Antonio Bua, a wide midfielder who played on the left wing against the Union: http://www.ycpspartans.com/sports/msoc/2012-13/bios/bua_antonio_dm8r Kenny Caceros, a central midfielder who played at Syracuse and for Edmonton in the NASL last season: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenny_Caceros http://www.suathletics.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=6705&path=msoccer Both signings will provide some much-needed depth after the Union loan situation has proven problematic. The team dressed only 15 players last match, including their third choice goalkeeper as a field player.
Bua and Caceros added to the original post. Bua (will wear #10) is listed on the HCI website roster - Caceros is not there yet. In terms of the Union players, Hernandez and McLaughlin are back with HCI. Anding was at the Union practice yesterday but did nto participate in any of the scrimmages so it is safe to assume that he was being rested for tonight's HCI game (Union signed another LB in Fabinho so they do not need the cover that Anding offered at that position). Jordan was also at the Union practice but was doing rehab work with the trainers - it looks like he might be out a while. Wheeler and Fernandes are getting a fair amount of playing time given the Union's injury and Gold Cup roster issues so I doubt that they will be going to HCI in the short-run. Not that HCI needs another goalie but given the Union's recent signing of Nikolov, they could send Konopka down for a game or two, if needed. The Union still have open roster spots but do not seem in a hurry to fill them.
http://www.philadelphiaunion.com/news/2013/09/philadelphia-union-sign-yann-ekra-f The Union sign Yann Ekra.