YNT-eligible lower-division pro players: 2019 In-season thread

Pro USL soccer is coming to San Diego, and this story has ... a lot of stuff in it:

The newest addition to a crowded minor league sports landscape has a name:

San Diego Loyal Soccer Club.

... It will begin play in March at USD’s Torero Stadium, with former U.S. national team star Landon Donovan as its executive vice president of soccer operations and, many expect, its head coach.

...

[The name] is an interesting choice, particularly in a city of transplants with a reputation of fair-weathered fans, where Padres games at Petco Park are regularly populated with supporters for the visiting team.

...

The unveiling ceremony included a toast to Andrew Vassiliadis, the club’s primary owner who was away at his bachelor party but watching via web stream.​

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.co...st-landon-donovan-warren-smith-torero-stadium

 

San Diego soccer fans mostly locals. Good name.

 

You may be right, and I just need to change with the times. In my day, American sports teams teams were permitted to choose names from a list of large cat types, uphill in the snow both ways, and that was that.

 

Not much snow here, plenty of water, still the team can be called after the most dangerous creature. San Diego Dead Skunks?

 

When will the ocelot have its day?

 

https://www.schoolcraft.edu/athletics

 

FWIW, '99 Damen Marcu is playing JuCo ball in Kansas, contributing substantially for a winning team. He was previously in the USL with Colorado Springs. I don't know enough about NCAA rules to know what other collegiate levels he may be eligible for at this point.

http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/msoc/2018-19/bios/marcu_damen_psty

 

Looks like the "David Villa FC to Queens" rumors are true and a second-division operation is coming to NYC in 2021:

https://www.uslsoccer.com/news_article/show/1064167

The announcement mentions locations but not much else, and says nothing about a relationship with NYCFC.

So right now, the NYC-area pro scene is...

MLS: NYCFC, NYRB
USLC: NYRB2, QBFC (2021)
USL1: Nothing ​

... plus a good bit of NPSL and USL2 action. Is there room for more? I dunno, but I imagine someone is trying to figure that out.

 

The Cosmos, or whoever has the rights to their name at a given moment, are always lurking with a media heavy/substance challenged approach to professional soccer in the Big Apple. You just never know when it will rear it’s head - only that it will make a lot of noise when it does.

 

Indeed. It seems likely that that organization would seek to compete at a higher level again, though it doesn't appear that they're too eager to join the USL.

 

BREAKING: San Diego Loyal announces Landon Donovan as Manager. ​​​​​​​Considered one of the best U.S. soccer players in history, Donovan will lead duties as both EVP of Soccer Operations and Manager.

Press Release >> https://t.co/oxxhcv2uYg#SDLoyal pic.twitter.com/eWpRD8DN8I

— San Diego Loyal (@SanDiegoLoyal) November 14, 2019

 

David Ochoa has some swagger to him and played well tonight in the USL final.

 

David Ochoa blows a kiss to the heckling Louisville supporters as the final whistle blows. That kid is the real deal — and could factor for time at #RSL next year.

There’s a new king in the #USL Championship. 3-1 the final, congratulations @RealMonarchs. #LOUvSLC

— Jeff Rueter (@jeffrueter) November 18, 2019

FULL TIME: 1-3 | #LOUvSLC pic.twitter.com/UTMn75ghXx

— USL Championship (@USLChampionship) November 18, 2019