Players signings on the rise

by USL Press Release
January 31, 2001 - USL First Division (USL-1)

USL Press Release

A-League clubs sign veterans as they await upcoming draft

TAMPA, Fla. – Player signings have picked up over the past couple weeks as teams try to lock their key players in to determine what needs will have to be addressed in the 2001 A-League Draft just eight days away.

Clubs who have been silent for much of the offseason have come out of hibernation to announce recent signings of A-League veterans set to make another run for a National Championship. Strategies are now being formed for the Feb. 8 draft and for the scramble for veteran Major League Soccer players who will be waived over the next few months in favor of the new additions from the USL and college ranks.

The Atlanta Silverbacks seem to be the center of most of the recent signings. Atlanta coach John Dugan, formerly of the Raleigh Capital Express, is well underway in constructing the 2001 edition of his Silverbacks, re-signing four players from last year's squad, including the team's top two scorers Ignace Moleka and Patrick Beech. Joining them are defenders Sylvan Bednar and Danny Care.

Atlanta has lost a few as well. Brian Piesner left for the Charleston Battery in October and Joshua Henderson and Guy Norcott were recently signed by the Richmond Kickers and Nashville Metros, respectively.

The Seattle Sounders recently poached MLS for the return of one of their former stars. Seattle signed Columbus Crew midfielder Jason Farrell to play for the Sounders instead of returning to MLS for 2001. Farrell played for the Sounders from 1994-96 before joining MLS and the Columbus Crew, where he scored 11 goals in 98 games over the past four seasons.

The Cincinnati Riverhawks, who finished next to last in the A-League last year, have been extremely busy over the past two months, signing seven players. Veteran goalkeeper Chris Wanamaker was the only one of the seven who played for the Riverhawks last season. Cincinnati added Jon Pickup from Indiana and Joe Mercik of Rochester in mid-December along with Nigerian Abel Salami and former New Orleans Storm player Ricardo Alcerro. A month later, Cincinnati signed Luis Labastida of the Minnesota Thunder and former El Paso Patriots goalkeeper Alfredo Estrada (1997-99) as a backup to Wanamaker.

The hope of most teams is to build a team capable of beating defending A-League champion Rochester. A task that will not be easy. Rochester signed several of their core players from last season in mid-December. A week after re-signing Martin Nash, Rochester inked 2000 Goalkeeper of the Year Scott Vallow, Carlos Zavala and Bill Sedgewick.

The Charleston Battery, however, were the first team to start the offseason signing campaign. Just three weeks after being eliminated from the playoffs by Rochester, the Battery began re-signing a number of their key players, mixing in a few new faces as well. The first to sign on the dotted line were Dusty Hudock, Mac Cozier and Jon Akin. Charleston added Piesner and backup goalkeeper Todd Hoffard two weeks later. The following week, Nicky Spooner re-signed and the Battery added Jukka Rantala of Finnish champion FC Haka and Matt Farris of Raleigh.

In the D3 Pro League, the Wilmington Hammerheads are well ahead of the curve, announcing the signing of seven players in the past week. Returning are William Files, Drew Perry, Chad Crandell, David Mallick and Marc Selvitelle, who left Wilmington mid-season in 2000 to play for the Roanoke Wrath. New additions are Roanoke forward Derek Shockley, who played for the Richmond Kickers in 1997, and Ben Speckhart, who spent last season training with the Hampton Roads Mariners.

A-LEAGUE NEWS BRIEFS

RIVERHOUNDS LET KOWALSKI GO – The Pittsburgh Riverhounds chose not to renew former Head Coach John Kowalski's contract for the 2001 season, citing that the club has decided to go in a different direction. The team has begun its search for a new coach in addition to finding someone to replace the recently departed Dave Kasper, who left as general manager for an executive position with MLS' New England Revolution.

LYNX RE-SIGN ZAGAR; ARRANGE EXHIBITION WITH FIRPO – The Toronto Lynx have re-signed goalkeeper Theo Zagar for the 2001 season. The fourth-year Lynx goalkeeper finished fourth in the league with a goals-against average of 1.06 in 2000. The club also announced that it has arranged a friendly with El Salvadoran First Division side CDLA Firpo. The game has been scheduled for June 1. Toronto also announced that Claritin, an antihistamine and allergy solution, has signed on as a sponsor.

THUNDER RE-SIGN GENTILE – The Minnesota Thunder announced the re-signing of midfielder Mike Gentile for 2001. The five-year veteran has won three national championships in the last six years; with the Thunder in 1999, the Milwaukee Rampage in 1997 and with the Univ. of Wisconsin in 1995.

D3 PRO LEAGUE NEWS BRIEFS

GREENVILLE ANNOUNCES COACH – The expansion Greenville Lions announced Keith Parkinson as the club's first-ever head coach. Parkinson, a native of Wigan, England, is early in his coaching career, spending four seasons as an assistant coach at Furman Univ. before leaving to continue his professional playing career with the Raleigh Flyers, South Carolina Shamrocks and Charleston Battery. The Florida International Univ. graduate also played with England's Manchester City Football Club and Ireland's Sligo Rovers.

MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER NEWS BRIEFS

BURN NAME JEFFRIES AS NEW COACH – The Dallas Burn announced former New Orleans Storm coach Mike Jeffries as their new head coach for the 2001 season. Jeffries has spent the past three years as an assistant coach for the Chicago Fire, helping the team capture the 1998 and 2000 U.S. Open Cup titles and the 1998 MLS Cup championship. Prior to joining the Fire, Jeffries compiled a 42-34 record with the Storm (formerly Riverboat Gamblers) from 1995-98. He replaces Dave Dir, who was released after the Burn's 14-14-4 season. Dir was the only coach in Dallas' five-year history.

COLORADO ADDS DONALDSON AS ASSISTANT – The Colorado Rapids added former Colorado Foxes coach Lorne Donaldson to its coaching staff for the 2001 season. Donaldson helped lead the Foxes to back-to-back A-League National Championships in 1992 and 1993 as an assistant coach and was the club's head coach in 1997, its final season before being sold and moved to San Diego, where it became the Flash. Donaldson joins newly transplanted Tampa Bay Mutiny head coach Tim Hankinson, who was the former general manager and coach of the Charleston Battery.

USL First Division Stories from January 31, 2001

• Players signings on the rise - OSC Original by USL Press Release

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