Photo credit: Butler men’s soccer

INDIANAPOLIS — After a decorated 2016 campaign that saw the team claim the Big East title, Butler entered this season with lofty expectations. The Bulldogs kicked off their season Saturday at the Sellick Bowl with an exhibition match against Michigan and showed flashes of brilliance, but on the whole displayed the typical rust often seen in preseason openers. The end result was a nil-nil draw.

Head coach Paul Snape’s Bulldogs came out in their usual free-flowing 4-5-1 setup, with sophomore midfielders Isaac Galliford and Lewis Suddick leading the attack.

The two clubs agreed to some unique circumstances in order to give their players extra coaching and rest. Channeling hockey, they opted for three 30-minute periods.

Suddick almost scored in the first period, but his headed effort past the goalkeeper was cleared off the line as it trickled toward the far post. Ditto for sophomore forward Brandon Guhl, whose late header bounced just wide of post.

The Wolverines, coming off a disappointing four-win 2016 season, including just one victory in Big Ten play, accounted themselves quite well and appear much improved this year.

Michigan midfielder Umar Farouk Osman posed sporadic problems for the hosts by interjecting his pace and showing off his slick dribbling ability. He started out on the left flank, then shifted to right midfielder in the second period.

Wolverines forward Mohammed Zakyi also made a difference for the visitors. After a bad giveaway by Galliford in the defensive third, Zakyi fired a shot on frame that forced Butler goalkeeper Eric Dick into a diving save.

Photo credit: Soc Takes

Butler looked sharper in the second period than in the first, and seemed to improve its cohesion — especially in the midfield — as the match wore on. In the third period, both coaches opted to roll out lineups featuring mostly backups to get their bench players some vital preseason minutes.

Overall both sides turned in slightly sloppy performances, but that’s precisely what exhibition matches are for — to shake off the cobwebs.

Butler will return to action Wednesday in Columbus for another exhibition clash with Ohio State.

***

You can follow Kevin on Twitter: @KJboxing.

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Louisville City FC’s official radio show on AM 790 KRD, Soccer City, invited our own Kevin Johnston on the program to preview today’s preseason match between LouCity and the Indy Eleven in Evansville.

The topics included what to expect in today’s final dress rehearsal and the growing rivalry between the two clubs despite being in different leagues. Listen:

Today’s game is the final preseason match for both teams as they prepare for the starts of the NASL and USL seasons next weekend. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. ET, 5 p.m. local time. Follow Indy Eleven’s live account for in-game updates.

Thumbnail photo credit: Louisville City FC/790 KRD

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Photo credit: Boca Raton FC

Snagging six points across two matches in the NPSL is hardly child’s play, even on a home stand. And when you’re the new kid on the block in an established league, doing so on the road is damn near cause for celebration.

Boca Raton FC did just that after dropping its first two matches of the season. One-goal losses to Miami United and Kraze United to start its inaugural NPSL campaign left the club feeling competitive and on the verge of turning the corner; it didn’t take long before the team did.

Back-to-back road wins at Beaches FC and Naples United quickly shot Boca Raton up to the middle of the table in the seven-team NPSL South Sunshine Conference Division. With both victories coming by two goals, the performances also improved the club’s goal differential to +2 through four matches.

Image credit: NPSL.com

But Boca Raton’s success shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. The club had already established a winning culture before making the jump to the NPSL. Its past success helped prepare the team for greener pastures.

“Boca Raton and our president Douglas Heizer had a very smart, slow growth plan,” Boca Raton FC director of communication Kartik Krishnaiyer said on the Soc Takes Pod. “Just play at kind of a grassroots level at first. Develop a little bit of a following in 2015. Play in a local league, APSL. We won that league in 2015. We won that league in 2016 (trophy pictured above). Now make the jump to NPSL.”

Athirson, a former Juventus player and head coach of Boca Raton FC, certainly has enough firepower to keep the team playing at a high level. Brazilian forward Bruno Militz, Aussie defender Justin Wilbanks and Colombian midfielder Shadi Harb have helped lead the club so far, with the latter fresh off a brace in the team’s 3-1 win over Naples.

For his brace yesterday Shadi Harb is the #BRFC player of the match! #BocaNation pic.twitter.com/UMUCJT1ebI

— Boca Raton FC (@BocaRatonFC) May 28, 2017

Consider it a jolly coincidence that an international city is stocked with ample international talent.

“Boca Raton is a beautiful city,” Krishnaiyer added. “It’s on the water. It’s about 20 miles north of Ft. Lauderdale International Airport where you get flights from Dubai, London and South America. Emirates flies from Ft. Lauderdale. British Airways flies from Ft. Lauderdale. So we are an international destination.”

Boca Raton FC will look to keep its fine NPSL form alive tonight on the road against the Jacksonville Armada U-23 side. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET at Patton Park Stadium Field and the match can be streamed live via SportsmeshTV.

You can follow Kevin on Twitter @KJboxing.

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Photo credit: Miami FC

The NASL playoffs are looming and the top seed is locked up. Miami FC will host the club’s first-ever postseason match on Nov. 5 at Ricardo Silva Stadium. That is done. Their opponent for that match is less clear, however.

There are currently two teams battling it out for the fourth and final spot. Those teams are Jacksonville Armada FC and the New York Cosmos who are currently tied on points but occupy the fourth and fifth spots, respectively.

While it is true that the No. 1 seed will face No. 4, it is not a guarantee that either the Armada or Cosmos are that seed. Neither one has a shot at the fall season’s automatic bid, but that doesn’t mean they are required to face the teal and tangerine in the semifinals. It is extremely unlikely that either one will play host in November. Both bubble teams can close on North Carolina FC in the combined standings, who find themselves in a fantastic opportunity to control their own destiny. The NASL’s split season format makes all of this complicated.

NASL combined standings as of Oct. 12. Image credit: NASL.com

There are three teams in legitimate position to claim the fall and nab hosting rights in the opening round of the playoffs. One of those is Miami. They already have the top seed on lock so the rest of the seeding would be fairly straightforward. It would all come down to combined standings at that point. Aforementioned NCFC can really throw a wrench in things for the San Francisco Deltas with the right playoff push and a fall season title, but if they falter now, they may wind up dropping to fourth place in the combined standings and visiting Miami in November … or worse.

Crystal clear! Let’s look at some scenarios:

Easiest

Either Miami FC or the SF Deltas claim the fall season. This would nail down the 1 and 2 seeds instantaneously. Since Miami have already clinched, there will be no change at the top. The remaining two or three spots would be awarded to the teams with the highest number of points in the combined standings.

The Deltas won’t be challenged for points in the combined standings. They cannot improve their position, only solidify it. However, there is still a chance that the Deltas end up the 3 seed. That is the worst they can do at this point. They would rather stay in that 2 spot and bring the playoffs to the Bay Area in their inaugural season. The most obvious opponent at this time is NCFC.

Possibility

NCFC wants the fall too. If they can close the two-point gap on the league leaders — Miami and Deltas — they will host the Deltas in November. Be careful what you wish for. San Francisco have only one away loss on the year. NCFC has three games remaining so they had better act quickly, but they are one of the hottest teams right now. They have taken 10 points in their last four games. This scenario would mean that only one of the Armada or Cosmos get a bonus game.

Crazier

The wheels fall of in North Carolina. Both NYC and JAX overtake them in the combined standings. Both are five points back, but they have a game in hand with four contests remaining. The two bubble teams have now become the 3 and 4 seeds and NCFC gets to watch the playoffs at home.

The New York Cosmos have taken six points in their last five matches. Jacksonville has taken five points in that same stretch. It is also possible that one of the two bubble teams slides past NCFC and forces the train birds to No. 4.

NCFC is unbeaten and has three wins in their last four. The wheels would really have to come off.

Puerto Rico is out. Edmonton is out. Indy is out, although not officially mathematically eliminated. The Eleven have the league’s worst defense and the worst goal differential that customarily goes with that. To consider them a longshot would be the kindest way of putting it.

The NASL is currently an eight-team league. Half of the participants will vie for the championship in November. Last year’s champs are a dark horse right now and last year’s runner-up is not even in the conversation.

Follow Aaron on Twitter: @AGunyon.

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Soc Takes had previously characterized Albuquerque as a “less likely” destination for the USL in 2019. Yet, multiple sources inform Soc Takes that Albuquerque will be part of the USL in the 2019 season. Currently, Albuquerque Sol FC plays in the PDL and is expected to continue to do so next year.

ABQ to USL

Per sources, Albuquerque’s application was discussed, along with 4-5 other teams, at the recently concluded USL Winter Summit.

Soc Takes understands that Ron Patel, current owner of Albuquerque Sol FC, will continue in an executive position within the board of the new USL team. However, the majority of the investment will be from a “group of local investors.” One of those investors will also serve as the principal owner who meets the USSF division II requirement of having a net worth of twenty million dollars. Soc Takes has been unable to confirm the identity of any of the additional investors.

A well-placed source informs Soc Takes that the group is still attempting to secure their “own stadium deal,” and is willing to find a “temporary (1-2 year) solution” to ensure they play in 2019. Currently, ABQ Sol FC divides their games between the UNM Soccer Stadium and Ben Rios Field at St. Pius X High School.

Ron Patel has previously spoken to the city to set the steps in motion to secure funding for a downtown stadium.

Albuquerque Sol FC (Credit: ABQ Sol FC)

Demographics for soccer

Albuquerque is the largest city in New Mexico and the major metropolitan area boasts of a population of just under one million people. Soc Takes understands that USL aims for its incoming division II markets to have a population of over 750,000.

Per a 2010 census, the city has a strong Latino population and approximately 65 percent of its population is younger than the age of 45, while almost 25 percent of its population is younger than the age of 24.

These are good soccer demographics.

Conjecture

The city of ABQ would be a good fit for a professional soccer team. The team would be virtually equidistant from USL teams in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Colorado Springs and Oklahoma City.

Additionally, from a sporting perspective, the team would have to compete with a AAA baseball team — and not much else — for sponsors and fans. Recently, there have been a number of collaborations between AAA owners and USL teams. It remains unclear if the ABQ USL team in 2019 will have any investment from the ownership group of the Albuquerque Isotopes (Author’s note: as a science nerd, this is the best name of any sporting franchise ever), Albuquerque Baseball Club, LLC.

Soc Takes contributor James Poling previously reported that the USL is interested in creating a central conference. It would make sense for this ABQ team to participate in the central conference.

At the time, USL commissioner Jake Edwards told Poling:

“We will have a couple of new markets coming into the league in 2019 that will I think make a three-conference model a certainty. We are looking at whether we do it in ’18, but I know we will definitely have it in ’19.”

It seems likely that ABQ will be one of those new markets. It remains unclear if the group will continue to field a team in the PDL once the USL team launches.

Soc Takes contacted Ron Patel about the story, but Patel declined to comment.

You can find Nipun Chopra at NipunChopra7 on Twitter.

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Photo credit: Jarrett Campbell

INDIANAPOLIS — Martin Rennie is already a known commodity in American soccer circles. But he’d also been coaching Seoul E-Land FC in the South Korean second division for the past several years, so who knows what tactical philosophy the 2018 version of Rennie subscribes to?

Luckily, the first-year Indy Eleven manager offered a peek Thursday into how his side might line up and play — contingent of course upon how his roster takes shape.

A betting man would say Rennie sounds fondest of a 4-3-3, but the veteran Scottish manager also cited a few other setups he’s comfortable with.

“Over the years, I’ve quite liked the 4-3-3 formation, but I also like the 4-4-2 or 4-2-3-1,” Rennie said. “And now, as well, I’ve done some work with the more popular back three-type system. So I’m open-minded on that part. A lot of games that I have coached I’d say have kind of been a 4-3-3 formation.”

As far as style, Rennie said he preaches possession with an emphasis on penetrating, off-the-ball runs to get in behind the defense. He likes his sides to be proactive, not reactive.

“I think in coaching, there are really two types of coaches,” Rennie explained. “One that wants to have the ball and kind of play and attack, and then another that kind of wants to wait for the opposition to make a mistake. So for me, I want to have the ball more and be more proactive and attack more. That’s my philosophy.

“But over the years — I’ve coached in different countries and at different levels — I’ve learned that I’ve also got to be able to do the other thing, which is to be able to defend very well, and be very compact and hard to beat sometimes. So it’s really a team I want to build that can do both of those things well, but when we’re able to do what we want to do, I want to be a team on the ball, moving the ball quickly and making a lot of penetrating movements.”

One MLS insider told Soc Takes that Rennie’s Vancouver Whitecaps teams tended to play well-organized soccer, but noted his proclivity for “shoehorning as many defensive midfielders into the XI as is possible, with predictable results.” It’s entirely possible that Rennie’s rendition of the 4-3-3 includes two or three CDMs as part of a mini triangle that sits mostly centrally, with the wing forwards taking on a more active role behind the ball.

However Rennie ends up trotting out his starting XI, one thing’s for sure: He currently has more pressing matters to worry about than the pedantic subtleties of a formation. First and foremost, he needs human beings in Indy Eleven kits available for selection. Rennie hopes to have some semblance of a roster together and ready to report to the training grounds by Feb. 7.

Follow Kevin on Twitter: @KJboxing.

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Image credit: Midwest Pro Soccer Combine

The second-annual Midwest Pro Soccer Combine is set for Dec. 18-19 at Legacy Center Sports Complex in Brighton, Mich. And just like the inaugural edition, the focus is once again on quality over quantity.

Rather than accepting every applicant willing to fork up the bread for a chance to get in front of coaches and scouts, the combine aims for a group of 70 highly skilled footballers: 64 field players and six goalkeepers.

“We’ve created this first layer of player vetting,” explained event organizer and AFC Ann Arbor head coach Eric Rudland. “We’re not trying to grow this event to be, you know, bringing in 100 players or 200 players. We’re very strong in the belief that we want to keep the quantity low and the quality high. So we want to reiterate that whenever we can to just say, ‘Hey, we still really want to bring in 70 top players,’ and make it a positive experience for the players and obviously a positive experience for the pro clubs.”

With a surplus of talent in-state and plenty more nearby, Rudland estimated that a significant chunk of 2016 combine attendees were local or regional players.

“When you look at the Midwest as a whole, there’s a lot of quality here in the college game,” Rudland said. “And I think there’s a lot of quality in the NPSL and PDL as well. Last year at the event, we had probably 30 percent of the guys there were from the Midwest. Maybe even higher, actually — closer to 40 percent.”

Of course, that means a solid 60-70 percent of the remaining pro hopefuls were from not just all over the country, but all over the globe. Rudland expects a similar ratio this year, and expressed his excitement about some of the prospects the combine has lined up.

“We’re trying to bring in a couple players from West Africa that will hopefully draw some interest from professional clubs,” Rudland said. “We definitely expect some top PDL guys and some top NPSL guys, and then hopefully a handful of internationals.”

The first crop of combine invitees was announced Friday:

Excited to announce the first 10 players accepted into the 2017 #MPSC https://t.co/XEKeAnYqyB pic.twitter.com/tCKeor8RbT

— Midwest Pro Combine (@midwestprosc) November 17, 2017

Indy Eleven forward David Goldsmith attended the inaugural edition of the combine. After going undrafted in the 2017 MLS SuperDraft, he earned a shot as a trialist with the Eleven and made the roster.

“The Midwest Pro Combine was a great opportunity to play with other top players from around the country in a professional environment,” Goldsmith said. “It was very useful to push myself against the other players in preparation for hoping to step into a professional team’s preseason in the new year.”

Goldsmith felt he benefitted from attending the combine, and encouraged high-level college footballers with pro ambitions to do likewise.

“I would recommend the combine to anyone who aspires to play at the professional level, and it is a great opportunity to demonstrate your talents in front of a variety of professional scouts from all leagues,” he added. “It only takes a moment to be spotted by a team, so I believe it helps your chances to put yourself in front of as many scouts as you can.”

Image credit: Midwest Pro Soccer Combine

An impressive list of players inked professional contracts after participating in the 2016 combine: Lalas Abubakar (Columbus Crew SC), Lindo Mfeka (Reno 1868 FC), Lars Eckenrode (Toronto FC II), Francis de Vries (Vancouver Whitecaps II), Goldsmith (Indy Eleven), Ben Fitzpatrick (Pittsburgh Riverhounds), Riley Grant (Seattle Sounders II), Brad Ruhaak (North Carolina FC), Ryan Howe (St. Louis FC), Skyler Milne (Real Monarchs), Nick Kolorac (St. Louis Ambush), Billy Heavner (Minnesota United FC), Micah Bleadso (Louisville City FC), Darrin MacLeaod (Swope Park Rangers), Simon Megally (Nybro IF), Aleski Pahkasalo (FC Legirus Inter), Tyler Fischer (Avondale FC), Sam Zisette (CD Almunecar City), Jack Griffin (Hall Road Rangers FC), James Pendrigh (Stode IF), Brett Nason (San Roque de Lepe), Andre Landell (Rushall Olympic FC), Gerald Ben (Mikkelin Kissat), Jake Freeman (CD San Roque de Lepe), Yannis Becker (TB Uphusen).

Players can apply for the Midwest Pro Soccer Combine at its website for a $25 application fee. And if accepted, there’s an additional $225 registration fee.

Coaches, scouts and intermediaries are encouraged to register at the website along with citing their club or agency affiliation. There is no application or registration fee for non-player attendees.

After receiving input from last year’s combine, the 2017 edition features a new wrinkle intended to more directly prepare prospects for the specific tests MLS personnel will run them through.

“One of the additions that we’re going to make this year, based on pro clubs’ feedback, is we’re actually going to implement the same MLS fitness testing that takes place at the MLS combine,” Rudland said. “So this year, the pro clubs that come in will actually have fitness data and performance data on players along with just being able to see them play in matches.”

With a firm commitment to quality and a willingness to improve each year, the Midwest Pro Soccer Combine appears primed to help the next wave of gifted amateurs sign their first-ever pro deals for the 2018 season.

Follow Kevin on Twitter: @KJboxing.

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Photo credit: Jack Renwick/Soc Takes

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — It was a wild affair at Huron High School in Ann Arbor, host of the 2018 NPSL Midwest Region final between Duluth FC and AFC Ann Arbor. The action-packed, win-or-go-home match proved yet again how cruel the sport of soccer can be, as Duluth solidified their victory in penalty kicks for the second time this postseason.

The first half was back and forth with Duluth striking first courtesy of Ryan Tyrer in the 13th minute off a corner kick. Ten minutes later, Stanley Okumu served fellow Kenyan native Chris Odhiambo a beautiful ball, who came through with the header from the run of play to tie the game up at one apiece. Seconds later however, Duluth struck back on a weird deflection goal that beat Ann Arbor ‘keeper Nick Barry near post. It was a bewildering goal and many of the fans in attendance did not even see it, for they were still celebrating Odhiambo’s and Okumu’s moments of brilliance.

In the 40th minute, a sloppy giveaway from the Ann Arbor backline resulted in a simple finish for Duluth’s Kyle Farrar to give the BlueGreens a 3-1 lead. But Ann Arbor proved their resilience and toughness after their embarrassing mishap, as Alec Lasinky served captain Jack Cawley a fantastic ball from a free kick, who headed it home past Duluth’s ‘keeper to pull within a goal of the lead. This strike gave The Mighty Oak some much-needed confidence and momentum heading to the half.

The second half of this match was much different from the first, as Ann Arbor really started to dominate in possession and consistently created quality scoring chances in the final third. Duluth looked tired, and rightfully so. Just the previous day they played an intense semifinal match vs. Minneapolis City SC which went into extra time, forcing the BlueGreens to play a total of 120 minutes. On such short rest, their heavy legs became noticeable as they really started to drop back and “park the bus” so to speak.

Ann Arbor’s game awareness was terrific. They had a clear sense of urgency to equalize and played with a lot of heart and passion. Unfortunately for the Mighty Oak, they were wildly unlucky as they hit the post a total of three times in the second half. This didn’t deter Ann Arbor as they continued their excellent buildup play to create more and more chances. In the final seconds of the match in stoppage time, Ann Arbor was finally rewarded for their second-half dominance. A long, last-ditch effort throw-in into the box was flicked on by Jack Cawley and buried into the back of the net by Azaad Liadi, sending the roughly 1,000 fans at Huron High School into pandemonium. The game was headed to extra time.

Unlike the first 90 minutes of the match, extra time was not quite as exciting — nor did it have as high quality of play — in my opinion. This is likely large in part due to the tired legs I mentioned earlier. Not only did Duluth play 120 minutes the day before, but Ann Arbor had their semifinal the previous day as well. After playing another 90 minutes plus extra time, both teams were exhausted. Ann Arbor certainly still was the better team as they maintained most of the possession; however, Duluth continued to be pesky and weathered the storm well with their terrific defending.

I found it surprising how few quality chances the Mighty Oak were able to produce considering their second-half dominance and the load of momentum they had after scoring that last-minute equalizer. They had a couple of opportunities and looked dangerous at the very end of extra time but were unable to score, keeping Duluth alive. Penalties were needed to decide this contest.

Right at the very end of extra time, Duluth FC subbed out their goalkeeper on the field, Jan Hoffelner, for a new ‘keeper, Alberto Ciroi. They got this substitution off just in time for penalties, and the decision proved to be a valuable one as Ciroi would go on to make two spectacular saves in the shootout, proving to be the difference in the contest. Liam Moore would clinch the final PK for the BlueGreens as his shot beat goalkeeper Nick Barry to win the NPSL Midwest Region.

@DuluthFC: Kings of the Midwest #NPSL pic.twitter.com/v3SOV5RGrP

— Jack Renwick (@JackRenwick22) July 22, 2018

Despite being outplayed in my opinion, Duluth worked tremendously hard on defense to preserve their three first-half goals and were able to hold on and squeak out a win in Ann Arbor, which is not a small feat. The loss for Ann Arbor had to have really stung considering they lost in this exact game last year as well. The two fluky goals they conceded in the first half really turned out to be the death of them, despite their terrific response and fight displayed in the second half. Regardless, it was a great match and another memorable evening of NPSL soccer.

Duluth FC is king of the Midwest and will head to Miami to take on Miami FC 2 in the national semifinal on July 28.

Follow Jack on Twitter: @JackRenwick22.

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Image credit: USL

While the NASL lawsuit appeal rolls on, US Soccer finds itself in a situation where, for a second year running, it starts the calendar year without a sanctioned second division. Unlike the NASL, USL has continued to make expansion announcements and USL teams have diligently continued to rebuild their respective squads.

Yet, it is important to remember that the USL is not currently a sanctioned second division for the 2018 season.

Soc Takes understands that the status of the USL as a Division II league has not been discussed by the US Soccer board since the second week of October. Per information provided to Soc Takes, during a phone call a few days after the now-infamous Oct. 10 Trinidad game, US Soccer president Sunil Gulati informed the US Soccer board that the USL had submitted their paperwork within the thirty-day deadline.

Gulati also informed the board that a consultant had been hired to look over the submitted documents and would provide the board with advice regarding whether or not USL had met requirements.

(Note: The USSF had previously given the USL thirty days to address or to provide plans to address multiple waivers in their application for Division II status.)

However, there have been no further USSF board discussions regarding the status of the USL’s application since that time.

The US soccer board is scheduled to meet on Jan. 14 in New York and then again during the AGM in Orlando in February, and perhaps a discussion will be had during those meetings. It is important to note that if a decision is made in a few weeks, it would mean the USL’s DII sanctioning will be delayed further. The USL was awarded co-DII sanction on Jan. 6 last year.

As of this morning (Jan. 2) per multiple sources associated with the USL, the league has not been given updates about sanctioning.

Soc Takes reached out to US Soccer for comment on the USL’s sanctioning. A US Soccer media representative confirmed that it will be discussed during Jan. 14’s USSF board meeting.

Follow Nipun on Twitter: @NipunChopra7.

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Photo credit: Ryan Hall

Soc Takes understands that an unidentified investor (see update for identity of the investor) has secured the USL territorial rights for Chattanooga. This new team will be unaffiliated with Chattanooga FC.

Currently, Chattanooga FC operates in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) playing their homes games at Finley Stadium. Soc Takes reached out to Chattanooga FC president Tim Kelly, who said:

“I don’t know that it’s true (information about Chattanooga USLD3), but if it is true, Chattanooga FC was not aware of it, and we have every intention of fighting back with everything we’ve got.”

Kelly also confirmed to Soc Takes that Chattanooga FC had previously discussed USL expansion with USL representatives, but said those conversations were arrested due to a difference in vision. Chattanooga FC has also previously shown interest in the National Independent Soccer Association (NISA), but backed away from those discussions.

While Chattanooga FC is not involved in this USLD3 expansion, the story may have some twists and turns. A source close to the story suggests that the new USLD3 team will employ current Chattanooga FC general manager Sean McDaniel. McDaniel was a founding member of Chattanooga FC, and has served as its GM since 2017.

To complicate matters further, McDaniel currently serves as treasurer of the executive board of the NPSL.

It remains unclear if the Chattanooga USLD3 team will launch in 2019 or later. USLD3 is attempting to secure key markets with their goal of occupying the currently-vacant Division III niche next year with the league announcing Greenville, Tormenta FC, FC Tucson, Madison and Toronto FC II as its five initial founding members.

The league would need to announce eight teams in order to qualify for United States Soccer Federation (USSF) sanctioning. USL media suggested that multiple DIII teams would be announced during the month of July.

Per information provided to Soc Takes a year ago, USLD3 teams can expect to spend between $1.2 million and $1.9 million during their first year, which includes an initial expansion fee of $500,000. As revealed by Soc Takes, the expansion fee for USL (division II) has recently risen to $7 million. USLD3 targets 3,500-seat stadia in cities with a population of over 150,000. The population of Chattanooga is just shy of 180,000.

Soc Takes reached out to the USL for comment.

UPDATE: 7/27/18 6:05pm. Chattanooga FC released the following statement via Twitter:

We regret to announce that Sean McDaniel has resigned as club General Manager.

In addition, we understand that an investor from Utah has purchased the rights to the Chattanooga area in USL D3… (1/2)

— Chattanooga FC (@ChattanoogaFC) July 27, 2018

UPDATE: 7/27/18, 10:30pm. Earlier this evening, NPSL and Chattanooga released a joint statement.

Soc Takes was also provided with some additional information –

1. Sources at Chattanooga FC posit that McDaniel acted inappropriately and allege that McDaniel negotiated with USL “for months” while working within NPSL And Chattanooga FC, thereby raising questions of conflicts of interest. Soc Takes was not able to contact McDaniel for his side of the story.
2. Chattanooga FC chairman Tim Kelly confirms that the team’s stadium lease at Finley expires this year. While Kelly was on the board of the stadium, he recused himself from all Chatta-stadium deals. herefore, there is a window for Finley stadium to come into play for the USL-Chattanooga team.
3. The investor is Bob Martino from Utah. Soc Takes understands that Martino is involved in the Utah youth soccer scene, and has children who play collegiate soccer. It remains unknown if Martino has any local connection to the city of Chattanooga.
4. Bill Nuttall – another Chattanooga FC board member – resigned earlier this week. It is unclear if his resignation is related to today’s events.
5. Chattanooga FC is exploring legal options.
6. Chattanooga FC owners are not interested in being bought out by the USLd3 group.

Follow Nipun on Twitter: @NipunChopra7. 

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