USL PRO Week in Review for 2/25/2011

The LA Blues have added another veteran of the Mexican Primera Division, signing attacking midfielder Walter Gaitan, along with youngsters Israel Sesay and Josh Suggs. FC New York signed Graciano Brito, while the Charlotte Eagles officially announced the signing of goalkeeper Eric Reed.  The Rochester Rhinos added midfielder Brad Stisser and University of South Carolina defender Will Traynor. Orlando City SC signed Jamaican international Demar Stewart and Luke Boden, who started his career with Sheffield Wednesday, and added Will Traynor’s older brother, Jack Traynor to their camp roster. The Pittsburgh Riverhounds have re-signed Japanese defender Shintaro Harada and Croatian Nikola Katic.

Los Angeles Blues

Walter Gaitan, 33, joins fellow Mexican Primera Division veteran Oscar Dautt on the Blues’ squad. In fact, the two were teammates at Tigres UANL circa 2002-2003. Gaitan is a native of La Rioja, Argentina and began his career with Argentinian side Rosario Central in 1997.  Gaitan’s impressive resume includes time at La Liga side Villareal, along with earning a Copa Libertadores title with Boca Juniors in 2001. The attacking midfielder won the Mexican Primera Division scoring title in 2004 while with Tigres, and has been a bonafide scorer everywhere he’s played, notching over 100 career goals. “El Divino”also played a season for Necaxa and spent time with Veracruz in the Liga de Ascenso.

Walter Gaitan

The Blues also added defender Josh Suggs, 21, and forward/midfielder Israel Sesay to their roster. Suggs, a 6-footer from Las Cruces, New Mexico, played four years at Humboldt State, earning 2nd team All-CCAA honors his junior and senior year while captaining his team in 2010.  Sesay was born in Sierra Leone but came to the United States when he was 11 years old as his family settled in Maryland. Sesay attended the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida in 2006-2008, and the 5’6″ attacker has more than 30 professional games under his belt with the Cleveland City Stars, Real Maryland Monarchs and three appearances with the LA Galaxy. He also made 14 appearances for the US U-17 national team.

Blues’ coach Charlie Naimo feels both players can have an impact for his team. “Josh is a strong left-sided player and has the potential to do extremely well at the back,” said Naimo. “Also, Israel is a young and exciting player who we think can cause problems for our opponents.” And how does Naimo feel about acquiring Gaitan? “We are extremely excited to add a world class player like Walter. Breaking down defenses and scoring goals is not easy and throughout his career Walter has proven success doing it.”

FC New York

The expansion New York club signed former Quinnipiac University star Graciano Brito. In January Brito had signed with Clube Operario Desportivo, who play in the third level of Portuguese professional soccer. The 6’2″ forward  left Quinnipiac in 2008 as the school’s all-time leading goal scorer, with 40 goals, and twice earned All-America honors from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.

“Graciano is a gifted player and will make an impact immediately,” F.C. New York Technical Director Matt Weston said.

Charlotte Eagles

The Eagles officially announced the signing of goalkeeper Eric Reed, who played the last two years in Cary, North Carolina for the USSF D2 RailHawks. The 27-year-old played 35 games for the RailHawks, and started both legs of the 2010 USSF D2 Playoff Championship games against the Puerto Rico Islanders. The former UCLA Bruin also played professionally for the California Victory and Cleveland City Stars.

“The coaching staff is thrilled to have Eric Reed as our keeper,” Eagles coach Mark Steffens said. “I have seen him play quite a few times and have not found a weakness yet. He is the total package in goal; a natural leader that takes charge in the back. I’m sure he will be a standout player.”

Rochester Rhinos

The Rhinos, the leading USSF D2 club in points during the 2010 regular season, have added D2 pro Brad Stisser, an attacking midfielder, and defender Will Traynor. A native of Colorado, Stisser made 24 appearances for AC St. Louis during his inaugural professional season, scoring five goals and adding two assists. The 24-year-old finished his college career at Loyola Marymount University and played PDL ball for the Colorado Rapids U-23 and the Real Colorado Foxes. Both Brad’s father, Scott, and his mother, Barbara, played collegiate soccer.

Will Traynor is from a soccer family, too. His older brother, Jack Traynor, captained the AC St. Louis team in 2010 after playing for Miami FC in 2009. Like his older brother, Will was an outstanding student in college and was named all four years to the Conference USA Academic All-Star team. The two brothers may be USL PRO rivals, as Jack has joined Orlando City SC for preseason camp and played in their 1-0 preseason win over the Philadelphia Union last weekend.

Orlando City SC

In addition to adding Jack Traynor, the Lions have signed 6’2″ defender Demar Stewart and midfielder Luke Boden. Stewart has earned 10 caps for Jamaica, and started his professional career with Jamaican club Portmore United. Signed by Sheffield United, Stewart was loaned to the club’s Chinese affiliate side, Chengdu Blades, in 2008. Stewart made 47 appearances for the Chinese Blades, and also played briefly in Belgium.

Luke Boden was born in Sheffield, but played for Sheffield United’s old city rivals, Sheffield Wednesday, where he was a teammate of American defender Frankie Simek. Boden, 22, played 15 matches for Wednesday since 2006, and was also on loan to English clubs Northampton Town, Chesterfield and Rushden & Diamonds. The 6’2″ midfielder started his career in the Sheffield Wednesday Academy.

“Luke has a lot of upside,” said Orlando City coach Adrian Heath. “I believe he’ll mature and develop here with Orlando City and become a major player in US soccer.”  Stewart, Boden and Traynor all played in Orlando City’s 1-0 preseason loss to FC Dallas on Thursday evening.

Pittsburgh Riverhounds

In the Steel City, Riverhounds coach Justin Evans was happy to retain the services of defender Shintaro Harada and Nikola Katic. “Shintaro has a tireless engine in training and this translates into each game,” Evans said. “His experience and ability to read the game provides our back line with a great deal of stability.” Harada was named USL-2 Defender of the Year in 2010. Harada, 30,  began his career in Japan in 1999, and played in all three divisions of Japanese soccer before joining Crystal Palace Baltimore in 2007.  The 5’8″ defender has earned individual honors each year he’s played in the U.S., and was a member of the J-League Stage 1 Champion Yokohama F. Marinos in 2000.

Nikola Katic was born in 1986 in the former Yugoslavia. The Croatian defender played college soccer at the University of Western Illinois while also spending summers with PDL clubs Chicago Fire and Springfield Demize. The 6’0″ defender joined the Riverhounds in 2009 after finishing his career with the WIU Leathernecks. Katic has appeared in 26 games for Pittsburgh.