New Ottawa Fury head coach Paul Dalglish has been handed quite the task in rebuilding the team that was only two goals away from winning the NASL championship last year, after three top players had their transfer requests granted this week.
On Friday, though, the Fury announced the additions of three new signings: Dennis Chin, Lance Rozeboom and Fernando Timbo.
Chin is a 28-year-old Jamaican winger most famous for his time at Orlando City SC while the club was a part of USL PRO. He scored 29 goals for Orlando in four seasons, leading the league in scoring in 2012.
Rozeboom is a 26-year-old American utility player that has logged nearly 6,000 minutes in USL. The former Rochester Rhinos defender starred as captain of the Austin Aztex in 2015.
Timbo, the youngest at just 23 years old, also played a large role for the Aztex defense in 2015. After joining from Cortiba FC in Brazil, the towering defender can slot in at either centerback or left back.
All three players spent time with the Austin Aztex, where Dalglish managed in 2012-2013.
Here are some more news and notes from around NASL:
MINNESOTA UNITED TO PLAY IN SIMPLE INVITATIONAL
MLS-elect side Minnesota United will be playing the likes of the Chicago Fire, Vancouver Whitecaps and Portland Timbers during the latter’s preseason tournament in 2016.
The Timbers will host the Simple Invitational for the fifth year in a row at Providence Park in February, prior to the next MLS season.
United will be the first American non-MLS side to compete in the round-robin tournament when they take the field next February.
“Taking part in a tournament with this type of tradition is very exciting for the club,” said Minnesota United sporting director Manny Lagos in a release. “It’s a tremendous opportunity not only for our team to grow on the field, but its very exciting for our fans and the entire state to get a glimpse of what is coming to Minnesota in terms of the competition and the environment that is created at a great venue like Providence Park.”
WEST BROMWICH ALBION ACADEMY PLAYER JOINS ARMADA
After a bottom-of-the-table finish for the Jacksonville Armada in their inaugural NASL season, the northern Florida club is in the process of adding weapons to its arsenal.
On Friday, the Armada announced the signing of Danny Barrow, a former winger from the West Bromwich Albion academy.
The 20-year-old Barrow joined the Armada as well as Sporting Kansas City in the spring for short trials.
Barrow has played for Wales at the Under-16 and U-17 levels before signing his first professional contract with West Brom in 2014.
ROWDIES RE-SIGN DEFENDER SWEAT
After a week of major announcements with the arrivals of Kalif Alhassan and Tom Heinemann, the Tampa Bay Rowdies have also worked hard to keep their prized assets from 2015 in central Florida.
After re-signing Freddy Adu early on in the week, the Rowdies announced defender Ben Sweat had signed a two-year deal with the team on Friday.
The University of South Florida graduate played left back for the Rowdies for the majority of the season, after joining from the Columbus Crew after the 2014 MLS season.
“I’m delighted that Ben has committed to the Rowdies and I’m looking for him to build on his performances from last season,” said Rowdies head coach Stuart Campbell. “He’s tall, he’s quick, he attacks and defends, and is a great piece for our team to have.”