River Plate Puerto Rico News Release -- www.rivercaribe.com
Monday, March 14, 2011
FAJARDO, Puerto Rico -- Looking ahead to the biggest season in the club’s history in 2011, River Plate Puerto Rico has announced its new roster totaling thirty players as the club attempts to earn championships in three competitions this season.
The reigning Puerto Rico Soccer League champions have also been welcomed to their new home in the city of Fajardo. City of Fajardo Mayor Anibal Melendez and the municipal Government have joined efforts with River Plate PR, and as a result of this outstanding joint venture, the club’s new stadium is now under construction. More details will be announced soon by Mayor Melendez on the advanced plans for River Plate PR and its stadium, which is expected to open in August.
The first focus of the club’s attention is the Caribbean Football Union Championship, which sees River Plate PR starting in the Grand Cayman Islands. The team will leave next Wednesday for its opening round contest against Bodden Town Football Club on March 18 and March 20. The Caribbean Football Union event is a classification pass to the CONCACAF Champions League, with the two finalists and third-place game winner advancing into the draw for the tournament where they will face the best clubs from across North and Central America.
In addition to the CFU Championship, River Puerto Rico are also preparing for 2011 USL PRO season, which will mark a unprecedented exposure to the Puerto Rican Champions in the continental United States, as well as in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean.
Claudio Alvarez-Dunn River Plate General Manager has announced that Walter Fabian Zermatten has been retained as team coach after the club’s success in 2010’s SuperCopa DirecTV. The team will also have Francisco Llanos as physical trainer.
Alvarez-Dunn added that River PR retained 80 percent of the original roster that won the PRSL Super Cup 2010 event. That includes forward Yaikel Perez, the player that scored twice in the SuperCopa final against the Puerto Rico Islanders, and the club has also re-signed Peter Villegas, Eloy Matos, Facundo Quiroga, Alejandro Russo, Guillermo Garcia Barros, Paulo Centurion, Matias Arce, Raul Ruiz, Matias Maroni, Martin Morello, Jose Miguel Montoya, Julio Maya, and Nelson Torres.
A new face to the squad is Puerto Rico national team forward Chris Megaloudis, who arrives from Sevilla FC Puerto Rico, and he is joined by fellow newcomers Edwin Cano, Brian Bayona, Miguel Murillo and Argentina's Gustavo Paruolo.
Two new goalkeepers joining the staff of River: Yessid Nijim and Craig Hill, who was selected by FC Dallas in the Major League Soccer supplemental earlier this year after a stellar career at Southern Methodist University.
Other professionals hired by River for the 2011 season are former members of the Haitian national team, like Francois Frantz, plus Vitelo Jean Jacques, Rosenberg Fednnor and Sipmson Belizaire.