Rio Grande Valley FC Toros

Rio Grande Valley FC Toros
Full name Rio Grande Valley
Football Club Toros
Nickname(s) Toros
Founded July 15, 2015 (2015-07-15)
Stadium H-E-B Park
Stadium
capacity		 9,400
Owner Rio Grande Valley Vipers
Head Coach Vacant
League USL
2016 2nd, Western Conference
Playoffs: Conference Quarterfinals
Website Club home page

The Rio Grande Valley FC Toros are an American professional soccer team based in Edinburg, Texas operated by Lone Star, LLC. They joined the United Soccer League in the 2016 season. Lone Star has the same ownership team as the Rio Grande Valley Vipers[1] of the NBA Development League with Alonzo Cantu as majority owner.

The team will serve as a hybrid affiliate of the Houston Dynamo of Major League Soccer.[1] Chris Canetti, Houston Dynamo president, called the relationship "an important and necessary step." The hybrid affiliation, a first for the USL, means that the Dynamo will be responsible for the tactical part of the club - selecting players and coaching staff. The ownership group, Lone Star, will be responsible for operations and day-to-day management of the club.[1][2]

History

In September 2014, Dynamo officials met with USL officials about creating a USL team and announced their intention to have a USL team in place for the 2016 season.[3][4]

In March 2015, Bert Garcia announced that the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the NBA D-league had been awarded a franchise pending concrete plans for a stadium and a name[5] and confirmed a report[6] on MLSSoccer.com that the Houston Dynamo would likely be the MLS affiliate for the USL team in the Rio Grande Valley.

In December 2015, the Houston Dynamo signed Dynamo Academy product Juan "Charly" Flores as the first player of the Toros.

Stadium

The club has a 9,400-seat soccer-specific stadium in Edinburg, Texas for the team. It opened after the Toros played three games at the soccer complex at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley to start the season. [7]

Players and staff

Current roster

Where a player has not declared an international allegiance, nation is determined by place of birth. Squad correct as of February 27, 2016.

No. Position Player Nation
0 Goalkeeper Sanchez, ArturoArturo Sanchez      Mexico
3 Defender Hunter, TaylorTaylor Hunter      United States
4 Midfielder Malki, GeorgeGeorge Malki      United States
5 Defender Magalhães, IvanIvan Magalhães      Brazil
7 Midfielder Rodriguez, MemoMemo Rodriguez      United States
8 Midfielder Ward, CharlieCharlie Ward      England
9 Forward Catic, DzenanDzenan Catic      Bosnia and Herzegovina
10 Midfielder Bird, EricEric Bird      United States
12 Forward Luna, RubénRubén Luna      Mexico
15 Defender Greene, KaiKai Greene      United States
17 Forward Casner, T. J.T. J. Casner      United States
18 Forward Murphy, KyleKyle Murphy      United States
19 Forward Flores, CharlyCharly Flores      United States
20 Defender Ayala, LeoLeo Ayala      United States
22 Midfielder Verso, EricEric Verso      United States

Staff

United States Bert Garcia - Acting President
Vacant - Head Coach
Vacant - Assistant Coach

References

  1. 1 2 3 Houston Dynamo reach affiliate agreement to start USL club: "It’s an important and necessary step", MLSoccer.com, July 15, 2015
  2. ↑ RGVFC awarded the USL's newest franchise, Houston Dyanamo, July 15, 2015
  3. ↑ Houston Dynamo brass meet with representatives in McAllen, Texas, about creating USL PRO team, MLSSoccer.com, September 9, 2014.
  4. ↑ Houston Dynamo GM: McAllen One of Many Possible Locations for USL-Pro Team, PlayingFor90.com, September 14, 2014
  5. ↑ USL PRO awards Vipers professional soccer franchise, The Monitor, March 30, 2015
  6. ↑ Lovell, Darrell (March 24, 2015), Houston Dynamo partnering with NBA D-League franchise to form USL team for 2016 season, MLSsoccer.com
  7. ↑ USL soccer stadium to be completed by March (Press Release), Action 4 News, August 11, 2015.
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