And so it goes, again. It’s back to the drawing board, as the roster-building process for the 2021 season is just beginning for the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
As of today, contracts for every player on the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC 2020 roster have expired.
In fact, all 2020 USL Championship player contracts expire on November 30.
This is traditionally a big news day for USL Championship clubs to reveal which players will see contract options exercised and which won’t be returning. While there have been some announcements made, it seems a bit quieter than in recent years year on the first of December.
With the next USL Championship season not expected to start until early May 2021, at the earliest, Riverhounds SC fans shouldn’t be holding their breath anticipating announcements regarding new signings anytime soon, but the club’s announcements of which player contract options for 2021 that they’ll pick up should come sometime soon.
As the Riverhounds SC, and many clubs in the league head into an uncertain and longer than usual off season, signings and roster updates will likely be made at a much slower pace than usual.
Last year at this time the Hounds learned that numerous key players from its 2019 squad would not be returning, including Neco Brett, Joe Greenspan, Tobi Adewole and Mohammad Dabo.
A few weeks ago, we learned that two key players from the past few years, Thomas Vancayezeele and Robbie Mertz, will not be returning to the club in 2021, as they announced through social media.
First Thomas Vancaeyezeele, now Robbie Mertz will move on from Riverhounds SC
Both Vanacayezeele and Mertz were top commodities on the market, and the fact that they were in demand shows how much they were coveted by other teams. It would not be a surprise to learn where both Vancaeyezeele and Mertz have landed in the next few days.
In fact, one former Riverhound, Tobi Adewole, has landed with one of the top teams in the Western Conference, Phoenix Rising FC, after a season with lame-duck Saint Louis FC.
Excited to get started 😤🔥 https://t.co/f2b2Fr58VZ
— Tobiloba Adewole (@TobiAdewole95) December 1, 2020
With all of its 2020 player contracts expiring, Riverhounds Head Coach Bob Lilley and his coaching staff, have a good idea from the remaining group of players who they’ll exercise contract options for to bring back to Pittsburgh for another season.
Now, as to when we’ll learn about this — is anyone’s guess. There’s no real hurry for the Hounds to make any announcements.
Some may point to Pittsburgh’s rivals in the Eastern Conference, Louisville City FC (13 players) or Tampa Bay Rowdies (9 players) for having already announced many of the players they’ve picked up contract options for 2021, and would like to see the Hounds let folks know where they stand.
In addition, other Eastern Conference clubs, Indy Eleven, Sporting KC II and NY Red Bulls II announced the players who they were bringing back.
With other teams making moves and sharing announcement signings, there’s no doubt the Steel Army and Hounds fans are feeling a little frustrated.
Louisville has announced 15 players that they've retained from last season. They hold on to players better than they do logos.
The Hounds have gone radio silent as it pertains to the 2021 roster.
Frustrating, no?
— Steel Army (@SteelArmy) November 24, 2020
Bob Lilley’s been here before, and is pretty confident and anticipates he’ll be able to continue to work with a core group returning players again in 2021.
“There’s no doubt we’ll have to replace two very good players. Two originals,” Lilley said. “We’re confident that we’ll be able to do that. We’ve done a good job of doing it before. We’ll do it by finding solutions that fit.”
Looking at the current group of players, numerous who have contract options for 2021, Lilley has plenty to work with, but will have lot of work to do.
“We already have a core that includes a lot of guys who’ve been part of our success, and know how to win,” Lilley added.
With the USL Championship having lots of turnover, with some clubs folding and ceasing operations (Reno, Saint Louis FC), there are going to be some experienced players out there for the taking. The Hounds can be more methodical and won’t be in a hurry to sign too many players in the open market right now.
Lilley and assistant Dan Visser attended a player combine in Kansas City in early November, which included some current college players. They’re targeting hosting open tryouts in January (in the past they held the first open tryouts in December). With the collegiate seasons pushed to the spring, there will be limits on when and how college players will be available.
Below is a complete look at the Riverhounds SC 2020 roster along with our assessment for each player along with our predictions of which players will be returning. By our projections, we’re going to go out on the limb to predict the Hounds will exercise contract options for nine players to return in 2021. They also have a few key veteran players who, according to all reports, have contracts that have expired and will require renegotiation.
While all contract details aren’t always made available, based on the number of players who had contract options picked up in 2020 and were reported contract options for 2021 after they signed last year, we’ve assembled this ‘working’ list.
Player |
DOB/ AGE |
PSN Assessment / Contract Option status’ |
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May 20, 1993 (27) | Started 8 matches, Hounds may look for a few young keepers instead to play behind Vitiello.
Prediction: Hounds won’t exercise option |
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Mar 6, 1996 (24) | Seized starting job halfway through 2020 season. Played well — made only mistake late in playoff loss at Lou City FC.
Prediction: Hounds exercise option for 2021. The only keeper who has returned in Lilley’s tenure from one year to the next was Kyle Morton. My hunch is Vitiello returns for second year w/ Pittsburgh. |
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Apr 12, 1996 (24) | Did not play in 2020. Slight chance he could be re-signed to compete for GK spot.
Prediction: Hounds won’t exercise option |
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Jul 27, 1994 (26) | Announced he won’t be returning, as his contract options were up. One of the more coveted players in USL Championship market.
NOT RETURNING |
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Jan 13, 1995 (25) | Joined the club halfway through 2020 season. Was a starter at center back for the last few regular season games, but when it came time for playoff match at Louisville City FC, Lilley turned to his veteran mid-season pick-up, Ray Lee to start. Bunk-Andersen did come on in the second half, and a misstep in the back led to Lou City’s second goal.
Prediction: Hounds exercise option for 2021 |
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Nov 9, 1994 (26) | Veterans that don’t play a lot previous year, based on recent history in Pittsburgh, Lilley tends not to re-sign the following year.
Prediction: Hounds won’t exercise option |
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Jul 27, 1993 (27) | With the departure of Vancayezeele, Thomas’ leadership on the back line could be essential in 2021 if the Hounds choose to exercise his contract option.
Prediction: Hounds exercise option for 2021 |
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Jan 8, 1998 (22) | The youngster saw more playing time early in the season, but then fell out of favor toward the end of the season, as Bunk-Anderson and Lindstrom took on the bulk of playing time along with Vancaeyezeele and Thomas on the back line.
Prediction: Hounds won’t exercise option |
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Jan 22, 1996 (24) | For the sake of continuity, the Hounds could benefit by bringing back Lindström, along with Bunk-Andersen and Thomas. But if Lilley believes he find some free agent gems at center back or build depth through college players available, then they’ll opt to not bring him back. It could go either way.
Prediction: Hounds won’t exercise option |
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Sep 12, 1995 (25) | Lilley repeatedly talked about Asani’s unfortunate luck with injuries and struggling to get in and out of the rotation. Asani never made it on the field in 2020 for the Hounds, and one has to wonder if his window to break in with the Hounds has closed.
Prediction: Hounds won’t exercise option |
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Apr 21, 1994 (26) | With the departure of Mertz, along with Kenardo Forbes/Steevan Dos Santos only getting older, it feels more and more like the Hounds may be leaning to James as a key veteran leader. Wearing the captain’s armband, James had an excellent campaign in 2020, even scoring five goals, more than his entire career total prior to the season.
Prediction: Hounds exercised option in 2020, will work very hard to renegotiate contract and bring him back to the fold, much like they did with Jordan Dover in 2020. |
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Apr 26, 1993 (27) | Lee was a nice veteran addition to the roster when the Hounds needed depth — and started the playoff match vs Louisville City. Still, Lilley doesn’t tend to re-sign mid-season pick-ups the following season.
Did not have contract option as he was signed for the remainder of 2020 season. |
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Dec 15, 1996 (23) | Still a young player who did a decent job when filling in outside back and on the wing — and in one very interesting start when he marked Tyler Pasher the entire game. Stayed behind Dover and James in the rotation, and never really broke through. Might find a home elsewhere to become a regular starter?
Prediction: Hounds picked up his contract option for 2020, and will likely not negotiate a new contract for him in 2021. |
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Dec 14, 1994 (25) | Dover’s been an instrumental piece for this club since 2018. By bringing him back, the Hounds would return one of its most dependable and durable players who will be just 26 next year. Hounds re-signed him in 2020, with club option for 2021.
Prediction: Hounds exercise option for 2021 |
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Jan 16, 1990 (30) | Walls also never saw the field in 2020. There were some personal reasons which took him back home to Wisconsin, then the veteran, who captained Lilley’s USL Cup winning Rochester club in 2015, returned late in the season but was never utilized. If Lilley believes that Walls can return a high level of play after not playing for a year to help this team, especially when the Hounds will be losing Thomas Vancayezeele, who Kenardo Forbes raved about as a teammate and compared him to Tommy V repeatedly, there could be a place for Walls to become a key contributor, especially since the Hounds hold his contract option.
Prediction: Hounds exercise option for 2021. |
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May 15, 1988 (32) | Bottom line here is if Forbes can still step on the field and play at a high level, he’ll remain as the primary man in the middle for the Hounds. Father time almost always wins but until last year, Forbes has almost always stayed injury-free.
Prediction: Hounds find a way to negotiate and bring him back for 2021, with contract option for 2022. |
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Jul 14, 1998 (22) | Griffin emerged in 2020 as a regular starter alongside Mertz and Forbes, and now, with Mertz gone, the Hounds can turn to Griffin as the young midfielder who can continue to grow, pick-up more wisdom alongside the veteran (Forbes) in the middle.
Prediction: Hounds exercise option for 2021 |
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Mar 8, 1996 (24) | You have to wonder if Velarde’s window as a Hounds is up, or Lilley will want to have more continuity by bringing Velarde back for another year? The attacking midfielder was fairly productive, scoring five goals, but when push-came-to-shove, he wasn’t in the starting line-up in the playoff match, but did come on in the 75th minute making little impact and unable to provide any attacking spark.
Prediction: Hounds picked up his contract option for 2020, and will likely not negotiate a new contract for him in 2021. |
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Dec 4, 1996 (23) | Like Vancaeyezeele, the always ambitious Mertz is moving on from his hometown club with aspirations to try to find a pathway to the MLS. Having been drafted by Colorado Rapids, and with two years of USL productivity under his belt, Mertz’s window to get the next level is still within reach.
NOT RETURNING |
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Sep 17, 1989 (31) | Like Forbes, the question is, how much mileage does the 31-year old Dos Santos have remaining? Can the big fella — playing the way he does — continue to play at a high level and with the physical pounding for another 28 or so games next season? With the emergence of Albert Dikwa and Ropapa Mensah, maybe there’s a place for him to continue to be part of this rotation of forwards as a guy brings a dimension as a hold-up, extending possessions in the final third player who can draw fouls and frustrate/wear down defenders.
Prediction: It appears that the Hounds would have to negotiate a new contract for Dos Santos for 2021, with a potential option for 2022. With the emergence of Mensah and Dikwa, who both have contract options, it might be difficult to also be able to re-sign Dos Santos, so our hunch is that based on the numbers game, he doesn’t return. |
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Aug 1, 1997 (23) | Unable to sign Neco Brett after the 2019 season, the Hounds went out and made a few decent free agent pick-ups to fill the forward spot with younger players. One of those was Mensah, who was given a chance to play regularly in Pittsburgh, where he contributed a team-leading six goals in a shortened season. Mensah is a good high-energy guy who fits well in Lilley’s high pressing tactics who also can be a playmaker when needed and a solid finisher in the box. He can continue to develop and still has lots of upside to become a productive USL Championship forward for years to come.
Prediction: Hounds exercise option for 2021 |
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Jan 2, 1998 (22) | Dikwa joined the Hounds halfway through the 2020 season. He added another element to the Hounds attack with his speed and finishing in and around the box. Like Mensah, another young player who has plenty of upside. Would be a no-brainer to bring him back to see what he could do with full season as part of a rotation with Mensah and Dos Santos.
Prediction: Hounds exercise option for 2021 |
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Dec 3, 1996 (23) | Like the other guys who played two full seasons in Pittsburgh and never broke through into becoming regular starters, if Forrest’s window in Pittsburgh has also closed? He was a pretty solid back-up for Dos Santos, but not sure if he would be better off somewhere else where he could battle for a starting position, especially if Dikwa and Mensah return. However, if Dos Santos doesn’t come back, then may Forrest could be someone who fits better into the rotation?
Prediction: Hounds picked up his contract option for 2020, and will likely not negotiate a new contract for him in 2021. |
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Feb 26, 1998 (22) | Fernandes had his moments in 2020 in his rookie year that showed he could contribute and bring some energy off the bench. Lilley showed last year he was willing to bring younger players back after their first season to see if they can continue to grow and develop.
Prediction: Hounds exercise option for 2021 |
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