CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Two new additions have joined the first team as trialists in the final stage of 2013 preseason in Charleston, S.C.
One name that will be familiar to a lot of fans is French defender Pascal Chimbonda. Best known for his English Premier League stints with Wigan, Tottenham and Blackburn Rovers, the 33-year-old veteran’s presence adds an interesting wrinkle to the Fire’s situation at right back.
READ:Breaking Down the Goalkeeping Situation
While Logan Pause has gained most of the first team minutes there this preseason, the team also has the likes of Jalil Anibaba and Steven Kinney available there.
Though he has only one cap for the French national team, Chimbonda was a part of the 2006 World Cup finalist squad in Germany. His last club appearance came for English Championship side Doncaster Rovers in April and he’s since played for his native Guadaloupe at the 2012 Caribbean Cup.
The other addition you’re probably less likely to have heard of is Brazilian center back Leo Lelis, a 19-year-old Brazilian center back that is a product of the Fluminense youth setup.
Lelis spent time in camp with the Seattle Sounders earlier this preseason
After sitting out the California-leg of preseason, former Houston Dynamo forward Colin Rolfe re-joins the team as a trialist here in Charleston.
The Fire have released the following players that took part in training camp in Ventura, Calif.:
Defenders: John Gallagher, Rauwshan McKenzie
Midfielders: Borfor Carr, Jose Alexander Pabon,
Forwards: Blake Brettschneider, Maxwell Griffin, Kevin Mercado
Full Charleston Training Camp Roster
Goalkeepers (4): James Belshaw, Sean Johnson, Alec Kann^, Paolo Tornaghi
Defenders (9): Jalil Anibaba, Austin Berry, Pascal Chimbonda^, Arne Friedrich, Hunter Jumper, Steven Kinney, Leo Lelis^, Logan Pause, Gonzalo Segares
Midfielders (11): Alex, Yazid Atouba* Corben Bone, Dilly Duka, Brendan King, Jeff Larentowicz, Joel Lindpere, Patrick Nyarko Daniel Paladini, Wells Thompson, Michael Videira
Forwards (5): Kellen Gulley, Sherjill MacDonald, Chris Rolfe, Colin Rolfe^, Maicon Santos
-SuperDraft Pick, -Supplemental Draft Pick, ^-Trialist
Other notes from the start of Charleston camp:
Unable to participate in full training out in California both forward Maicon Santos (ab strain) and defender Hunter Jumper (quad strain) have been cleared to take part beginning today in Charleston.
* Newlywed Alex has re-joined the team after his weekend nuptials.
* The one signed Fire player that remains away from Charleston is midfielder Victor Pineda who continues to recover from a meniscus repair. The original Fire Homegrown is said to have been doing well in recovery but it was deemed more beneficial for him to rehab with the Athletico staff back home rather than come to Charleston.
