The Deltas added veterans Bryan Burke, Steward Ceus, Tyler Gibson, and Devon Sandoval to their roster on Monday. San Francisco will have 14 signed players for their pre-season camp which starts at Beach Chalet on Wednesday, along with 8 other invitees.
All four players added on Monday are veterans of the NASL and MLS.
Defender Bryan Burke was acquired by transfer from the Jacksonville Armada. Burke played his college ball at the University of San Francisco. He then played professionally for the USL’s Orlando City and Louisville City FC. In 2015 Burke earned USL’s defender of the year award while contributing a league-leading 10 assists. He played for the NASL’s Armada in 2016.
“We were looking for a fullback that would give us depth defensively, but who is strong in joining the attack on the offensive side of the ball,” said Deltas head coach Marc Dos Santos.
Burke will be the sixth defender brought in by the Deltas, which will be stocked with experienced professionals including Nana Attakora, Reiner Ferreira, Karl W. Ouimette, and Kenny Teijsse. The team also invited Conor Bevans, who played college soccer at Gonzaga University, to camp.
Forward Devon Sandoval and midfielder Tyler Gibson were acquired after playing last season for the NASL’s Rayo OKC. Oklahoma City made it to the NASL playoffs.
Sandoval was drafted by Real Salt Lake in 2013 and scored 7 goals and 3 assists in 74 games for the MLS team, including a goal of the week in 2015:
Sandoval was sent on loan to the Carolina RailHawks in 2014, Real Monarchs in 2015 and Rayo OKC last season where he scored a goal and two assists in 12 matches.
“The thing that I’ve always liked is Devon’s work rate and mentality,” explained Dos Santos. “He has incredible physical ability, and I think he is really going to put pressure on opposing defenders.”
Tyler Gibson will provide depth in a crowded midfield for the Deltas. Gibson was a standout college player for UNC-Charlotte, and his team reached the finals of the 2011 NCAA championship. He has played his whole professional career in the NASL with the San Antonio Scorpions and Rayo OKC.
“He’s very consistent, responsible, and a team guy,” noted Dos Santos about Gibson. “His mentality and work ethic is strong. He brings competitiveness to the table every day.”
Sandoval is one of two forwards who will be in camp. The other invited player is former US Soccer Academy member Mikey Minutillo from San Jose. He played college at Penn State and professionally in the Faroe Islands.
Gibson joins fellow midfielder’s Greg Jordan, Cristian Portilla, and Michael Stephens. The team has also invited Julien Melendez, Saalih Muhammad, and Matt Poplawski to camp as well.
Julien Melendez played for Tamalpais High School in Mill Valley and for the College of Marin. Saalih Muhammad was part of the Dinamo Zagreb development academy and impressed at the Deltas open tryout in November. Matt Poplawski played in the midfield for the Ivy league’s Penn University.
The Deltas also added goalkeeping depth by signing Haitian international Steward Ceus. He started his career in the MLS for the Colorado Rapids. Ceus than played professionally in Finland and the past two seasons for NASL’s Atlanta Silverbacks and Minnesota United.
“He has all the experience in the league that we need,” noted Dos Santos. “He has all the tools to answer every time he’s needed in the season.”
Ceus will back up starting goalkeeper Romuald Peiser. The team also has open tryout goalkeeper invitees Jonathan Arellano, who plays for the NPSL’s Real San Jose, and Adrian Iniguez from Pomona in camp. Alex Mangels, who was the keeper for the USL’s Tulsa Roughnecks, was also invited. Mangels played for UC Berkeley in college.
