Last season the Oakland Roots leaky defense forced Roots goalkeeper Paul Blanchette to make 116 saves, a league high. While that number earned Blanchette a spot on the USL Championship Second All-League team, the Roots goalkeeper will gladly give up the most saves title in 2024 if it helps Oakland return to the playoffs.
“I don’t want to be the save leader in the league. I want us to be the least goals against,” said Blanchette. “I want us to have the most goals for.”
It was clear that Oakland needed to get younger in defense, and the Roots said goodbye to many long-tenured defensive players. In a bid to return to the USL Championship playoffs, the team brought in four new defenders. To add firepower on offense, the club brought in imposing Haitian center forward Miche-Naider Chéry to provide a focal point up the field and hopefully put a number of goals into the back of the net for the team.
Here is a look at the Oakland Roots 2024 roster by field position:
Defense
Oakland could start a whole new backline in 2024 with the departure of defenders Emrah Klimenta, Tarek Morad, and Danny Barbir. The club brought in two USL veterans, San Diego Loyal’s Camden Riley and Hartford Athletic’s Niall Logue, in addition to Georgian center-back Gagi Margvelashvili and former MLS player Justin Rasmussen.
Camden Riley became available after the San Diego Loyal folded last year. Normally slotted as a right-back during his professional career, he can also play as a defensive midfielder. In college, Riley also showed his offensive potential playing at the University of the Pacific. He has the school’s all-time goal scoring leader, slotting 19 goals during his four year college career. Sporting Kansas City picked him in the 2019 MLS Superdraft and he played for their USL side, and Rio Grande Valley FC before joining the Loyal the past two years.
“I think my goal is to come in and provide a lot of leadership in whatever position I’m going to play,” noted Riley on media day. “I’ve played every position on the field just about except for striker, and I know I can, and I think that along with that, stepping into some sort of leadership role to help lead the team forward.”
Nial Logue hails from Northern Ireland but played collegiately for Ohio State. After spending a few years playing professionally in Ireland, He has featured in the USL Championship with Memphis 901 and last year with Hartford Athletic as a center-back.
Georgian defender Gagi Margvelashvili will be an imposing defender on the back line. He has experience playing for the Georgian youth national teams and professionally in his native country and Macedonia. “He is a proven winner who has played in some of the top competitions in Europe,” said Delgado. “Bringing in guys who are proven winners is something we are very intent on doing.”
Justin Rasmussen featured six times for the Timbers in MLS, and Roots head coach Noah Delgado noted Rasmussen will be a ‘key piece’ to the team’s defensive unit, most likely as a left wingback but possibly as a defensive midfielder.
The four new players will join returning Roots defenders Memo Diaz, Bryan Tamacas, and Baboucarr Njie.
Midfield
The midfield will remain essentially the same this year. Once again, Lindo Mfeka will be tasked with pulling the offensive strings for the club. Trinidad and Tobago international Nevel Hackshaw, expected to return to his preferred position on the pitch from the defense, will also be a significant addition to the center of the pitch.
“I am naturally a midfielder, but in my last year in Charleston, one of the guys got released, and I was the only left footer on the team, and they actually put me left center back,” explained Hackshaw. “From there, my career grew big, so I’m not scared to play anywhere. But I like the midfield more. I like to take control of the game.”
Midfielder Jeciel Cedeño impressed after coming over last year in a trade with Hartford Athletic and also looks set to be one of the starters for the club.
Napo Matsoso, Irakoze Donasiyano, Trayvone Reid, and Daniel Gomez will provide additional depth for the Roots.
Forwards
Oakland hopes the pairing of Haitian center forward Miche-Naider Chéry with 12 goal scorer Johnny Rodriguez will return the high octane firepower to the club’s goal scorers.
Chéry is an intriguing addition. He is little know outside of his home nation of Haiti, except when he scored a brace against Austin FC in the Concacaf Champions League playing for Violette Athletic Club.
“He’s a big, big guy. He likes to score goals, he likes to run behind, he likes to hold up the ball, which is good,” noted Rodriguez. “I think me and him will have a great experience on the field.”
As for Rodriguez, his mission will be to add to his goal total from 2023 in 2024 by not only scoring the spectacular goals, but the tap ins.
“I’ve personally taken that challenge in,” said Rodriguez. “Making the simple goals simple and just allowing the good flashy goals to happen whenever they happen.”
Project 510 forward Etsgar Cruz will provide another forward option off the bench for the Roots.
Goalkeeper
Paul Blanchette will be entrenched as the starter once again for the Roots. Former backup Taylor Bailey signed with Memphis 901. This year the Roots second keeper will be former Project 510 player, Timothy Syrel.
Note:
The Oakland Roots will be bringing a bit of Laney Field with them to Pioneer Stadium in Hayward this year. This season the Oakland Roots have laid out their portable turf field they used in 2022 at Laney over the well-worn turf at Cal State Hayward.
