Entering their first season at the Oakland Coliseum, the Oakland Roots have completely retooled their roster. Gone are long-tenured players like Johnny Rodriguez and Paul Blanchette. There are exciting new talents, such as attacking players Jürgen Damm and Peter Wilson.
FORWARD/MIDFIELDER: Jürgen Damm
The 32-year-old winger also played 12 times for the Mexico national team and won four championships in Liga MX. He has played over 300 pro games, many of them with Tigres.
“We are very excited to bring in a player of Jürgen’s caliber and ability,” said Oakland Roots Head Coach Gavin Glinton. “His pedigree and experience speak for themselves. He has won at the highest level in our region and represented one of the most recognized national teams in the world.”
FORWARD: Peter Wilson
Wilson, 28, will be relied on to score goals for the Roots. He played with the Norwegian club FK Jerv for three years, scoring 23 goals and contributing six assists in 43 appearances.
He also played in Greece and Sweden and featured on the Liberian National Team in World Cup Qualifying.
“Peter is a very prolific striker,” said Glinton. “He has represented his country and shown he knows how to score across different levels and on multiple different continents. He is a tireless worker and makes life difficult for opposition defenders.”
MIDFIELDER: Panos Armenakas
Armenakas, 26, is a USL veteran who has played for Memphis 901, Phoenix Rising, and Loudoun United FC.
“Panos is a dangerous and intelligent attacking player,” said Oakland Roots Head Coach Gavin Glinton. “We’ve seen it again and again throughout his time in the USL. He can punish teams with his finishing, passing, and one-v-one ability. He has also proven he knows how to win in this league.”
He also played in Italy, Greece, Belgium, and Denmark before returning to the United States in early 2023 to join Loudoun United.
DEFENDER: Abdi Mohamed
A Somali international, he was traded from New Mexico United in the offseason. the 28-year-old has also featured for USL clubs Memphis 901 and Greenvill Triumph as well for the Columbus Crew II in MLS Next Pro.
Abdi is a player who has shown he knows how to win,” said Glinton. “His discipline and character, as well as his experience in playoffs and winning finals, is the type of mentality that we want to bring in and have here in Oakland.”
FORWARD: EJ Johnson
A native of Fairfield, California, Johnson is a product of the Sacramento Republic Academy. He then went overseas to play for Scottish side Hibernian FC. He has also played for the Pittsburgh Riverhounds and Charleston Battery in the USL Championship and Austin FC II in MLS NEXT Pro.
“We are very excited to bring in such a hungry young player who not only knows this league already, but knows what it means to represent this area,” said Head Coach, Gavin Glinton. “I have known EJ from his time in the youth ranks of northern California and I’m looking forward to working with him again.”
MIDFIELDER: Bobosi Byaruhanga
Byaruhanga played for MLS Next Pro side Austin FC II and contributed four goals and three assists in 50 games. He also played in Uganda’s top soccer division and for the Uganda Men’s National Team.
“Bobosi is a young player we are very excited to bring in to help solidify our midfield,” said Roots Head Coach Gavin Glinton. “To have the international experience and multiple league championships under his belt at such a young age has set him an incredible foundation into becoming a key player in our squad this season.”
DEFENDER: Julian Bravo
Bravo, 24, is from Claremont, California has played for MLS Next Pro for Crown Legacy FC and Portland Timbers 2.
“Julian possesses a number of qualities that we knew would make him a good fit with our group,” said Head Coach Gavin Glinton. “He is a young player who already has loads of experience in his first couple of professional seasons.”
DEFENDER: Kai Greene
After leaving the club following the 2022 season, Greene returns after playing for Monterey Bay FC the last two years.
“Kai is a no-nonsense, hardworking defender who always puts the team above all else,” said Oakland Roots Head Coach Gavin Glinton during the announcement. “I know how good he was here in Oakland in 2021, and now he’s become an even bigger leader, having served as a captain in 2024. We expect Kai to step right into a leadership role back here in Oakland and make a big impact on our defense.”
MIDFIELDER: Tyler Gibson
Having played in over 230 USL and NASL games, Gibson should be a welcome addition to a Roots midfield that needs veteran quality.
“His experience over more than a decade at this level in US Soccer will be invaluable to us. His leadership and knowledge of the league is going to be huge to our 2025 team,” said Glinton.
Gibson might be best known to Bay Area soccer fans as an instrumental cog in the San Francisco Deltas midfield during their title-winning season in 2017. He most famously scored a dramatic strike from distance in the NASL semifinal match to defeat North Carolina FC 1-0 and lead the team to the Championship.
“I enjoyed my previous time in the Bay Area,” said Gibson. “I can’t wait to get to Oakland and get started playing for the fans and the community there. I’m gonna do everything to show them what I am about and that starts with how much winning means to me.”
GOALKEEPER: Kendall McIntosh
A Bay Area native, McIntosh has played in the USL and MLS. He most recently played for San Antonio FC but also MLS sides Portland Timbers, New York Red Bulls, and Sporting Kansas City. He will most likely replace Paul Blanchette.
“Kendall comes to us with experience at the highest level of our game here in the United States,” said Glinton. “His experience, work ethic, and connection to this city makes him a great fit for our Club.”
