Analyzing the current roster for the 2019 Richmond Kickers

With less than a month until the League One season kicks off, we look at the Richmond Kickers roster at this point.

The Richmond Kickers enter their 28th consecutive season in professional soccer in America. To put that in perspective, the other nine USL League One clubs have a combined six seasons of professional experience—all of those from Orlando City B and Toronto FC II. Seven clubs are embarking on their first ever professional season or first year as an organization at all.

Richmond is halfway through their preseason preparations, with several more friendlies against in-state universities to come. USL League One allows for 30 players on the roster, seven international spots, and five academy contracts players. You can check out Ira’s full breakdown of the USL League One roster rules here.

At only 13 players, the Richmond Kickers still have plenty of activity in the weeks ahead. In the meantime, here is a look at the players on the official roster as of March 2nd.

Goalkeepers

Akira Fitzgerald

  • Age: 31
  • 2018: 9 appearances for the Tampa Bay Rowdies, splitting time with new San Jose Earthquakes signing Mario Daniel Vega.
  • Outlook: Even though he is the only keeper on the roster at the moment, Fitzgerald was brought in to be the number one. Great experience in the second division with the Carolina Railhawks/North Carolina FC and the Tampa Bay Rowdies.

Defenders

Scott Thomsen

  • Age: 25
  • 2018: 18 appearances for the Richmond Kickers, primarily at left-back.
  • Outlook: Solid defender that helps add some stability as the club completely rebuilds in 2019. Starting LB.

Conor Shanosky

  • Age: 27
  • 2018: 27 appearances for the Richmond Kickers at center back, often as the captain early in the season.
  • Outlook: Like Thomsen, Shanosky will have impressed the new head coach and shown a desire to stay with the club even with the switch in division. Familiarity along the backline should be a strength early on in the season. Starting CB.

Eli Lockaby

  • Age: 22
  • 2018: Started 18 matches for VCU (NCAA) this past fall.
  • Outlook: Local college prospect. Coach Bulow has commented on his desire to find young talent who can help Richmond for a few years and then move up to a higher division. Lockaby fits this mold and should challenge for the starting right back role.

Braeden Troyer

  • Age: 25
  • 2018: 27 appearances, mainly at defensive midfielder, but saw time at CB, LB, and RB.
  • Outlook: A theme along the potential backline – Richmond experience. 2019 will be Troyer’s fifth season with the Kickers. Based on the current roster, Troyer would likely shift back into a center back role.

Midfielders

Josh Hughes

  • Age: 27
  • 2018: Only saw the pitch twice last season for Nashville in USL—both appearances in the US Open Cup.
  • Outlook: The majority of the midfield is new to Richmond and is looking for consistent playing time after a quiet 2018. Most likely to play in a defensive midfield role.

Maxi Rodriguez

  • Age: 23
  • 2018: 19 matches with San Antonio FC, including two goals and reaching the fourth round of the US Open Cup.
  • Outlook: After a decent 2018 in the USL Championship, Maxi should be ready to kick on for a strong start in USL League One. Could be the first name for a midfield duo in the first set of matches.

Jannik Eckenrode

  • Age: 25
  • 2018: Spent time with Jammerbugt FC in the third division in Denmark and with Tormenta FC in USL League Two.
  • Outlook: Jannik was born in Virginia, playing his college ball at Radford and George Mason, now returning to play professionally for the first time in the US. Fairly unknown prospect but has spent time across the midfield positions, which will prove useful for coach Bulow as he builds a first team XI.

Amass Amankona

  • Age: 23
  • 2018: Appeared just one time in 2018 for the Indy Eleven, a second-round Open Cup match.
  • Outlook: The team’s only pure attacking midfielder at the moment, the University of Dayton product hasn’t found a chance to consistently get on the field but should early on in Richmond’s season.

Matt Bolduc

  • Age: 24
  • 2018: 14 appearances for the Kickers, during his second year in the city.
  • Outlook: The only current midfielder with experience in Richmond, Matt can play right wing, right midfield, or may start the year at right back if Eli Lockaby isn’t ready to start.

Mutaya Mwape

  • Age: 22
  • 2018: With Charlotte Independence in USL, scoring once and providing two assists.
  • Outlook: The young Zambian often featured on the right wing but appears to have great potential in Bulow’s stated preference for Richmond’s style of play: attacking and entertaining.

Forwards

Daniel Jackson

  • Age: 29
  • 2018: Split last year with Devonport in Australian and Bollklubben-46 in Finland, scoring four times in eight matches for his second club.
  • Outlook: While DJ played abroad last season, he has a lot of USL experience. He’s featured for Charlotte, Oklahoma, North Carolina, and Saint Louis in the second division. Should be the starting striker to open the season.

Dennis Chin

  • Age: 31
  • 2018: 6 appearances and one goal for the Pittsburgh Riverhounds in USL.
  • Outlook: Has the ability to play at center forward as well as either attacking wing. Chin is likely to feature in the starting lineup if the Richmond Kickers use a 4-3-3 system.

Nathan Reynolds

Writer covering the Richmond Kickers in USL League One. Experience as a WordPress developer, editor, podcaster, and writer for European and US soccer leagues.