Following a historic 2022 Canadian Premier League campaign, Atlético Ottawa is happy to provide the first roster update ahead of 2023.
With new goals in sight, Atleti will rely heavily on a core group of returning players whilst we part ways with those that are moving on.
Options exercised:
Gatineau-born Maxim Tissot was a cornerstone figure for Atlético Ottawa during the 2022 campaign having featured 30 times – joint most appearances with Ollie Bassett and Ballou Tabla – and will return for another season in the capital. A trustworthy defender with a deep-rooted connection to the local area, the 30-year-old put in a number of standout defensive performances throughout the season whilst contributing in the attacking end of the field with three goals and two assists.
Also returning for the 2023 season is goalkeeper Sean Melvin. The 28-year-old had to bide his time for an opportunity last season but, when called upon, was an ever-reliable performer between the posts with Head Coach Carlos González emphasizing that Melvin’s work throughout the season helped to push the other goalkeepers in the squad to improve whilst proving “we can be comfortable in that position with any of the [goalkeeping] choices”.
Expired loans:
Following the end of their loan deals Sergio Camus (Atlético de Madrid), Vladimir Moragregar (Atlético San Luis) and Owen Antoniuk (Vancouver Whitecaps) have returned to their respective clubs.
Departures:
After the 2022 season, Atlético Ottawa opted not to exercise the contract options for defender Iván Pérez (who has since signed for Mar Menor FC) and midfielder Keven Alemán while Ben McKendry, a member of the squad since Atleti’s inaugural season, and Chris Mannella have left the club following the expiry of their contracts. McKendry is one of only four players to have featured for the club more than 50 times whilst Mannella was a key contributor beyond the field as a strong advocate for the LGBTQ2S+ community.
Development contract expiry: Gabriel Carvalho, Omar Darwish and Anthony Domanico
Atlético Ottawa would like to thank all the departing players for their contributions throughout their time with the club and wish each one to best for the next chapter of their careers.
Atlético Ottawa 2023 Roster as of December 19, 2022:
GK: Nathan Ingham (CAN), Sean Melvin (CAN)
Defenders: Miguel Acosta (ESP), Maxim Tissot (CAN), Niba Macdonald (CAN), Zach Roy (CAN)
Midfielders: Zach Verhoven (CAN), Carl Haworth (CAN), Zakaria Bahous (CAN), Ollie Bassett (NI), Junior Agyekum (CAN)
Forwards: Malcolm Shaw (CAN), Ballou Tabla (CAN), Mohamed Bouzidi (CAN)
Former club captain Drew Beckie recently announced his decision to retire from playing professional soccer. Atlético Ottawa remains in conversation over the future of the players not mentioned in the lists above.
As Atlético Ottawa continue to forge further success in the capital, fans that are eager to secure their part can join the Atleti Family by purchasing their Season Seat Membership now.