English Arabic Chinese (Simplified) Danish Dutch Finnish French German Greek Hebrew Hindi Hungarian Icelandic Indonesian Irish Italian

logoc

Japanese Korean Latvian Lithuanian Norwegian Polish Portuguese Romanian Russian Serbian Spanish Swedish Thai Turkish Ukrainian Vietnamese

July 11, 2013 (Washington, DC) - Stome Sports Management is pleased to announce that the New York Red Bulls and Major League Soccer have signed 32 year old Ugandan Ibrahim Sekagya on a Free Transfer pending P1 Visa Approval.  Sekagya recently finished an illustrious 6-year career with sister Red Bull club located in Salzburg where he won several accolades including the league title three times, along with winning the double in the 2011 and 2012 seasons.  His leadership and abilities were on display throughout his Red Bull Salzburg career, and the club named him Captain, which was historic as the first African Captain in Austria.  In addition, he served as the Ugandan Natonal Team Captain for the 2006 and 2010 World Cup Qualifiers but has since retired from international competiton.  

Sekagya headshot

His leadership and qualities will pay immediate dividends for the New York Red Bulls who are currently in MLS Playoff position and looking to add its first MLS trophy this season.  This comes after the recent announcement that Heath Pearce required season ending hip surgery leaving the club with only two central defenders with MLS experience. 

Here is Sekagya signing his New York Red Bull contract:

Sekagya signing

Kickoff: 

http://www.kickoff.com/news/35644/former-uganda-defender-ibrahim-sekagya-has-joined-mls-club-new-york-red-bull-

New York Red Bull Press Release:

http://www.newyorkredbulls.com/news/2013/07/red-bulls-sign-defender-ibrahim-sekagya

MLSsoccer:

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2013/07/11/defensive-options-dwindling-new-york-red-bulls-sign-former-uganda-captain-ib

MLSsoccer:

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2013/07/11/same-jersey-new-challenge-ibrahim-sekagya-aiming-become-champion-new-york-re?

 

Stone Sports Management Travels to Germany For Client and Club Meetings

On May 9, 2013, Justin Stone embarked on a trip to Germany to watch his clients plying their trade in Germany and to meet with a range of German clubs from youth/reserve up through Bundesliga 1. German football is at the peak having two clubs playing in the UEFA Champions League Final and with Bayern Munich's dominating league play securing the 2012-13 league title well in advance of this past weekend's final round. Justin Stone spent hours driving and riding trains throughout Germany.  Use this map to following along:

German Map_crop

Stone Sports Management hopes you enjoy the recap below!  Click the READ MORE button

Read more: SSM's May 2013 German Tour

Jonny Steele has emerged as the first choice left midfielder for Mike Petke's New York Red Bulls to start the 2013 Season.  After Real Salt Lake declined to pick up the Irishman's 2013 option due to Salary Cap constraints, Steele was unsure whether he wanted to continue and play in North America with several options in the UK and Asia. However, when the New York Red Bulls discussed with Stone Sports Management that the club was looking for a left midfielder to compete for a starting position, Steele became their number one target after Stone Sports Management set up a phone call between Coach Petke and Steele.  Steele's performances and strong recommendation from past club coaches were enough for the Red Bulls to offer a contract. 

Steele's hard work and quality play in the offensive third has placed him firm in the Red Bull's starting line up and putting him near the top of the Red Bulls' offensive statistics. 

 

His play culminated in his first Red Bull tally (he also added an assist) starting in last weekend's home match against the league's current best defensive club - New England Revolution in a 4-1 win at Red Bull Arena.  The performance was dedicated to his father back home in Ireland who recently suffered a stroke.  Stone Sports Management wishes Mr. Steele all the best in his recovery and congratulates Jonny on a fantastic performance.

 

 

The timing was impeccable as BBC Ireland traveled to New York City to do a feature on the rising Irishman for those back in Northern Ireland. Author did a fantastic piece on Steele which has helped put Steele's name back on the N. Irish National Team's radar.  

 

Make sure to click on these hyperlinks: BBC's video feature and related article, along with other recent media:

 

MLSsoccer.com's "Jonny Steele, Eric Alexander continue to impress New York Red Bulls as they transition out wide" by Franco Panizo

MLSsoccer.com's "New York Red Bulls' Jonny Steele dedicates stellar performance vs. Revolution to ailing father" by Franco Panizo

New York Post's "Red Bulls Jonny Steele earns start, mauls Revs" by Brian Lewis


Empire of Soccer's "Red Bulls Jonny Steele talks tattoos, his road to New York" by Dave Martinez

 

In his first start of the 2013 season, Chicago Fire Midfielder Daniel Paladini emerged on National TV with his best MLS performance to date earning Man of the Match in a 3-1 win versus the visiting New York Red Bulls.  Paladini came out of nowhere to power home a header shortly before half time to equalize at home against the New York Red Bulls.  Paladini's goal was deemed courageous, daring and "playing bigger than his size" when he aggresively attacked a Hunter Jumper cross and made contact before Red Bulls GK Luis Robles could grab the ball.  Check out his Goal: You need to a flashplayer enabled browser to view this YouTube video

Paladini went on to provide back to back assists, including the Maicon Santos' game winner You need to a flashplayer enabled browser to view this YouTube video

As well as the third goal to put the game away:

Read more: Paladini Earns Accolades vs. New York Red Bulls

Trafford Signing_China

After recently earning his first Canadian National Team Cap against Denmark, Defender Mason Trafford succesfully trialed with China League One side Guizhou Zhicheng who earned promotion last season. The contract is for one season and brings to an end (at least for now) in Scandinavia where Trafford played every minute of every game eligible for IFK Mariehamn in the Finnish Veikkausliiga.  Trafford is expected to lead the back line forthe club's first season at this level.

Click HERE for the club's official Press Release.  

[UPDATED June 16, 2013 Interview with Goal.com's Peter Davis - http://www.goal.com/en-ca/news/4172/canada/2013/06/14/4041907/once-capped-mason-trafford-chose-chinese-adventure-knowing]

[UPDATED June 21, 2013 Interview with Wild East Football Blog - http://wildeastfootball.net/2013/06/mason-trafford-on-canada-arie-schans-and-the-harsh-reality-of-china-league-one/]

 

Stone Sports Management is pleased to announce yesterday's transfer deadline deal with SSM client Juho Mäkelä putting pen to paper with Bundesliga 2 club Sandhausen SV

Makela Profile

Mäkelä signed for the rest of the 2012/13 season with a Relegation Clause and an automatic trigger based on games played.  This is his first time playing in Germany and is looking forward to the new competition.  

Mäkelä finished his contract with Finnish giants HJK who won the 2012 Veikkausliiga and particpated in UEFA Champions League.  Congrats to Juho and all the best with Sandhausen SV!  Check out Juho's 2012 HJK Highlights and check back regarding his transition into German football.


Stone Sports Management is pleased to announce another import signing with Defender Jose Goncalves moving to Major League Soccer from Swiss Super League side Sion FC on loan to the New England Revolution. The loan is for the 2013 season with an MLS buy option.  

 

Jose Signs

 

Goncalves is a strong, talented and versatile left footed central defender who can also play as a left back.  The 27 year old former U21 Portuguese International called other European clubs such as Scottish Premier League Hearts and fellow Swiss Super League club St. Gallen home during his nine year career.  With multiple years left on his Sion FC contract and lack of playing time in recent seasons, this move will benefit all parties as Goncalves will be asked to lead the Revolution's back line in order to get back into the MLS playoffs.  

 

Stone Sports Management would like to thank everyone involved for their work in this complicated transaction including but not limited to the New England Revolution's General Manager Michael Burns, Head Coach Jay Heaps, Assistant/Goalkeeping Coach Remi Roy, Sion FC's President Christian Constantin, Sports Director Marco DeGennaro, Manager Angelo Massimo, Onside Football's Paulo Filipe Dias and of course Jose Goncalves.

Read more: FC Sion Loans Portuguese Defender Jose Goncalves to the New England Revolution

Tomer Chencinski has now officially put pen to paper on a two and a half year contract with a club option for the 2015/2016 season after a few days of negotiations in Tel Aviv, Israel.  Orebro SK and Maccabi Tel Aviv announced a few days earlier that the clubs had agreed on the transfer terms, but there was still a lot left to do regarding medical testing, personal terms and setting up other loose odds and ends like banking, apartment hunting and immigration documentation.  

Tomer Justin_Jordi_Signing_MTA

MTA Board

"This is a fantastic opportunity for Tomer to come to Israel's most accomplished club and also current league leaders with a very good chance to compete in either UEFA Champions League or UEFA Europa Cup," says Stone Sports Management's President and Players' Agent Justin Stone.  "The situation is very favorable for Tomer to come into the squad with time to acclimate himself to a new competition and put himself in a position to be the number one goalkeeper for next season after Nigerian International Vincent Enyeama returns from his loan stint from French club Lille."  Here is Chencinski putting pen to paper on his new contract:

Tomer signing

In addition, the 6 foot 3 inch Canadian-Israeli-Polish Goalkeeper will be in a position to immediately showcase his talents once the January 9, 2013 transfer window opens during the next month or so with Enyeama leaving the club to participate in the 2013 African Cup of Nations Tournament.  Tomer will be competing with Israel's U21 GK Barak Levi who will ge the initial call for Maccabi Tel Aviv's January 5, 2013 league game due to Tomer's inability to register prior.  Here is Chencinski and Stone at the Maccabi Tel Aviv Hapoel Haifa league match where the home side emerged victorious in a 6-2 goalfest: 

IMG 0967

It is clear that Tomer's hard work has been paying off as Tomer has risen from USL Pro's Harrisburg City Islander's back up goalkeeper in January 2011 to a Maccabi Tel Aviv member in two years which included two transfers into the six-figures.  It has been a great 24 months for Tomer, and he now has greater resources to continue his rise in European football.  

Stone Sports Management would like to thank the many Maccabi Tel Aviv club personnel for being such great hosts and for their professionalism. Stone Sports Management would also like to thank Sami Salonen for all of his help and great work while Tomer was abroad in Scandinavia.

 

This was not the only encouraging news for Tomer during the past week.  The Canadian and Israeli National Teams each called Tomer into an upcoming camp or match.  The Canadian National Team will participate in a  10-day camp from January 20-30, 2013 in Phoenix, Arizona and Houston, Texas that includes games against Denmark on January 26, 2013 and against the United Stats of America on January 29, 2013.  However, the Israeli National Team will participate in a friendly match at a TBD in late January 2013.

 

Although each call-up will not officially bind Tomer to either country, it does suggest that Tomer will have to decide his international future in the next months whether to play for the country he was born and raised until age 8 as well as the country he will be playing club football for the next 30 months or does he play with the team he grew up during his teenage and adult years where he developed most as a footballer?

 

Keep track of Tomer's progress and enjoy some of the articles associated with his signing:

 

Maccabi Tel Aviv Official Website "Chencinski Transfer From Orebro Agreed"

 

RedNation's "Tomer Checinski Transfers to Maccabi Tel Aviv"

 

Israel's One "Tomer Chencinski:  I will give the coach a headache"

 

Israel's Sport 5 "Chencinski Signs, Enyema's Replacement"

 

Stone Sports Management LLC
629 N. High Street, Floor 4
Columbus, OH 43215 USA
P: +1 (614) 972-6037
Contact Us  |  Submit CV

Search News & Blog

Past News & Blog

Powered by mod LCA