JOHN NEESKENS RETURNS TO COSMOS B
UNIONDALE (April 11, 2018) – John Neeskens, 24, returns to the Cosmos organization after spending the last three seasons in USL and the lower divisions of Spanish football.
“John is a technically solid player that can play both center back and left back,” said New York Cosmos Head Coach, Carlos Mendes. “He’s a great guy and he knows our system. He’ll be a great asset in the locker room.”
Neeskens first signed with Cosmos B in early 2015 and captained the team to an undeafeted season which included an NPSL Championship. The organization inked him to a first team deal shortly thereafter where he finished the year winning the 2015 NASL Championship.
Armando Guarnera, 21, returns to Cosmos B for the second straight season. The 6’ 2” defender will bring depth to the backline.
Cosmos B also added young attacking options in forward Zaire Bartley, 20, and central midfielder Mateo Durnago, 19. Bartley is a Bronx native and formerly of New York Red Bulls II and the New York Red Bulls Academy. Durnago hails from Queens, NY and the BW Gotschee Academy.
Carlos Mendes on Zaire Bartley:
“I like what Zaire has done so far in limited training. He’s good with the ball and has quick feet. He also fills an attacking role that’s important for us. We really like his potential.”
Carlos Mendes on Mateo Durango:
“I’ve had the chance to train with Mateo during this past offseason. He works hard and has the technical ability we’re always looking for. He also has good vision to distribute the ball.”
New York Cosmos B will have its first competitive match of 2018 in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Sunday, May 6 at 8:00 PM at Long Island Univeristy – Brooklyn. It will also be the first official match for first-time head coach, Carlos Mendes.
About The New York Cosmos
The New York Cosmos are the most recognized American soccer brand in the world. Since beginning play at Yankee Stadium in 1971, the iconic club has won a record total of 8 professional soccer championships and brought some of the biggest stars in international soccer to the USA including Pelé, Franz Beckenbauer, Giorgio Chinaglia, Carlos Alberto, and more recently, Raúl and Marcos Senna. For more information on the New York Cosmos and Cosmos B, please visit nycosmos.com, join us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram (@NYCosmos).
