Teenager Cato signs with Seattle Sounders

[royal]

Teenager Cato signs with Seattle Sounders.
T&T Express Reports.

Trinidad and Tobago Under-20 player Cordell Cato has become the latest Trinidadian to sign a professional contract to play in American Major League Soccer (MLS) after agreeing to a one-year deal with Seattle Sounders this week.

Nineteen-year-old Cato had been on trial there earlier this year and Sounders placed him on their discovery list before eventually offering the deal, which is a one-year contract with the option for an additional two years. His agent Evans Wise relayed the news yesterday.

"Right now we're just working on some final documents before he comes back over to join the Seattle team. He has to be here in time to get things started with them by January 15.

He will also complete a medical when he returns and the club will then unveil him," Wise told Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) media officer Shaun Fuentes.

"It's a great opportunity for him and I'm happy for Cordell because he's one of the players who has worked very hard.

He hasn't been on the national team in recent times but that doesn't deny talent when it comes to taking opportunities," said Wise, who also represents midfielder Kelvin Molino and Ataullah Guerra, who was on trial with DC United and Philadelphia Union earlier this year.

Cato, formerly of St Anthony's College, will attempt to make an impact at Seattle as they head into pre-season training.

"I'm really looking forward to joining the club and I'm very excited to take on this next chapter in my career. I never played in the T&T Pro League. I've trained with Defence Force and now to get this opportunity is the best thing to happen to me in my life so far,' Cato told Fuentes.

"Seattle  are a club with a lot of ambitions and great facilities and I think this can be an excellent opportunity to develop as a player and play a part in their attempts to be victorious in the MLS," said Cato.

[vb]

Curious,

is he attached to ANY club in TT?

If so are Sounders paying any money for him and to whom, the player himself?

Would like to know how much our players are being purchased for and what local agents/clubs are getting.

VB

[Insider]

I know he was a Jabloteh product and he became a free agent and was training with W Connection.

I spoke to Cato a while back, I think Evans Wise is his agent.

[vb]

I know he was a Jabloteh product and he became a free agent and was training with W Connection.

I spoke to Cato a while back, I think Evans Wise is his agent.

If he's a free agent, the money should go directly to him.

VB

[Insider]

If he is free, how could he get any transfer money ? the agent gets a finders fee.

I am not 100% sure.

You know the funny think now, Angus Eve will be the first man to call up Cato now, all of the time he could not have been bothered.

[Dinner Mints]

I more curious bout what position he does play. I doh think I see it anywhere in de article.

[Deeks]

You know the funny think now, Angus Eve will be the first man to call up Cato now, all of the time he could not have been bothered.

Well, it is pretty obvious. He is now in the limelight. We know of Cordell, but we  did not even know which club he was playing for. He practicing with clubs and not playing locally is not really cause to get call for the national team.  I am quite surprise to see his name surface again. And of course Angus should keep him in mind.

[Trinimassive]

Teenager Cato signs with Seattle Sounders.
T&T Express Reports.

Trinidad and Tobago Under-20 player Cordell Cato has become the latest Trinidadian to sign a professional contract to play in American Major League Soccer (MLS) after agreeing to a one-year deal with Seattle Sounders this week.

Nineteen-year-old Cato had been on trial there earlier this year and Sounders placed him on their discovery list before eventually offering the deal, which is a one-year contract with the option for an additional two years. His agent Evans Wise relayed the news yesterday.

"Right now we're just working on some final documents before he comes back over to join the Seattle team. He has to be here in time to get things started with them by January 15.

He will also complete a medical when he returns and the club will then unveil him," Wise told Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) media officer Shaun Fuentes.

"It's a great opportunity for him and I'm happy for Cordell because he's one of the players who has worked very hard.

He hasn't been on the national team in recent times but that doesn't deny talent when it comes to taking opportunities," said Wise, who also represents midfielder Kelvin Molino and Ataullah Guerra, who was on trial with DC United and Philadelphia Union earlier this year.

Cato, formerly of St Anthony's College, will attempt to make an impact at Seattle as they head into pre-season training.

"I'm really looking forward to joining the club and I'm very excited to take on this next chapter in my career. I never played in the T&T Pro League. I've trained with Defence Force and now to get this opportunity is the best thing to happen to me in my life so far,' Cato told Fuentes.

"Seattle  are a club with a lot of ambitions and great facilities and I think this can be an excellent opportunity to develop as a player and play a part in their attempts to be victorious in the MLS," said Cato.

Good luck to the youth

[Dutty]

Another St. Anthonys 'product'

Good luck to the youth

[soccerlover]

  Congrats to the youth !! I know he was with Defence Force as a youth and then Jabloteh up to early last year .But he has been unattached since . I saw him with Trincity Nationals in Eddie Hart League couple times this year and he looked good ,lots of pace playing up front . Thankfully, he has an agent who seems to be working for him ,so even though he was not in the limelight , his ability and his agents tact ,has come through for him . Best of luck to him !!

[ZANDOLIE]

Good stuff, this player has talent and grit.

I more curious bout what position he does play. I doh think I see it anywhere in de article.

He played forward on NTs, and sometimes on the right wing I believe

[King Deese]

Evans, you are a Wise man. You have Attaullah, the Hun, Cordell "Green Hornet" Cato, and the million dollars legs man, Molino, in your stable. Santa could not have done it any other way.
Word to the Wise, do right by them and goodness and mercy shall follow you all the days of your life.

[Deeks]

Anybody have a clip of Cordell

[Mose]

Good news. Hope the young man does well.   

[vb]

If he is free, how could he get any transfer money ? the agent gets a finders fee.

I am not 100% sure.

You know the funny think now, Angus Eve will be the first man to call up Cato now, all of the time he could not have been bothered.

That's not how it works. Usually if a player is free, then he is paid a direct fee and he gives a percentage to his agent.

VB

[Flex]

Cato puts focus on Seattle Sounders
By Shaun Fuentes
 
Kenwyne Jones with students of St Werburgh's Church of England Primary School during surprise visit to their Christmas party.

New MLS signing Cordell Cato says he will focus on giving his best in Seattle Sounders’ upcoming preseason campaign as he attempts to break into their first team for the 2012 American MLS season after agreeing to a one–year contract with the club this week.

Cato, formerly of St Anthony’s College also played with the T&T Under 20 team at the CONCACAF qualifiers for the FIFA Under 20 World Cup earlier this year.

He was snapped up by player representative, former national player Evans Wise who arranged his trials with Seattle and San Jose Earthquakes. Seattle eventually made him an offer .

“I think my first aim is to do well in training. I’ve been at the club before and the coach is the kind of guy who will give players a chance once they perform at a high level in training,” said Cato.

“It’s all about doing well there. I just have to focus on getting my level up in preseason and then I’ll be ready for the season itself.”

Cato gave credit to national coach Anton Corneal for spurring him on during his time with the national under 17 and under 20 team.

“I would like to thank all my youth coaches. Persons like Nigel Grosvenor, Oswald Davis and Anton Corneal. He (Corneal) was always behind me to do better and he got me to dig deep,” Cato said.

And none other than Dwight Yorke is among the players who he’s followed with great interest.

“I saw some games that Dwight player before he retired and just by watching the way he played the game and carried himself was inspiring to me. I also like Ronaldinho a lot.

I will be trying to follow these guys and hopefully achieve some success like they did by working hard and following my dreams,” Cato said.

[Flex]

Mrisho Ngassa v Cordell Cato Indirect Competition For Speedy International Prospect Slot
By Dave Clark (Sounder At Heart).

With rumors of Cordell Cato reaching a contract agreement and Mrisho Ngassa's club still waiting for confirmation that Tanzanian international will return for another training stint with Seattle Sounders FC it could be said that Hanauer & Co went for the U-20 Trinidad player rather than the East African U-23.

Both are reportedly more in the Sanna Nyassi mold. They are fast winger/forwards who need to improve both their tactical awareness and technical ability to be effective.

Cato is younger by three years and as such does not have the senior national team appearances. Trinidad & Tobago carries a strong history as a CONCACAF national side, but has slipped into the mid 70s by FIFA ranking and low 80s by Soccer Power Index. Tanzania is much further down the scale in the hundred teens by SPI and the upper 130s by FIFA.

Neither player is likely to be a difference maker. Like Miguel Montano their presence on the team would be about what they could become in future seasons. Unlike Montano and Nyassi both of these players have increased appeal because of projects that the Sounders are undertaking in their homelands.

Seattle is trying to gain footholds in the Caribbean through the launching of the T&T combine. With dozens of MLS players from the region the hope is to be able to catch just a few more than the rest of the league. Relatively inexpensive efforts to find talent in an area where the teams are semi-pro level and players have heros who plied their professional experience in the United States. Flights from there to Seattle come in at just over a thousand dollars. But many MLS teams plow these islands looking for the next Ezra Hendrickson or Shalrie Joseph.

Flying a player from Dar es Salaam to Sea-Tac is not much more expensive and can be found at around $1500. While the talent in East Africa is clearly not at the overall level as the Caribbean the Seattle project there is much more extensive. At least one potential Academy player came over for a trial. With a major investment in Africa Lyon FC the Sounders outfit the team in jerseys as well as supplying balls and shoes. Clearly Seattle wants to turn Tanzania and East Africa into their own pipeline of talent.

With the type of player being similar, with Seattle trying to develop unique relationships within those regions can they afford to have both players on their roster? The Sounders carried seven players that could be considered projects in 2011. All but one will be back, but none look likely half way through the offseason of stepping into a significant role with Mike Seamon, David Estrada, Josh Ford and Bryan Meredith being most likely to take the opportunity to for a larger role. Any players taken in the MLS Draft will surely be projects as well. With Seattle's pick not being in the top 10 there is little chance that their pick contribute regularly in year one.

That makes it unlikely that there is room for both Cato and Ngassa on the roster. There just isn't room in the 30 man roster for two internationals that would contribute in 2012 or later. One of these young men as a flyer makes sense. Acquiring both on contract would pressure a current depth player (Michael Tetteh and Amadou Sanyang unmentioned earlier, Seamon, Estrada, Ford, Meredith as well) off the team. The team will make it's decision primarily for soccer reasons, but with both Cordell and Mrisho non-soccer benefits the direction chosen can open new paths beyond 2012.

Will we see both in preseason? Probably. Will both be on the team come March 7th? Almost certainly not.

[frico]

If Eve suddenly wants to call up Cato it could prove that he is not a man of his convictions,why should he suddenly want him because someone else  has shown interest in him.I am certain that the Sounders set up is quite capable of spotting talent good enough to offer a contract,so Mr.Eve take some shame off yuh face and pick the boy.

[MEP]

Another St. Anthonys 'product'

Good luck to the youth

what yuh have to ask is how come  Grovesnor, who of recent, has probably developed more pros eh even get asked to coach a national youth team

[Tallman]

Another St. Anthonys 'product'

Good luck to the youth

what yuh have to ask is how come  Grovesnor, who of recent, has probably developed more pros eh even get asked to coach a national youth team

Grosvenor was de T&T U-17 head coach in 2003/2004.

[MEP]

my bad then..so what happened?

[Tallman]

my bad then..so what happened?

He was in charge of the U-17 team in an attempt to qualify for the 2005 U-17 World Cup in Peru, but we did not get past the second round of CFU qualifying. We finished at the top of our group in the first round, beating St. Lucia 8-1, Barbados 6-2, and the Bahamas 14-1. We then had to play a home and away series against Cuba, and we lost both matches 3-1. During that time we also played two matches against Venezuela which we lost 4-1 and 2-1.

[Tallman]

(Reports have linked you to signing young Trinidadian Cordell Cato, can you address where the team stands in potentially signing him?) "Cordell is a player that we had in here and looked at him in the summer. He's a player that we've been in discussions with. Nothing is finalized with him, but he is a player that we're talking with and looking to see if there's a possibility to get him into our group."

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/soundersfcblog/2017129209_henderson_and_new_signings_off.html

[Tallman]

Sounders signs Trinidad & Tobago U20 forward
Sounders FC Public Relations

Seattle Sounders FC have signed forward Cordell Cato, it was announced today. Cato will be officially added to the Sounders FC roster upon receipt of his P-1 Visa and International Transfer Clearance (ITC).  Per Major League Soccer and club policy, terms were not disclosed.

Cato, 19, is a native of Trinidad and Tobago and was chosen to his country’s squad for the 2011 CONCACAF U-20 Championships. He most recently played with Port of Spain’s Defence Force FC. Cato joined that club as a youth before later moving to San Juan Jabloteh FC.

“Cordell provides us speed and versatility as he can play on the flank and up front,” said Sigi Schmid, Sounders FC coach. “He’s a young player with a good future.”

Cato had trained with Sounders FC last summer.

Transaction: Seattle Sounders FC (MLS) – Signed FW Cordell Cato

Cordell Cato
Position: Forward
Height: 5-9
Weight: 150
Birthdate: 7/15/1992
Place of Birth: Carenage, Trinidad
Hometown (Citizenship): Carenage, Trinidad (Trinidad & Tobago)
Last Club: Defence Force FC (2011)
Previous Clubs: Defence Force FC (youth team, 2003-08), San Juan Jabloteh FC (2009-10)

[triniairman]

I'll have to go take in some sounders game if they giving him ah run

[Mose]

More reasons to watch MLS football.  Hope I get more games on TV this year.

[Trini _2026]

Cordell Cato, the Sounder with “Scary Pace”
prostamerika.com.

Sounders FC fans wondering what to expect from new Trinidadian recruit Cordell Cato need wait no longer. Asked to describe their new charge, his agent Evans Wise described the 19-year-old like this:

“What you can expect from him is a young exciting player.

He has scary pace with or without the ball. Cordell plays outside right or in some cases as a second striker; skillful, he gets behind the opponent well.

You can also expect goals from hm even from the outside position I think once he settles in he will be a fan favorite because he is humble and has a high work rate.”

In Seattle however, his duties will extend beyond the pitch as the club encourage players to interact with the fans and the community to promote the game.

Wise elaborated a little further on Cato’s character:

“He is also aware that he is coming into a team with established pros and is up to the task of working hard for a position. His personality is laid back and can even come across as shy to some people however he is a totally different character on the pitch.”

Cricket fans may already be thinking of similarities with a fellow Trinidadian, Brian Lara.

Lara, now 42 and a diplomat for his country’s sports ministry, was one of the greatest batsman in the sport’s history.

His tenacity at the crease when facing the world’s most fearsome bowlers contrasted directly with a laid back temperament off the pitch.

The thought of a footballing equivalent of Brian Lara may just as scary to opponents as his pace. Tyrone Marshall would be happy to explain!