February 20, 2023 – Major League Soccer (MLS) – Charlotte FC News Release
Heading into the MLS 2023 season center back was not a position of concern for Charlotte FC. Even with Guzmán Corujo still recovering from an ACL tear, the Club still had Adilson Malanda, Anton Walkes, Jan Sobociński, and even number one SuperDraft pick Hamady Diop.
Walkes and Malanda proved to be a stellar pairing at the end of the 2022 season and there was no reason not to think they would pick right where they left off. Then the unthinkable happened. Anton Walkes shockingly passed away and it changed everything.
Suddenly, the team lost not just a center back but a leader and most importantly a friend – how does one replace that? You don’t, it’s impossible, but through tragedy the team has found deeper meaning and motivation for the upcoming season.
“The legacy of Anton, in a sporting way, is in our hands,” said head coach Christian Lattanzio a week after Walkes’s passing. “It’s up to us, it’s our responsibility. We want to come back stronger than before because we have Anton with us.”
Still, as difficult as it was to acknowledge CLTFC was short a center back.
On February 16th Charlotte FC announced the signing of defender Bill Tuiloma from the Portland Timbers. The New Zealander checked multiple boxes that the scouting department was looking for in a defender.
“Bill adds a lot of what we were looking for in a center-back,” said Director of Scouting Thomas Schaling. “He knows the league, is a fierce competitor, has veteran presence, is versatile and is a good personality to add to our locker room.”
New Zealand as a country is renowned for rugby, a game that requires incredible toughness and tenacity. Two traits that Tuiloma is known for by those who are familiar with his game. He’s as tough and determined as they come which was one of the many reasons he was a fan favorite in Portland.
His passionate personality on the pitch is juxtaposed by his laid-back and kind nature off the pitch that is signature to Polynesian culture. A personality like this makes it easy to fit into a locker room because those around him know he will give his all on the pitch while still not being afraid to crack a joke or two in training.
Tuiloma is no stranger to MLS either as he’s accumulated 112 appearances in his time at Portland and is just entering him prime at 27-years-old. Charlotte will be the first team outside of Portland that he plays for in MLS but he’s coming into a side that plays a…
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