Michael Todd

2012 Meet the USASA: Four-time US Open Cup champion New York Greek American Atlas SC

May 11, 2012 by J.T. Alwin

New York Greek American Atlas SC: 4-time Open Cup champions (1967, 1968, 1969, 1974)

Welcome to our continuing series of Meet the USASA features where we annually profile the clubs representing the United States Adult Soccer Association in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. Advancing from the four regional tournaments, these often unknown clubs have great stories to tell and each year, our goal is to allow fans to get to know them as they attempt to become this year’s Cinderella story.

While the name Greek American Atlas has not been seen in the US Open Cup in seven years, the club is very intertwined with the competition’s history. Founded in 1941, the club from New York City has won the Cup four times, including a three-peat from 1967 to 1969, making them one of four clubs to do so (Fall River/New Bedford 1930-32, Stix, Baer, and Fuller 1933-35, Seattle Sounders FC 2009-11). The club is also successful on the homefront, winning their division of the Cosmopolitan Soccer League 10 times since joining in 1994, including this season. The team also captured the Dr. Manning Cup in 2009, the main cup tournament for the Eastern New York Federation.

Atlas’ path to the Open Cup began with a satisfying 4-0 win over archrival New York Pancyprian-Freedoms in the Eastern New York Federation’s Open Cup, ending Pancyprian’s two-year run of USOC qualification. They were also authoritative in the USASA’s Region I qualifying tournament, notching 2-0 wins against Massachusetts’ Battery Park Gunners and eventual qualifier Jersey Shore Boca. This will be the fourth appearance in the Pro Era for Greek American, their other appearances resulting in a 2-0 forfeit to Western Mass Pioneers in 1998, a 4-1 loss to Cape Cod Crusaders in 2004, and a 3-0 loss to Ocean City Barons in 2005.

1969 NY Greek American — Greek American SC team in 1969. Photo: Bill Graham Guide | National Soccer Hall of Fame

The club recognizes this history, as General Manager George Mellis explains. “Our clubhouse is like a museum, so that everyone who comes in knows about the honor and tradition when they put on a Greek American jersey.” “We are all honored to be playing for such a great club that is rich in history,” concurs player/manager Michael Todd.

However, the club also has to deal with the present. Some of the players split time between Greek American Atlas and the Long Island Rough Riders, and with both teams participating in the Open Cup, a compromise had to be made. “We let our members who also play for the Rough Riders play with them, and they will let them be available to us for the Amateur Cup…. Our goal has been for the to be the national champion, though realistically we have a better shot in the amateur cup than the professional cup.”

2011-12 NY Greek American Atlas season

Cosmopolitan Soccer League
Sep. 11 ’11 – Win, 4-1 vs. NY Croatia
Sep. 17 ’11 – Win, 3-0 vs. NYC Albania
Sep. 25 ’11 – Win, 3-0 vs. Central Park Rangers Whites
Oct. 2 ’11 – Win, 6-0 vs. Manhattan Kickers
Oct. 9 ’11 – Win, 2-0 vs. Polonia FC
Oct. 16 ’11 – Win, 5-1 vs. United FC
Nov. 6 ’11 – Win, 4-0 vs. Clarkstown FC
Nov. 21 ’11 – Win, 2-0 vs. NY Pancyprian-Freedoms
Nov. 27 ’11 – Tie, 1-1 vs. Lansdowne Bhoys
Dec. 11 ’11 – Win, 3-1 vs. NYAC
Mar. 22 – Tie, 2-2 vs. Polonia FC
Apr. 3 – Win, 2-0 vs. Barnstonworth Rovers
Apr. 17 – Win, 1-0 vs. NY Pancyprian-Freedoms
May 6 – Win, 4-0 vs. NY Croatia
May 8 – Win, 4-1 vs. Manhattan Kickers

USASA Region I Open Cup tournament
Apr. 1 – Win, 2-0 vs. Battery Park Gunners (MA)
Apr. 22 – Win, 2-0 vs. Jersey Shore Boca (NJ)

That does not mean they will be without capable weapons, by any stretch of the imagination. Chris Megaloudis has paced the team in goals through an undefeated regular season this year, and brings experience to the team having played with Red Bull New York. Captain Josh Trott has led the team in goals the past five years until Megaloudis took the crown this year. “Josh is one of the most dominant soccer players on the amateur scene,” states Todd. “His hard work and dedication is one of the platforms for the team’s success.”

Todd also has some history with Greek American Atlas, scoring a goal against his current team while while playing for the Ocean City Barons in 2005. “Our General Manager has not forgot nor forgiven me for it,” Michael recalls. However, Mellis shows that this history doesn’t matter in picking players or managers: “Once we saw Michael play with St. John’s , we knew we wanted him in a Greek jersey, and we finally got our wish. We are very happy to have him here.”

Greek-American Atlas takes on Philadelphia Union-backed Reading United AC at 7 PM on May 15th, but they will not lay down for their opponent, with history on their side, and their minds on the present as well as the future.

MORE: Check out the rest of the 2012 Meet the USASA series

Fenerbahce USA in Eastern NY Final after Greek American Atlas forfeit

December 15, 2009 by

Eastern New York SA logo Following their 4-1 win over Fenerbahce USA in the Semifinals of the Eastern New York Open Cup tournament, New York Greek American Atlas has been disqualified. Following the match, Fenerbahce filed a protest with the Eastern New York Amateur Soccer Association (ENYASA) accusing the Greek Americans of fielding an ineligible player. After the review was complete, the ENYASA ruled that the Greeks had broken the rules.

According to Gus Xikis of the ENYASA, there were two rules violations.

First, former New York Red Bulls forward Abbe Ibrahim was listed on the Greek Americans’ lineup sheet submitted to the referee. This was an odd mistake considering that Ibrahim is currently playing for Romanian club FC Ceahlaul Piatra Neamt. Even though Ibrahim did not participate in the match, listing a professional player on the lineup card of an amateur team, according to Xikis, is against the rules and is worthy of a match being forfeited.

Ibrahim made his MLS debut for the Metrostars (now the New York Red Bulls) of Major League Soccer back in 2005, scoring two goals in 15 matches and most recently played for Toronto FC in 2007. He played two games for the Greek Americans in late September, but George Mellis, the long-time general manager for the Greek Americans, claims that he was unaware that Ibrahim was a professional player, and wasn’t even aware that Ibrahim was playing in Romania.

Abbe Ibrahim scored the opening goal of the game in a losing effort for his
Romanian club a few days after the Eastern NY Semifinal took place.

“The reason our coach Lucio Russo put on the lineup form was because on the date of the game, our players were running late, and the game had already started,” said Mellis. “We put him in there, in case we had to start the game with less than 10 players.”

The players running late arrived at the match in time, but Ibrahim’s name remained on the lineup sheet.

The second violation that was discovered by the ENYASA was that Michael Todd, who spent time with the Charleston Battery of the USL First Division in 2007 and also played for the Baltimore Blast of the Major Indoor Soccer League, was listed as a professional player and did not submit the proper paperwork to be re-instated as an amateur athlete.

Todd, who has played for the Greek Americans for the last three seasons, spent this past summer playing for the Long Island Rough Riders of the Premier Development League (PDL). The Rough Riders are an amateur club, but it is possible to be signed to a PDL club on a $0 professional contract. According to the ENYASA, Todd had signed a pay-free professional contract with the Rough Riders, however, a source with the United Soccer Leagues says that according to their records, he was registered as an amateur player.

Regardless of Todd’s status, the violation involving Ibrahim was enough to disqualify the three-time US Open Cup champions.

Mellis, who has worked for the Greek Americans for the last 40 years, takes full responsibility for the errors. He says that not only did he not know that Ibrahim was a professional, but he wasn’t aware that he had left the country to play in Romania. As for Todd, he says that he did not re-instate him as an amateur because he didn’t think it was necessary since he had just finished playing for an amateur PDL club.

This isn’t the first time that the club has been involved in a situation like this. In 1998, after upsetting the Western Mass Pioneers of the USL D3 Pro League (now USL Second Division) in the opening round of the US Open Cup, it was determined that they used as many as six ineligible players and were disqualified and denied a Second Round match with the Rochester Raging Rhinos of the A-League.

Fenerbahce USA will now replace the Greek Americans in the Eastern New York Open Cup Final and will face the New York Pancyprian Freedoms on Wednesday, December 16 at 7:30 at Central Island Beach Field in Bayville, NY.