Earlier today the Puerto Rico Islanders management confirmed that Marco Vélez would be joining the Islanders to assist the team in the race to the USL championship.

Vélez was originally scheduled to depart Toronto tomorrow August 13th at 6:15am and arrive in Puerto Rico at 1:30pm, allowing Vélez to join tomorrow afternoon’s team practice and provided all the neccessary transfer documentation was in place, he may have been able to wear the orange uniform in the game against the Montreal Impact at Juan Ramón Loubriel on Saturday.

A latter team notice said that the MLS requested an exit physical test therefore making him unable to depart Toronto until after 2pm and arrive in Puerto Rico around 11pm, therefore missing the afternoon practice.

Finally local media confirmed the news that the Toronto FC had cut Vélez loose, and that instead of the rumored loan the Islanders had signed up Vélez for the rest of the USL season.

Vélez can only play in USL games for the Islanders, as since he was in the roster for the TFC for their CCL preliminary match (against the Islanders) he is unable to play in the CCL for another team.

Vélez, 29, was signed as a free agent March 19, 2008. He leaves Toronto with 38 appearances, 31 of those as a starter. The defender compiled 2,753 minutes and finishes with two goals, four cautions, and two ejections.

It is expected that Marco Vélez will still be able to wear the Islanders Orange uniform against the Montreal Impact on Saturday at 8pm.

Marco Vélez was seen on the bench for both Islanders-TFC Champions League games. Although he did not play for the TFC, his participation with the Islanders in the group stage of the CCL is unlikely.

According to Concacaf Champions League rules:
#5.3 Once having been properly inscribed on a Roster List for one Team, in any Phase, a player may not be inscribed on the Roster List for any other Team in the CCL in the same season of competition, in any Phase.

Yesterday, the same newspaper published an article where the Islanders DT Colin ‘General’ Clarke confirmed the Puertorican team is seeking to get Vélez on loan from TFC to relieve the team’s regular central defenders John Krause and Nigel Henry for the remainder of the USL season.

[Translation from Spanish Text:] “We need depth in that position and we do not have it. The players have played a lot and there are many hits and injuries there, so we have to reinforce to enter the final phase of the (USL) season”, said Clarke.

Marco Vélez played for the Islanders between 2005 and 2007 before been transfered in 2008 to the Toronto FC. Vélez was captain of the Puerto Rico National team lead by Colin Clarke that saw action against the Dominican Republic and Honduras in the 2010 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers.

Vélez played in the 1-0 win over the Dominican Republic on March 26, 2008 and in the 4-0 loss in Honduras on June 4, 2008. Vélez was ejected (two yellow cards) from the match in Honduras and was unable to play in the 2-2 draw against Honduras in the return leg in Puerto Rico one week later.

So far in the 2009 MLS season, Marco Vélez has played as a defender in 15 games (8 as starter) for the TFC for a total of 780 minutes, has 3 shots (2 on goal), has commited 5 fouls and suffered 7 fouls. He has received one yellow card this season.

In 2008 Vélez started in 23 regular season games for the TFC for a total of 1,973 minutes, scored 2 goals out of 6 shots (4 on goal), commited 23 fouls and suffered 5 fouls. He was cautioned 3 times, and red-carded twice.

Marco Vélez scored (22′) his first MLS goal on May 1, 2008 at home in a 1-1 draw against the New York Red Bulls. He recorded his second goal (72′) on the road on October 11, 2008 in a 2-2 draw against FC Dallas.

On May 27, 2008 Vélez scored (72′) on the road in the opening game of the 2008 Nutrilite Canadian Championship against the Montreal Impact in what proved to be the game winning goal in the 1-0 TFC victory.

The Silverbacks webpage claimed that “Due to the state of the economy and the potential of an MLS team coming to town, the men’s pro team has decided to sit the year out while the Silverbacks assess the landscape”.

“This was an extremely difficult decision that was prompted by the dynamic events in our economy and the soccer community. We would like to thank all of our fans and partners who have supported the team over the years and hope they continue to come out to the Women’s games,” said Atlanta Silverbacks General Manager, Michael Oki.

The Puerto Rico Islanders have traditionally not fared well against the Silverbacks. The Islanders have posted a 3-6-7 (W-T-L) record alltime against Atlanta. While Puerto Rico has managed a .500 record at home (2-3-2), the Silverbacks have trashed the Islanders on the road where the Puertoricans have a 1-3-5 record. The Silverbacks have outscored the Islanders 30-22 in their sixteen USL encounters.

While the Silverbacks finished second to last place in the USL in 2008, they still managed to have a 1-2-0 winning record against the Commisioners Cup winners Puerto Rico Islanders. The Islanders actually won this season’s Commisioners Cup on their last game against the Silverbacks with a 1-1 draw at home in Juan Ramón Lobriel Stadium in Bayamón on September 19th.

Back in October Arthur Blank’s AMB Group LLC, which owns and operates the National Football League’s Atlanta Falcons and the Arena Football League’s Georgia Force, announced that they had applied for a MLS franchise, which may be fueling the rumor. Back in 2007 the successful entry of the Toronto FC to the MLS caused another USL-1 team to fold, the Toronto Lynx.