Midseason review: Birmingham Legion FC
A five-part Birmingham Sports Media series taking stock of the Three Sparks' 2025 so far
With the halfway point of the season behind us, I’ve spent the past week diving into player data and analyzing Birmingham Legion FC’s 2025 so far.
The result? Five separate articles and over 13,000 words written for Birmingham Sports Media.
If you want to break up the following read into more digestible chunks, I highly suggest you head over to bhamsports.net to check them out there. If not, the entirety of the series is below.
Birmingham Sports Media’s midseason review of Birmingham Legion FC:
The Goalkeepers
There are three senior goalkeepers listed on Birmingham Legion's roster in 2025. Veterans Matt van Oekel and Trevor Spangenberg, both everpresent since the club's inaugural season, and youngster Fernando Delgado.
Avery Langford was part of the team's practices but is technically a Legion 2 player. He never made a matchday squad and has now departed for college, so he is not included in this article.
Matt van Oekel
As has been the case for seven seasons now, Matt van Oekel is Birmingham Legion's No. 1 between the sticks. But for the first time in his Three Sparks career, that role might be under threat.
MVO has featured in 14 out of 21 games so far, with Delgado serving as his understudy in the cup competitions. But recent weeks have seen Delgado get league starts as well, with Mark Briggs opting to alternate his goalkeepers in weeks with more than one game, perhaps a sign of MVO's age finally catching up to him.
At 38 years old, the Virginia-native is no spring chicken, but he is far from past it either. He reminded everyone exactly what he was capable of with a stellar performance against Charleston Battery a few weeks ago. Faced with the league's best attack, MVO rolled back the years with multiple crucial saves, becoming the fourth goalkeeper to achieve 50 USL Championship regular season clean sheets in the process.
With Delgado's star on the rise, it is clear that the writing is on the wall for the 6'4" shot stopper. But until he decides to hang up his gloves, there is definitely a role still to play for the veteran, who also serves as the team's goalkeeping coach.
"When [Delgado taking the No. 1 spot] happens is kind of on Matt a little bit, but Matt's 38 now so it's getting to that point," Mark Briggs said. "Matt's someone's who's done a lot for this football club, he's still a fantastic goalkeeper. So we got to make sure Matt can go and do what we need him to do, but three-game weeks are hard. Three game weeks are difficult, especially as you get a little older."
Van Oekel is currently on 168 appearances for Birmingham Legion, 10 shy of Prosper Kasim's record of 178. With 13 league games still to go, plus potential playoffs, there is little doubt MVO will hope to overtake his longtime teammate before even thinking about giving up his place between the posts.
He is also one clean sheet away from recording his 50th for the Three Sparks.
Season stats: 14 appearances, 14 starts, 40 saves, 17 goals conceded, 2 clean sheets, 1 yellow card.
Fernando Delgado
After a brief loan stint with the club last season, Fernando Delgado joined on a permanent basis ahead of the 2025 season.
In his seven starts so far this season, the 18-year-old showed exactly why he is so highly rated.
After a shaky first game in less-than-ideal conditions against Little Rock Rangers in the US Open Cup, Delgado came seconds away from keeping the team's first clean sheet of the season in his second apperance, a USL Jägermeister Cup clash with Chattanooga Red Wolves.
It was in his third game, however, he truly showed his ability.
In his first game under Mark Briggs, Delgado kept FC Tulsa to just one goal despite 3.00 xG, the biggest xG mismatch in a Three Sparks game this season. And it's not just his shot-stopping ability that shined through.
The young goalkeeper is, like many modern-day goalkeepers, incredibly comfortable with the ball at his feet. Some have gone so far as to describe him as the best passer on the team.
In Tulsa, he proved them right with a beautiful ball over the top for Ronaldo Damus, which eventually led to the Haitian going down in the box and converting the penalty. Though he gets no official assist for the goal, Delgado was instrumental to it.
More recently, he showed that same distribution to send Stephen Turnbull down the right flank against Rhode Island, with the right wing back subsequently assisting another Damus goal. Several more chances have not ended with the ball in the back of the net, but have shown the young Mexican-American to be a reliable outlet for under-pressure centerbacks and potential kick-starter of attacking moves.
At various times this season, we have seen Delgado come far out of his box to provide an outlet for his centerbacks, another crucial component his ease on the ball can bring. While he is still young and can certainly work on several aspects of his game -- bulking up and being more assertive on set piece situations could notably serve him well -- there is little doubt the changing of the guard is underway.
"Matt's helping him, I'm helping him, we've all got to help him develop," Mark Briggs said after giving Delgado his first league start at Louisville last month. "We've got to get him to where we think he can get to, which is eventually being the number one keeper for Birmingham Legion."
Season stats: 7 appearances, 7 starts, 14 saves, 10 goals conceded, 1 yellow card.
Trevor Spangenberg
Goalkeeper is the toughest position when you're not first choice, because there can only be one on the pitch at a time. For Trevor Spangenberg, that has resulted in not seeing a single minute of competitive game time in 2025.
Birmingham Legion's first-ever goalkeeper has been, like van Oekel, a loyal servant to the club. But the writing is on the wall for his Three Sparks career.
Delgado has emerged as the clear No. 2, while Spangenberg has dropped out of matchday squads entirely due to injury. At 34 years old, we have likely seen the last of Spangenberg in Black and Gold.
Spangenberg's last appearance for the Legion came in the final game of the 2024 season, a 5-0 demolition of Oakland Roots. With the clean sheet, the 6'2" shot stopper took his Legion tally to 11 in 42 appearances.
Season stats: 7 bench appearances.
The Defenders
Birmingham Legion have nine players listed as defenders on the club's official roster. However, I will be looking at 10 players today. That's because Dawson McCartney, listed as a midfielder, is likely to be a wingback when he returns from injury. Sebastian Tregarthen has also played wingback, but he is more often used as a forward and will therefore come in a later instalment of this series.
As such, we will look at the performances of six centerbacks and four wingbacks, starting with the centerbacks.
Phanuel Kavita
When looking at defenders, there is no better player to start with than Phanuel Kavita.
Legion's veteran centerback, who made his Rwanda international debut a few weeks ago at the age of 32, is perhaps the team's most important defender. Though he no longer wears the captain's armband, Kavita is the clear leader at the back, especially when surrounded by younger teammates such as Ramiz Hamouda, Tiago Suárez or Ethan Kos.
Kavita has struggled with some injuries this season, missing a chunk of games early on, but has played every game he's been available for. In his 13 appearances, he has shown his importance with crucial blocks and tackles while also being the organizer for those around him.
A reliable and assured presence at the back, the Rwanda international boasts the second highest passing accuracy on the team, having completed 91.27% of his 550 passes to date. He's also second in tackle success rate, with 12/13 tackles won, while averaging roughly a 50% success rate in duels, both ground and aerial.
Kavita suffered what looked like a left hamstring injury in Legion's 1-1 draw with Rhode Island just over a week ago and missed the subsequent win at North Carolina last Friday. With the team on the periphery of the playoff places as things stand, fans will be hoping it's not another lengthy layoff for their fourth-most capped player ever.
Fun fact: Kavita has the best conversion rate in the league, having scored the only shot he's taken all season (vs Detroit City).
Season stats: 13 appearances, 13 starts, 1 goal, 1 yellow card, 2 clean sheets.
Ramiz Hamouda
Birmingham Legion's youngest-ever player continues to show maturity beyond his years.
Hamouda made his professional appearance in 2024 as a 15-year-old, getting his first start only a few months later at 16 years, 1 month and 10 days. Since then, he's gone from strength to strength to establish himself as a reliable USL Championship centerback at just 17 years of age.
While Hamouda's youth can shine through at times with lapses in concentration or attempting to overplay the ball, the USMNT U17 international has handled the majority of what has been thrown at him this season with confidence.
In several games, opponents have purposefully tried to sheperd the ball towards him in hopes he'd mess up, but the young centerback has embraced the challenge. Hamouda averages the most touches (78.28), passes (63.54) and sucessfull passes (55.61) per 90 minutes amongst all his teammates. His 87.52% completion rate puts him behind only Kavita and Erik Centeno for accuracy.
Looking at his defensive stats, Hamouda has averaged the most clearances (7.03) and third-most blocks (0.68) on the team.
After featuring in almost every game early in the first quarter of the season, Hamouda has struggled with injury in recent games. A minor knock kept him out of a couple of games prior to his latest stint on international duty, and he has barely featured since. He picked up a concussion on his first game back against Louisville, and followed it up with a second concussion in his return against Indy Eleven.
The medical team will likely want to take things slow with his return, as players are much more likely to get concussed once they've already suffered one, let alone two. With AJ Paterson back and doing well in the left centerback spot, there is no need to rush him back. At this point, it's just as important to look after his long-term wellbeing as it is short-term success.
If he continues his progression, Hamouda is a player who can have a big future as one of the team's best players or potentially net the club a handsome transfer fee in a couple of seasons. Doing anything to jeopardize either of those outcomes at this point would be reckless by all those concerned.
Season stats: 12 appearances, 9 starts, 5 yellow cards.
Ethan Kos
You could be forgiven for forgetting Ethan Kos exists, given the centerback has not made a matchday squad in over a month. He hasn't played since Tom Soehn's final game on March 29, when he was hooked at the half in favor of Hamouda.
Even last Friday, with both Kavita and Hamouda out injured, Mark Briggs opted against putting his only non-starting centerback on the bench. That probably tells you everything you need to know about a player who has yet to feature under the Englishman.
Previously in Ireland, Kos was signed to a permanent contract ahead of the season following a successful trial with the club. He made his debut in the team's second game of the season, going the full 90 as Legion held Louisville City to a 1-1 draw. He played the full 90 again as the Three Sparks lost to Little Rock Rangers, before playing 70 and 45 minutes, respectively, against Detroit City and Pittsburgh Riverhounds.
Since then, Kos has made five bench appearances, while missing out entirely on 11 occasions, including nine of the last 10.
The writing is on the wall for Kos, who seems to be a break-glass-in-case-of-emergency option at this point. The club might look to offload him this summer if he believes he can find playing time elsewhere. If not, expect him to become a free agent once again at the conclusion of the season.
Season stats: 4 appearances, 4 starts.
Jake Rufe
Birmingham Legion's Alabama native and Swiss army knife has been his usual reliable self this season. Deployed in every position across the backline, the defender has gone about his business without any fuss once again in 2025.
After playing both fullback positions as well as centerback in the early portion of the season, Rufe has found his best form of late as the right-sided centerback in Briggs' back-three formation. However, with Kavita now out with injury, the Englishman has opted to move Rufe centrally in the hope his experience can hold the defensive structure together in the absence of its leader.
With his versatility, Rufe has been near ever-present for Legion this season. He missed out on only one game, the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup first round loss, a testament to both his reliability and ability to stay fit and injury-free.
After making his 100th regular season appearance for the club earlier this season, the Huntsville-native finds himself two-shy of 125 total. Seven more appearances, which he should easily achieve if he is to remain injury-free for the remainder of the season, would put him in amongst the top five appearance-makers for the club.
Rufe scored the team's first goal of the season just two minutes into the season opener, but his passing and defensive stats are where he makes his mark. With the third-most minutes played this season, it is perhaps unsurprising that the defender leads the team with 1,056 touches and 856 passes, 699 of them accurate (81.65%).
Rufe has notably been relied upon for his long passing ability, especially in recent games as Briggs has emphasized quick transitions and diagonals in behind. Rufe attempts 8.45 long balls per 90, a team-high amongst outfield players, making up over 17% of all his pass attempts. While his move centrally has limited these opportunities in the last two games, he will likely resume this habit when moved back wide whenever Kavita returns.
On defense, Rufe has won the second-most duels on the team, averaging a 56.8% success rate in these situations. He also leads the team in clearances (73), interceptions (12) and blocks (11).
Season stats: 20 appearances, 7 starts, 1 goal, 3 yellow cards, 1 clean sheet.
AJ Paterson
After sitting out the first 14 games of the season through injury, AJ Paterson has shown exactly what the team was missing upon his return.
It was perhaps logical for AJ Paterson's return to coincide with the switch to a back-three, placing the left-footer as the left-most of the three centerbacks. Paterson, who can also play left-back and midfield, admitted that was the best position for him at the moment as he builds up fitness following his lengthy layoff.
But you would hardly know there's been a layoff at all, given he's started five of the six games following his return.
There can obviously be some debate as to which of Paterson or the formation shift has contributed to the recent tightening up of the defense, but what is certain is that things have been better since Paterson's return. In the five games he has started, Legion have conceded only 4 goals, achieving their first two clean sheets of the season.
With one North Carolina goal coming after he was subbed off, and all four Louisville goals coming prior to his entrance in that game, the team has conceded just three goals in 425 minutes of play with Paterson on the field.
Paterson's personal stats jump off the stats sheet in their own right, with most notably a 100% success rate in the tackle since his return. He also averages over one interception per 90, one of only five Legion players who can claim the same, while also making the team's top five for duel and aerial duel success rates, both at over 50%. He also concedes the third-lowest number of fouls per game (0.85) -- the lowest among centerbacks -- and comes second only to Jake Rufe for clearances per 90 (6.14).
Paterson has quickly got back into the groove of things, and the Three Sparks will hope he can maintain these levels while staying fit the rest of the season. Whether Paterson's return or the formation shift has been more important to the recent uptick in defensive form is irrelevant, as neither would be the same without the other.
Season stats: 6 appearances, 5 starts, 1 yellow card, 2 clean sheets.
Tiago Suárez
After being in and out of the team in the first quarter of the season, Tiago Suárez seems to have come into his own after reuniting with Mark Briggs, the man who gave him his debut as a 16-year-old at Sacramento Republic.
On loan from New England Revolutions, the 20-year-old centerback found himself used as much at right-back as at centerback in his early Legion career. Since his former head coach's arrival, however, he has Briggs' trust to line up in his preferred central position, to great effect.
Suárez's first start following Briggs' appointment came as the result of a warmup injury to Hamouda, but he made the most of it. The young centerback went on to start the next five games, earning USL Championship Rising Star honors three consecutive weeks as a result.
Now playing in the same back-three he was familiar with in Sacramento, he has made himself a valuable rotation option for the team. Standing 6'5", Suárez has most notably been a dominant aerial presence for a team that otherwise struggles in the air. He wins 3.34 aerial duels per match on average, boasting a 71.15% success rate in the air.
Like Hamouda, Suárez' youth can still contribute to the odd mishap, most notably with a horror-show at Louisville. However, the pros have outweighed the cons so far, and he looks set for another extended stay in the side as the right-most centerback while Kavita recovers from his hamstring injury.
Season stats: 17 appearances, 11 starts, 3 yellow cards, 1 clean sheet.
Stephen Turnbull
New-arrival Stephen Turnbull was a mystery to a lot of Legion fans early on, by no fault of his own.
Birmingham's most expensive offseason signing, Turnbull did not feature in the first game of the season in what Soehn described at the time as a "coach's decision." He started the next two games, but then disappeared from view for a little while with just one start in the next 10.
Nobody suspected an injury, given he was still making the bench and getting the odd substitute appearance. Only recently did Mark Briggs reveal that Turnbull had actually been fighting an illness all along, one which led him to lose considerable weight.
With the explanation, Turnbull's disappoiting start to his Legion career became much more understandable. And now fully fit, he's showing exactly what fans expected of him when he signed.
Since the shift to a back-three, Turnbull has been nearly everpresent as one of the two wingbacks, even playing on the left when necessary. He has recaptured the fitness to make constant bombing runs down his preferred right side and has started to develop a great understanding with Tyler Pasher, who often prefers roaming infield and allowing Turnbull the space on the overlap.
Despite his complicated start to the season, Turnbull is also tied with Pasher and Roman Torres for the most assists on the team, though that number is merely two. The one he provided for Damus at the home of his former team, Rhode Island, a few weeks ago should have fans salivating for more, however. Turnbull showed great tactical awareness, but also the pace and power you would not associate with a player recently returned from illness to shrug off his defender before laying on a perfect cross for Ronaldo Damus.
Turnbull has one of the team's best pass accuracies in the final third (68.4%), most notably proving one of Legion's most reliable crossers of the ball. He also boasts the most duels won per 90 (6.65) and third-best duel success rate amongst outfielders (59.09). This includes a 64.51% success rate in the air -- second only to Suárez -- giving him 2.56 aerial duels won per game.
Season stats: 13 appearances, 9 starts, 2 assists, 1 yellow card, 1 clean sheet.
Dawson McCartney
Dawson McCartney is listed as a midfielder on Birmingham Legion's website and started the season on the left wing. He then became a fullback under Eric Avila's interim reign and started as left-back in Briggs' first game in charge.
Since then, however, he has struggled with injury issues. He was forced on as a substitute for the injured Moses Mensah on May 24 while coming back from injury himself. The plan had been to give him 45 minutes maximum, but instead he played nearly an hour out of necessity before being forced off himself.
McCartney has missed the nine games since that win in Miami, but has appeared in recent training photos that could suggest a return is imminent. With his recent absence, it's unclear where he will be tasked to play in a Briggs system, or if the Englishman rates him at all.
I am however hopeful that he could be an excellent fit for the current 3-4-3 formation.
As a left midfielder by trade, McCartney undoubtedly possess the attacking attributes required of a Mark Briggs wingback. His brief spell as a fullback also showed he is a capable defender, though perhaps not one you want to see going up against the league's best wingers. A left wing-back role could therefore be ideal, the extra centerback providing the cover his restricted defensive abilities would benefit from while giving him license to roam forward and swing in crosses.
McCartney's was one of the team's brightest sparks during the tumultuous start to the season and will hope to recapture that form when he returns.
Season stats: 8 appearances, 7 starts, 1 goal, 1 assist.
Erik Centeno
Signed midseason as a free agent, Erik Centeno was thrown straight into the fire with consecutive starts in his first four games for the club. Though the starts have dried up since then, he has remained a valuable bench option to come on late in place of either wing-back.
A diminutive fullback, Centeno is still only 23 years old and with a lot of potential to grow. There was some confusion at the time of his signing seeing that the team already had two right-backs for its back four, but now with the 3-4-3 Centeno is being given a chance to shine.
While work can still be done on his defensive abilities (he notably has the third lowest tackle success rate on the team), neither are they shocking to the point of concern. He should however be regarded as the type of wingback who is expected to bring more to the attack than he is to the defense.
Erik Centeno currently leads the team for passing accuracy, completing 92.45% of his 159 passes. He also creates an average of 2.07 chances per 90, second only to Tyler Pasher. A lot of that comes from his crossing, delivering nearly three balls into the box per 90, the fourth-most on the team.
Centeno might not be lighting up the league, but he is reliable cover for Turnbull. Given he joined on a free nearly a dozen games into the season, that is a perfectly acceptable return for a player with plenty of time still to grow.
Season stats: 9 appearances, 4 starts, 2 yellow cards, 1 clean sheet.
Moses Mensah
Though he started the season rotating in and out of the team, Moses Mensah has made himself a lock at left wing-back since the switch in formation.
The Ghanaian has started five of the last six games in that left-sided role, coming on as a sub in the other. For a player who looked defensively questionable at times in a true fullback role, the shift in system has been the perfect solution.
With his high energy levels, Moses has shown a real ability to get down the flank while still upholding his defensive responsibilities. Recent games have also seen him start to develop a great connection with Danny Trejo on that left side, which should only help both players as well as the team's overall cohesiveness.
But now in his third season at the club, it's probably time for Mensah to truly establish himself in the USL Championship. He has the tools to do it, but also displays inconsistencies that lead to doubts as to his long-term suitability for the team.
Offensively, he has put up the team's second best passing rate in the final third (74.08%), yet his crossing accuracy has been the worst on the team at a measly 18.75%.
Defensively, he regains the ball at an average of 4.25 times per 90, the fourth highest number for the Three Sparks, but also has the fourth-lowest tackle success rate amongst his teammates.
The tools are there. If he can fix those the negatives while maintaining the positives, he could become a real fixture for the club for years to come. But one month out from his 27th birthday, it does feel like this season could be crucial to any long-term future in Birmingham.
McCartney's eventual return to the side might prove a boost to Mensah, who will have a real fight on his hands for that left wing-back slot. If both players can push each other to be the best versions of themselves, the team could suddenly look very strong at that position.
Season stats: 17 appearances, 13 starts, 1 penalty won, 1 yellow card, 1 clean sheet.
The Midfielders
For this section, we will be looking at the six players capable of playing in the 3-4-3's two central midfield slots.
Sam McIllhaton
Signed five games into the season, Sam McIllhaton had the odd experience of joining a club only days before the head coach that signed him lost his job.
Despite the chaos, he immediately made his Birmingham Legion debut, going the full 90 and doing well as the Three Sparks claimed their first win of 2025.
He remained a fairly regular and reliable presence at the base of the at-the-time 4-1-4-1 until his red card expulsion against Rhode Island. As if in reaction to that one incident, the club signed another new defensive midfielder, Edwin Laszo, the following week. McIllhaton has struggled to see the pitch since, doing so mostly as a substitute.
If Laszo is to be taken as the kind of defensive midfielder that Briggs wants, McIllhaton could be in trouble. The Australian is a tidy player who's shown good positional sense and passing range, but he is not a destroyer type midfielder like the Colombian.
As a result, it's unclear where McIllhaton fits in the current system. With a change to a 3-4-3, central midfield slots have become even more limited, and Laszo's one-man wrecking ball role even more defined.
None of this is to say McIllhaton is a bad player, it's more a question of being the wrong fit.
The Australian boasts the highest pass success in the final third and creates 1.28 goalscoring chances per 90 minutes, but he's neither as incisive as Kobe Hernández-Foster nor as direct and dangerous as Enzo Martínez. Though he's one of the best players on the team at regaining possession (doing so 4.70 times per 90), Edwin Laszo does it better and more often (6.82 per 90).
McIllhaton looks best suited to being a regista -- a type of deep-lying playmaker who sits in front of the defense, organizes play and sets the tempo. Unfortunately for him, that role is absent in the Briggs system. The Englishman relies on his three centerbacks to progress the ball instead.
As a result, the Australian finds himself a jack of all trades and master of none. He can do everything the other midfielders do, a lot of it better than many teammates, but none of it as well as the specialist in each category.
In essence, McIllhaton finds himself the victim of his transfer's timing, having joined a club weeks before it reinvented its identity. While he is a more than serviceable player who will no doubt have plenty of useful cameos throughout the season, it's hard to see him earning a starting role any time soon. He can be a real asset as a second-half substitute to shut down a game, but his long-term potential at the club might be limited.
Season stats: 11 appearances, 5 starts, 1 red card.
Kobe Hernández-Foster
After playing nearly every minute of his inaugural season for Birmingham Legion in 2024, Kobe Hernández-Foster has faced a tougher fight for his spot this time around.
The young midfielder started the season as a near ever-present once again, but following the addition of two new midfielders to the squad and the shift to a 3-4-3, a formation with one less central midfield slot than before, things have gotten tougher.
Despite earning rave reviews from Mark Briggs for his role in the dramatic win over Sacramento Republic, KHF has seen just 89 minutes in the five games since.
Originally brought up as a centerback, Hernández-Foster definitely has the defensive acumen to play in a two-man pivot, but it is through his forward-thinking play that he has shone brightest this season. His left-foot can deliver a wicked set-piece delivery (averaging just under one successful cross per game), as seen at Detroit early in the season. He is also not afraid to take on shots himself, averaging just under two per 90 minutes.
His passing is where he excels, often serving as the team's metronome when on the pitch. His 918 touches this season are second only to Jake Rufe despite significantly more limited game time, with his average of 71.10 per 90 ranking second only to Ramiz Hamouda. The same goes for passes, both total and successful. Hernández-Foster has attempted 735 passes already this season (roughly 57 per game) while maintaining an accuracy of 83.81%.
Most importantly when it comes to the attack, KHF consistently delivers forward passes. He ranks third in chances created, and 238 of his passes have gone into final third. His 18.43 passes per 90 in the final third is the most on the team, and even then he still maintains a 71.21% success rate, the third highest amongst Legion players.
Despite these impressive stats, Hernández-Foster did not come off the bench in the last three Legion games, after featuring in 17 of the previous 18 games. Like McIllhaton, one could wonder if the shift in system has not reduced the need for a player of his skills given that is ostensibly when his playing time decreased.
While Laszo and Enzo Martínez, the two first-choices in that midfield pivot, bring unique skills that we will get into later, KHF should not be discounted. While he may not have the one's defensive strength or the other's goal scoring threat, his passing range can still be a crucial weapon, especially against an opponent that might prefer to bunker down.
Hernández-Foster still has a definite role to play on this team, even if it is just bit-part for now. Still only 23, the former US youth international also has plenty of time to add attributes to his game that Briggs might want from his midfield pivot. With Martínez not getting any younger, Hernández-Foster's chance will likely come to show that his unique skillset can prove just as valuable to the Three Sparks.
Season stats: 17 appearances, 13 starts, 1 assist, 2 yellow cards, 1 clean sheet.
Edwin Laszo
When Mark Briggs brought Edwin Laszo in as his first signing, he made it very clear why. According to Legion's new head coach, the Colombian had ran the game both times his Tulsa team had faced Briggs' Sacramento.
Since joining the Legion, he might not have reached quite those levels, but he has provided something the team lacked before his arrival. He has been a defensive destroyer the likes of which Legion's leaky defense sorely needed.
It is therefore no shock he has started every single game since his arrival.
The role has been even further exacerbated recently with the shift to a two-man pivot, with Enzo Martínez usually roaming far up the pitch. This leaves Laszo solely responsible for shielding the defense, something he has shown tremendous ability to do.
The Colombian currently regains possession at a rate of 6.82 times per 90 minutes. The closest outfield player is Preston Tabort Etaka with 5.07.
He also wins 1.61 tackles per 90 minutes, boasting a 76.20% success rate, achieves 1.10 interceptions per 90 and wins 6.62 duels per 90. All three stats put him in the team's top three in the respective category.
Laszo's strength is a great attribute in retaining possession as well, giving him the ability to shrug off opponents to glide past them when needed. As a result, he boasts a perhaps surprisingly high dribble success rate at 63.16%, once again the third best on the team.
Where things fall apart for the Colombian, however, is anything in the opponent's third. Laszo's accuracy when passing in that area of the pitch is a woeful 57.17%, with the defensive midfielder often trying too hard to make things happen on his own.
Especially when the team goes behind, he has been known to try the million-dollar pass or take a speculative shot from distance in a fruitless attempt to get back his team back in the game.
While the intention is commendable, the result not so much.
Of his nine shot attempts to date, only one (the "assist" for Damus against Louisville) was on target. More often than not, whether trying to get an assist or a goal, Laszo has instead been giving the ball straight to the opposition.
The good news is that this is entirely fixable. Laszo can work on being more patient and not forcing the opportunity, or the coaching team can restrict his license to even come into these forward situations. What's for sure is that what he brings to the team defensively more than makes up for any offensive shortcomings.
The only other side he could stand to work on his giving up cheap fouls, with a team-leading 2.51 fouls conceded per 90. Nobody else reaches 2.
Season stats: 11 appearances, 11 starts, 1 assist, 4 yellow cards, 2 clean sheets.
Enzo Martínez
Birmingham Legion's 34-year-old veteran is still going strong at the heart of the Three Sparks' midfield.
After missing the opening game through suspension, Enzo Martínez has started 19 of the 20 games he's been available so far. He has demonstrated versatility in doing so, lining up everywhere from defensive mid to both wings, and coming on as a false 9 in the one game he did not start.
But while his ability to cover a multitude of roles can come in handy, it's also emblematic of a question surrounding the Uruguayan. What exactly is his best position?
Mark Briggs has stated unequivocally that he views his midfield general as a 10 (an attacking midfielder). The stats suggest he actually brings more to the defensive side of things.
His tireless running has Martínez commit over 20 tackles more than Legion's second player in that category. And even though he concedes a fair number of fouls, he's winning most of them. With a 82.22% tackle success rate, he wins more tackles per 90 minutes (2.10) than anybody else on the team.
On the flip side, his offensive stats are quite poor despite being deployed in advanced roles on multiple occasions. His final third passing accuracy is near identical to Laszo's (57.57%), this despite attempting three passes fewer per 90 in that area of the pitch than the Colombian. And despite being considered a scoring threat (rightfully so as Legion's second all-time goalscorer), his shot accuracy so far stands at a mere 14.29%.
Looking at his stats, it can be hard to understand what exactly Martínez brings to a team. And yet there is little doubt they perform better with him in it. You only had to ask players and coaches after the season opener against Loudoun, when the Uruguayan served his suspension, to hear them talk of the "fire" they lacked in his absence.
And that is essentially what Martínez adds. His contribution is not one you find in a stats sheet, but rather an unquantifiable energy, drive and passion. Even though his brief stint as the team's captain is over, he still remains the heart of the team with his workrate at its center.
His versatility and willingness to play whatever role is needed, as well as his dark-arts ability to work a refereen and wind-up the opposition are just a bonus.
Season stats: 20 appearances, 19 starts, 1 goal, 2 assists, 4 yellow cards, 2 clean sheets.
Roman Torres
Full disclosure: Roman Torres is the Birmingham Legion player I find most confusing.
After joining on loan from Minnesota United, the 23-year-old went straight into the starting line-up and provided assists in his first two games for the club. Following Soehn's dismissal, however, the young midfielder was relegated to the bench, making five substitute appearances after starting the first five.
Things have gotten even more dire for the loanee since then, with his very late appearance last Friday being not only his first minutes since June 4, but his first matchday squad since June 14.
This disappearing act is baffling for a player who put in some of the team's best performances at a time when everything else seemed to be going wrong. Whether, like Turnbull earlier in the year, there is an undisclosed fitness issue or whether Mark Briggs simply does not rate the loanee is unclear, but what is certain is that his loan is turning into a season to forget.
And yet, his numbers show exactly the quality that made him such an integral part to the team's early season.
A all-action midfielder, capable of playing as the deepest or most advance central operator, Torres actually leads the team in a number of categories.
The young midfielder trails only his counterpart Hernández-Foster for both touches per 90 amongst midfielders (66.33) and passes in the final third across the team (15.59), while also creating more chances per 90 (2.07) than anybody not named Tyler Pasher.
He also wins more fouls per 90 (3.19) than any of his teammates (Martínez is second with a "mere" 1.93) , which Torres takes further advantage of with his dangerous free-kick deliveries.
On defense, Torres is even more impressive. No player comes close to winning as many duels per 90 as his 8.27, with Stephen Turnbull and Edwin Laszo's 6.65 and 6.62 the closest challengers. Those numbers are largely due to his impressive 61.97% success rate in the duel, second only to Tiago Suárez's 68.32%. Despite his 5'11" frame, Torres' numbers actually go up when looking only at aerial duels, leading all outfielders with an impressive 75% success rate.
Torres also averages more interceptions (1.32) and commits more tackles (2.82) per 90 than anybody on the team.
My opinion on the midfielder isn't revisionist either, as I felt strongly about his performance levels well-before diving into the stats. So to see him play just over 100 minutes since Briggs' arrival has been something of a shock.
I obviously don't know his attitude, how he trains or if there's any other reason to keep him out of the team at this time, but Torres is the one player I believe can offer much more to the team than is currently being asked of him.
As a loan player, he will almost certainly return to Minnesota United next season. I wouldn't be surprised to see him go on to have the kind of career that makes Legion fans wonder why he never got more of a chance in the Magic City.
Season stats: 12 appearances, 5 starts, 2 assists, 3 yellow cards.
Temi Ereku
Just 21 years old, Temi Ereku has barely featured for Birmingham Legion this season. It therefore made a lot of sense when the club announce last week that he would be loaned to Forward Madison for the rest of the season.
Not much is known of the Nigerian midfielder given his limited appearances for the Three Sparks, but the loan suggests the club still rate him fairly highly. Matt Glaeser, Forward Madison's head coach and technical director, is a longtime friend of Mark Briggs and his former assistant at each of his previous stops.
Glaeser revealed the two still talk on a weekly basis, so there are few better options for a loan player than to join the Wisconsin team. In Madison, Ereku will hopefully get some minutes while playing for someone with similar soccer views and expectations as his coach back home.
If he impresses, Briggs will be one of the first to hear about it.
With Lucca Dourado also on loan at Forward Madison, Legion fans might want to start tuning into USL League One games to keep a watch on their two youngsters. But they won't have to wait long to see them in action regardless, with Madison coming to Birmingham next week for a USL Jägermeister Cup tie.
Season stats: 3 appearances, 1 start, 1 yellow card.
The Forwards
This section encapsulates both the traditional striker role as well as the players capable of playing on either wing in Mark Briggs' 3-4-3. While Dawson McCartney could likely do a job there when back from injury, he's already been covered in the defenders section as I expect him to line up at left wing-back upon his return.
Danny Trejo
Danny Trejo probably best epitomizes Birmingham Legion this season.
A lot was expected of him going into the year, but performances so far mean he has flattered to deceive.
That might seem harsh given he's the team's second highest scorer and has featured in most games. But compared to what he showed during Phoenix Rising's title winning 2023 season, Trejo is well off the pace.
Heralded as many as the biggest signing in club history and a real statement of intent this offseason, Trejo's poor start at the club was not all on him. The forward came off at halftime in the season opener due to a concussion and did not return until a brief 16-minute cameo four games later.
By the time he started a game again, the coach who had brought him in was no longer there.
There was a semblance of a new dawn in Eric Avila's final game in charge, when Trejo finally opened his Legion account. He added an assist in the same game, and followed it up with another goal in Briggs' first game at the helm.
But while the two games gave belief Legion were about to see the Phoenix-era Danny Trejo, that hope was in vain. Trejo's only goal contribution in the next 11 games was to force a late own goal in the 4-2 loss at Louisville City. As a result, his game time has diminished, leaving the pitch earlier and earlier in games and even starting on the bench a few times.
Trejo seems to be a confidence player. When things are working, he's almost unplayable. But when the going gets tough, he disappears. Even though his xG/90 is near-identical to Ronaldo Damus' (0.35 and 0.39, respectively), their actual goalscoring outputs are currently miles apart (4 and 10).
Get a few more of those shots in, however, and things could be looking up for Trejo and Birmingham.
Friday's 3-2 win at North Carolina FC showed once more a glimpse of what Danny Trejo can be, but the forward needs to ensure it's not another false dawn. After winning USL Championship Player of the Week off of his two-goal performance, he now needs to show he can do it consistently for the Three Sparks.
If he does not, Birmingham will have a big decision to make in their quest to return to the playoffs.
Season stats: 18 appearances, 14 starts, 4 goals, 2 yellow cards.
Ronaldo Damus
In contrast to Trejo, if there is one player who has lived up to his offseason expectations, it's Ronaldo Damus.
The Haitian notched already his 10th goal in Black and Gold on Friday, putting him just four behind his tally for last season's USL Championship-winning Colorado Springs Switchbacks. With only 21 games needed to reach double digits, Damus currently boasts the best goals-per-minute in Birmingham Legion history.
He's scoring at a rate of 0.476 goals per 90, ever-so-slightly faster than the Three Sparks' all-time leading goalscorer, Neco Brett (0.470).
In Championship play, Damus is tied for 5th on the golden boot race. The only reason his performances haven't drawn more attention are due to the likes of Abdellatif Aboukoura and Cal Jennings being utterly unplayable at times.
Damus also suffers in the public eye due to his consistency. He averages a goal every other game, and is scoring at that pace in a near literal sense.
Of his 10 goals to date, only two have come in the same match (a brace in Legion's first win of the season, against El Paso Locomotive). The others have all been individual-goal performances, often with a goalless game in between. As a result, he rarely makes headlines or earns individual honors despite the output.
His longest drought came following the switch to the 3-4-3. When removing the fluke goal against Louisville, Damus did not find the net until seven games into the new system. However, he then proceeded to score in successive games for only the second time this season.
Damus has also contributed greatly with his relentless high pressing. The striker is always willing to act as the team's first defender, and it paid off big time for his goal last Friday against North Carolina.
The main criticism that can be levied against the Haitian (other than his unfortunate penalty miss in the Indy Eleven shootout and a habit of going down far too easily when challenged in the box) is that he sometimes tries too much. As is more often seen with younger players who are clearly more advanced than their teammates, Damus sometimes acts as if he needs to do everything himself. This leads him drop too deep or move to positions that aren't his in an attempt to get involved.
As a striker, he is reliant on service from his midfield. When he doesn't get it, he will drop deeper or drift wider to try and add to his average of 21.48 touches per game.
The downsides are twofold.
First off, Damus is at his best when running in behind, finding space between defenders and creating chaos with his clever movement in the final third. Though valiant in his efforts, he is not as well suited to carrying the ball in deeper areas or trying to instigate build-up himself.
Second, whenever Damus does drift out of position, it leaves a massive hole where the striker should be. When he sends in a cross, there is often nobody there to receive if, unless the opposite winger has managed a run into the box.
Damus' main skill is his finishing ability (he's currently over-performing his expected goals by 2.55 goals), but when he's not there to finish, the team suffers from it. Until the other forwards start picking up the goal scoring slack, Damus needs to be in those positions to convert chances if Birmingham want to win games.
Season stats: 21 appearances, 20 starts, 10 goals, 1 assist, 4 yellow cards.
Preston Tabort Etaka
Already in his third season with Birmingham Legion, Preston Tabort Etaka has yet to fully establish himself at the club.
After beginning the season as a starter in Tyler Pasher's absence, he soon reverted to coming off the bench following the Canadian's return from injury. With his electric pace and running ability, there is little doubt he has been a useful impact sub and rotation option, but he never really seems likely to challenge for a regular starting spot.
His attacking numbers are fine, if not good. He's perfectly on pace with his expected goals, scoring twice from 2.03 xG, and nobody takes more shots (2.60) or shots on target (1.30) per 90 than the Cameroonian. That 50% accuracy is actually the best of any player on the team with more than just a couple of attempts.
His passing, however, could use some work, with 10.85 completed passes per 90. His 67.15 success rate ranks him as the lowest amongst outfielders. Some of that comes down to his crossing numbers, sending 3.07 balls into the box per 90 (second on the team), but only finding a teammate with one every other game (0.59/90).
One less noticed attribute where Tabort Etaka has been remarkably efficient this season is his contribution to the high press. The Cameroonian is in the top five for duels won per 90 minutes not because he has a good success rate in them (at 40.16%, he definitely does not) but because of the sheer numbers he puts up.
As a result, he's one of the Three Sparks' most efficient players in terms of regaining possession, doing so just over five times per game on average (only Edwin Laszo can claim better). He also boasts an impressive 88.88% tackle success rate, winning just under one per 90 minutes.
His willingness to press high can also lead to overeagerness at times, however, as he is also culpable for one of the highest number of fouls per 90 (1.77) on the team.
Overall, Tabort Etaka is continuing exactly what he's shown for Birmingham Legion up to now. He's a useful USL Championship caliber player, but not one who's going to singlehandedly win games. If he is happy to maintain his understudy/impact sub role, he will continue to be a valuable tool in the Three Sparks' arsenal.
But if he ever wants to be more than that, he will likely need to show drastic improvements or find that opportunity elsewhere.
Season stats: 21 appearances, 8 starts, 2 goals, 1 assist, 3 yellow cards.
Tyler Pasher
Tyler Pasher's start to the season was delayed through injury, but it has not impacted his performances since his return.
Most commonly known as a right winger, Pasher found a new role early in the season when Eric Avila moved him to central midfield. With his eye for a pass and positional intelligence, the Canadian shone as the forward-most central midfielder in the 4-1-4-1's three-man midfield.
Since the switch to the 3-4-3, he's resumed a near-permanent residence on the right wing. With the emphasis on wing-back overloads, the switch has given him the license to roam inside and exploit the half spaces.
Despite turning 31 last April, Pasher remains one of the most dangerous wingers in the league. His pass success rate stands at 84.78%, the highest of any forward. That includes 14.01 passes in the final third per game (second on the team behind KHF), while still maintaining a 72.86% accuracy on those attempts, the third best on the team.
It is therefore no surprise Pasher is the team's lead creator. With 2.16 chances created per 90 minutes, it's really only due to the team's current lack of form in front of goal that he does not have significantly more assists to his name. And even so, his two assists so far are a club-leading total.
He isn't just about the passing either. The Canadian is also an elite dribbler, often driving at the left-back when given the chance. Pasher has averaged a team-high 1.84 successful dribbles per game, getting past his man over half the time when taking him on.
The one downside to his dribbling proficiency however is that it results in the occasional selfish play. Pasher has been guilty on occasion of wanting to take his man on when better options are available to him. When he does so, he is often slowing down a counter by traveling with the ball at his feet rather than spraying it forward for a runner, which will always be a faster option.
This isn't to say that's always the case, far from it.
There are times where this is the right choice, and there are plenty of occasions where Pasher recognizes the need to release the ball to his fullback or a streaking forward. The more he forms connections with those around him -- we shouldn't forget the other two members of the usual front line, as well as both right wing-backs, are new to the team -- the better he will anticipate these runs and make the correct decision.
After showing himself one of Legion's most consistent performers since Briggs' arrival, he became the club captain as a reward for his efforts. He wore the armband for the first time last Friday, and, if that game was any indication, the weight of it will only raise his performance levels. However, it will be interesting to see how he endorses the added responsibility that comes with such a role moving forward.
One of the team's best and most experienced players, he is undoubtedly a logical choice for the armband. It's up to him to show he can live up to the expectation he has now created for himself.
Season stats: 16 appearances, 13 starts, 1 goal, 2 assists, 3 yellow cards.
Sebastian Tregarthen
Signed to his first pro deal after starring for Asheville City in USL League Two, Sebastian Tregarthen has probably been the break-out star for Birmingham Legion this season.
The young Uruguayan took some time to adapt to his new surroundings and make his mark, but has slowly grown in confidence and importance to the team.
After showing exciting glimpse of what he could bring in his debut cameo against Detroit City March 22, Tregarthen had to wait for the team's first USL Jägermeister Cup game to get his first start. Since then, he's continued to grow into the team as a impact player and rotation option.
With a very direct playing style, Tregarthen has shown himself at his best when running at defenses. He leads the team in dribble attempts (4.69) and successful crosses (1.07) per 90 and can often cause chaos in the opposition backline.
He still has a lot of work to do when it comes to his end product and consistency, but that is to be expected from a young player in his first full year as a pro. What he has however demonstrated is that he is not going to be phased by the big occasions, no matter his inexperience.
Tregarthen's performance against Sacramento Republic was a perfect example of this mentality.
The young Uruguayan was having a torrid night after coming on as a sub. He lost his footing, the ball slipped out of his hands on a throw-in and his overall play was, simply put, quite poor. But like he said in his post-match interview, he just kept going regardless. It paid off, and he scored the game-winning goal with the last kick of the game.
That was already the second clutch goal for the young winger, who has also shown the ability to play wing-back, the other coming in Legion's crucial 2-1 Jägermeister Cup win over FC Tulsa.
While we should be weary of placing too many expectations too soon on a player still finding his way in the professional ranks, there is plenty to be excited for when looking at Tregarthen's season so far.
Season stats: 17 appearances, 6 starts, 2 goals, 1 yellow card.
Lucca Dourado
Signed from the University of Central Florida, Lucca Dourado began his Three Sparks career as a half-time substitute in Legion's season opener, replacing the concussed Danny Trejo. After coming on in added time the next game, he got his first professional start in the following encounter, Birmingham's Lamar Hunt US Open Cup loss to Little Rock Rangers.
After missing a penalty in the first-half, he was hooked at the hour mark and never seen again.
The young Brazilian stayed on the bench the next three games before being absent from the matchday squad entirely from there on out. It was finally announced May 16 that he would be joining Forward Madison on loan for the remainder of the season.
Like Temi Ereku, Dourado's loan to Wisconsin shows the club isn't just trying to get him off the books. By playing for a coach with similar soccer ideas as Mark Briggs, the Brazilian should come back next season better prepared to endure the rigors of professional soccer under Legion's Englishman.
Those at the club are still high on the young forward, it's just about him making the most of his opportunity now.
Since his arrival in Wisconsin, Dourado has slowly earned his way into the starting XI. After consecutive sub appearances in his first two eligible games, he got his first start in game four, playing just over an hour as a left winger.
He notched his first professional goal in the following game and has started five of the last six USL League Two encounters as a striker. Last weekend, he got a goal and an assist to earn a spot in the USL League One Team of the Week.
He followed it up with another assist last night before coming off at halftime.
With the young Brazilian starting to hit form up North, he will hope to show Birmingham exactly what they are missing. He will get no better opportunity to do just that than next week, when his loan team come to the Magic City for a USL Jägermeister Cup matchup.
Season stats
Birmingham Legion: 3 appearances, 1 start
Forward Madison: 9 appearances, 5 starts, 2 goals, 2 assists.
Sebastian Saucedo
Sebastian Saucedo has had a confusing Birmingham Legion career to date.
Signed as a free agent following over a year without a competitive game, he was surprisingly thrown straight into the action for his debut as a late sub in the first game he was eligible for. But since those 15 minutes against Oakland Roots, he hasn't so much as made a matchday squad.
When I spoke to him following his signing, he made it clear that his absence from the game had been due to personal issues he had been dealing with. He notably mentioned how grateful he was for both Mark Briggs and Jay Heaps' understanding of his situation when bringing him to the club.
As such, I suspect his recent disappearance has more to do with off-field issues than anything else as he moves his family to the city and gets settled in his new surroundings. He has still been in training, though not always taking part in every exercise, so while there's no obvious injury there could also be some level of fitness-building involved following his lengthy spell out of the game.
It's unclear at this time when we can hope to see the Three Sparks' most recent signing in action, though next week's USL Jägermeister Cup game against USL League One Forward Madison does sound like an ideal game to ease him back into a rhythm. Whether he's ready for that opportunity remains to be seen.
Season stats: 1 appearance.
Finn Calloway
Though he is no longer at the club, Finn Calloway is still part of this review given he did feature for Birmingham Legion this season.
The academy graduate was never expected to make a big impact, but got an hour in the US Open Cup loss to Little Rock Rangers as well as two late sub appearances in league play.
But with no reliable stats (or stream) for that Open Cup game and only three minutes total across his two substitute appearances, there is very little I can say about the young winger.
He departed for the University of Central Florida a few weeks ago for their preseason preparations, effectively ending his affiliation with Birmingham Legion. Should he return to the USL Championship one day, it would be as a free agent and therefore not necessarily in the Magic City.
He will however always be part of the club's history as one of its first academy signings.
Season stats: 3 appearances, 1 start.
Kameron Lacey
Kameron Lacey will probably want to put his 2025 season behind him as soon as possible.
On trial with the club since early April, Lacey finally earned a contract with the Three Sparks at the end of May. He made his debut a week later off the bench in the USL Jägermeister Cup.
Fast forward three games. Lacey missed out on the first, remained on the bench for the second, and was now in street clothes again. And this time there was a brace on his knee and crutches supporting him.
He seemed relaxed about it when crossing the media in the hallway post-game, but a few weeks later he posted a Instagram story of himself giving a thumbs up in a hospital bed. The implication was clear; his injury had required surgery.
Though there has been no official communication by the club, the suggestions seem to be that the forward will be hard-pressed to return to the pitch this season. Even if he does, he would likely be doing so at the crunch end of the year, a less-than-ideal time to ease a player with no real experience on the team back into the fold.
His recovery could still take a turn for the better and see him come back ahead of schedule, but it is likely we have seen the last of Lacey this year. And with no performances to lean on and new doubts set to surround his fitness when he returns from his injury layoff, re-signing him for next season would be a big risk for the club.
He could potentially stay on as a trialist once again so they can reassess where he's at and give him another chance in that manner. If not, Lacey will go down in the record books as the Birmingham Legion player with the fewest minutes to his name.
Season stats: 1 appearance.
The Club
A club isn't just about the players. The head coach is obviously a huge part of the team, while the front office can be just as, if not more, crucial to the team's success.
For Birmingham Legion, 2025 has been a chaotic season, featuring the team's first ever coaching change. So let's look at how the new man has been doing, as well as those calling the shots at the very top.
Mark Briggs
Mark Briggs officially became Birmingham Legion's second head coach in club history April 30, 2025. After already a stellar, near-decade of coaching in the United States, the 43-year-old Englishman made the Three Sparks the fourth stop of his coaching career.
Since his appointment, there have been flashes of positivity and change intermingled with moments of deep frustration. Notably, while the team has shored up its defensive woes, so has the attack dried up.
The team played eight games this season prior to his arrival, with a record of 2W-2D-4L. Legion scored 10 goals in that time frame while conceding 12. In the 13 games since the Englishman's start, the Three Sparks have gone 4-5-4, with 15 scored and 16 conceded. Looking purely at these numbers, it doesn't feel like all that much has changed.
It must be pointed out that the pre-Briggs record includes two wins under interim head coach Eric Avila. Soehn's 2025 record read 2D-4L and featured just 4 goals scored for 9 against. Sacking Legion's long-term head coach was therefore the right decision, though it has not panned out quite as well as many would have hoped just yet.
With just 1.18 points per USL Championship Game, Briggs currently holds a worse success rate than any individual Tom Soehn season barring the catastrophic start to this year. It is obviously harder to come in midseason, but a continuation of this poor form would almost certainly see the Black and Gold miss out on the postseason for the second consecutive year.
On the positives, the team has started to look more structured and dangerous in recent games. The switch to Briggs' favored 3-4-3 has given the side a new dimension, and results since the change have been largely more positive. After a tough first game with the system against Louisville, the team has dropped just other game while rolling with the 3-4-3, albeit a game they should have won against Oakland Roots.
Since that disappointment, Birmingham have found themselves on a four-game unbeaten run, and, had finishing been better, it could easily have been a four-game win streak. Ruthlessness is currently key word, with the team underperforming its expected goals in five of its last six games. It's hard to hold that against Briggs, however, given that, like he said, he cannot put the ball in the net for his players. He can only help them create those scoring situations, which the xG seems to suggest he is doing just fine.
The one thing that can be held against Legion's new coach in these trying times are his team selections.
Despite repeatedly calling players out in his post-match comments, there has been little to no repercussions for poor performances when it comes to playing time. The same 15 or so players make up the starting XI most weeks, with really only a couple of positions seeing any real rotation.
If you're going to publicly state that your players are not doing enough, then keep playing the exact same underperforming players every outing, eventually some of that is your fault.
On the flip side, there is something to be said for consistency and building team chemistry. Especially with a new formation, there is value in putting the players back out there and letting them figure things out as a unit.
The balance between that and a complete lack of accountability -- a word Briggs has used repeatedly when talking to the press -- is however a fine line, and one I'm not sure he is currently managing to his best.
Overall, it's still too early to judge Mark Briggs' Birmingham tenure. Thirteen games and no preseason isn't enough time to mold a team in your image, and there have been plenty of bright sparks and positive changes already on display. The team has definitely shown more energy and cohesion since his arrival, and he did lead them to consecutive wins for the first time in nearly a year.
Briggs said a few weeks ago that a successful season will be determined by whether or not the Three Sparks make the playoffs, and that is what he should be judged on at the end of the day. If he can turn things around by then, he would have accomplished exactly what he was brought in for.
The club would then be able to build on that small accomplishment as it looks to deliver a more consistent challenge to the top USL Championship sides.
Season stats:
13 games managed, 4 wins, 5 draws, 4 losses
*1 draw was followed by a loss on penalties
15 goals scored (1.15 per game)
16 goals conceded (1.23 per game)
Jay Heaps/The Front Office
When thinking of the decision makers at the club, Jay Heaps is the face of the organization.
The newly re-titled CEO and Chief Soccer Officer (previously President and General Manager) has been in the public eye this season more than ever following the club's decision to sack Tom Soehn and hire Mark Briggs, as well as other behind-the-scene changes.
While the decision to sack Soehn was objectively the right one given how things were going, it did raise questions on why that did not happen in the offseason. After a poor season resulted in the team's first ever postseason absence, it would have made logical sense to part ways with the man leading the team.
The Three Sparks instead chose loyalty to the only head coach they've known and tried to give him one last offseason to rebuild and turn the tide. Though the wrong choice in hindsight, it was a commendable show of loyalty in an industry that often lacks the merest understanding of the word.
When it became obvious things were only getting worse, they acted decisively to not only stem the bleeding, but then bring in one of the most sought-after coaches in the USL landscape.
Simultaneously, the team has made further strides off the pitch to continue to grow its brand and its on-pitch performance. Nick Hall came in as the club's first-ever Chief Business Officer, while Augie Ruiz and Zack Day joined the technical staff as Director of Scouting and Player Recruitment and First Team Analyst, respectively.
The two latter hires were important moves as the club strives to remain on the forefront of soccer innovation, while Hall will hopefully work to address the the club's biggest off-field issue: the stadium.
While there are currently no plans for Legion to find a new home, no matter how much fans like to dream about what that could look like, Hall has started working on improving the Legion gameday experience.
Protective now has a family-friendly-priced concession stand, though why it's only one stand and not the whole stadium remains a mystery, and yesterday the club announced a host of special events for the remaining home games this season. While it can feel like trying to make the most of a bad situation, it is hard to see what more the Legion can do barring a, unlikely change in venue.
All these decisions go to show that, despite struggles on the field, Birmingham Legion is still a club headed in the right direction. After an initial misstep in keeping Soehn on, the club showed the ruthlessness needed to correct course. They've shown ambition with their offseason signings, their choice for new head coach and in their willingness to back him with the players he wanted, already signing four additional players to the roster since Briggs' arrival.
With a state-of-the-art training facility and its two new data-oriented personnel, the club is also maintaining itself as a modern, forward-thinking team. If they can one day add a stadium as nice as the training facility, they would definitely be one of the most exciting and attractive teams in the USL sphere.
The main blemish when considering the season of the front office personnel is through Jay Heaps, however.
Though his decision making, along with those above him, has been bold and positive, his actions have not always displayed the club in its best light. During Eric Avila's interim charge, Jay Heaps appeared to make himself interim head coach No. 2.
While it was first and foremost just a confusing situation, with Hartford Athletic commentators even confusing Heaps for Avila during that game due to his much more visible sideline presence, Heaps' character also raised further concern. In the three matches he and Avila stood on the sideline, the CSO earned himself two yellow cards for his constant commentary at the referee.
Having the front office "babysitting" the interim coach is a bad enough look, getting in trouble while doing so just makes it worse.
For a club that has done everything else right to build its image both locally and across the nation, the situation screamed of amateurism. Thankfully, since Briggs' arrival, Heaps has returned to his seat inside Protective Stadium and remained far from the pitch except for during the team's usual on-field appreciation.
Overall review
To close things off, its important to look at the big picture of the season so far.
Amidst all the chaos of a coaching change and disappointing league season, there are still a couple of bright spots to be had.
The biggest one so far has been the team's inaugural USL Jägermeister Cup campaign. With one group game remaining, the Three Sparks are guaranteed at minimum a wildcard spot for the quarter-finals if they can defeat USL League One's Forward Madison in 90 minutes.
Depending on Indy Eleven's result against FC Tulsa, they could also still finish as Group 3's outright winners.
Once teams reach the knockout stage, everyone should believe in their chance at silverware. And for Legion, that's an opportunity for the club's first-ever trophy.
With Eastern Conference big-hitters like Louisville City and Charleston Battery both on the outside looking in, as well as two of the current top three teams in the West unlikely to advance, there's a serious opportunity for the final eight teams to write their names in the history books.
We won't speak of the team's performance in the other national cup, but the Three Sparks first ever foray into USL Jägermeister territory has so far looked like a genuine shot at glory for the Black and Gold.
As for the league, we all know it has not been good enough.
After 17 games, the team currently sits in eighth, the final playoff spot, but with the same number of points as 9th-placed Miami, who hold two games in hand. In fact, Birmingham Legion has played either one or two more games than everyone in the Eastern Conference not named Charleston Battery, with only Monterey Bay in the West doing better with 18.
Birmingham therefore faces an anxious wait in the next few weeks as their rivals catch up to their game tally, and either surpass them for those below, or pull further ahead for those in front.
The 1.05 points per game is by far the team's worst tally in a season, but there is still hope. At this same stage in their inaugural year, Legion was actually five points worse off. Seven wins in their next nine games completely flipped the script to nab that year's final playoff ticket.
Though Charleston, Louisville and Loudoun United are seemingly already out of touch, everyone else is still fighting each other in a pocket square. Only three points (one win) separate Legion from 5th-placed Pittsburgh Riverhounds, while 4th is occupied by North Carolina FC, a team the Three Sparks just defeated on their own soil.
With performances, if not yet results, have been on the upturn in recent weeks, Birmingham are just one good run of form away from erasing their early season troubles. They're not going to win the league and most likely can't hope for a home playoff, but places 5-8 are fully up for grabs if they can find the momentum in their final 12 games of the season.
And it all starts tomorrow with a must-win game over last-season's USL Championship champions, Colorado Springs Switchbacks. The Switchbacks are currently bottom of the Western Conference and winless in over a month.
If the Three Sparks can get the job done at Protective Stadium, they suddenly have back-to-back wins, find themselves on a five-game undefeated streak and head into next weekend likely to further the positive vibes around the club with a spot in the USL Jägermeister Cup's final eight.
Soccer is all about momentum, and getting to August with wins in their next two home games could make a world of difference to a team who has struggled to build any sort of meaningful momentum so far this season.
Season stats:
USL Championship: 17 games, 4 wins, 6 draws, 7 losses, 19 goals for, 24 against
USL Jägermeister Cup: 3 games, 2 wins, 1 draw/shootout loss, 6 goals for, 3 against
Lamar Hunt US Open Cup: 1 game, 1 loss, 0 goals for, 1 against
Overall: 21 games, 6 wins, 7 draws, 8 losses, 25 goals for, 28 against