2012 Meet the USASA: Croatian Eagles from Milwaukee, WI ...
While Willan grew up playing for Milwaukee Sport Club, one of the Croatians’ rivals in the ethnic-dominated Milwaukee soccer scene, he said he started training with and playing for the Eagles between pro seasons about 13 years ago. It still makes it fun for me. ”. This spring has been plenty of fun for the Croatians, who made the most of an unseasonably warm spring in Wisconsin and have been training and playing matches for two months. Willan played six years with his hometown team before ending his outdoor career with the Minnesota Thunder in 2003 – he also played six seasons indoors, three each with the Detroit Rockers and Milwaukee Wave. The Eagles blanked two of Illinois’ top clubs, fellow Croatian club RWB Adria and Polish side AAC Eagles, by identical 2-0 scores in the U. S. Adult Soccer Association Region II tournament April 14 and 15 in Bensenville, Ill. Not because he wants one more shot at playing a pro team – the winner will face the Dayton Dutch Lions of USL Pro in the second round on May 22 – but because he loves to match wits against new opponents and thinks that this Croatian Eagles team... Jason Willan is expected to be in the lineup when the Croatians, based in the Milwaukee suburb of Franklin, face PDL side Chicago Fire Premier in a first-round match at the Toyota Park Practice Field in Bridgeview, Ill. “There’s a lot of quality history to the club,” Willan said of the Croatians, who also played in the National Challenge Cup – which was later re-named the U. S. Open Cup – in 1943 and ‘45. Willan scored the Eagles’ lone goal on a penalty kick in the 72nd minute after the home team had scored the first three goals of the night. 2012 Meet the USASA: Croatian Eagles from Milwaukee, WI Posted on 15. When one of the oldest cup competitions in the world kicks off Tuesday night, one of the nation’s oldest clubs will be part of the action. His only other Open Cup appearance came during his time with the Milwaukee Rampage of the A-League, a 1-0 home loss to the Orlando Nighthawks in a second-round match. And the players get treated well for the amateur level – that’s a big part of it. For me, seeing the professional side of it, you know this club is not far off from treating their players the same way. “The club is quality, the organization from top to bottom, they just take a little more pride than some other clubs. “He still has the drive, and he brings a really nice settling presence to the team when he’s on the field,” Eagles manager Alex Toth said of Willan. At 40 years old, Willan likely will be literally twice the age of some of the Fire Premier players. He’s especially fired up about playing Fire Premier. And the Croatian Eagles, formed in 1922, just might have the oldest player in the 99th Lamar Hunt U. S. Open Cup. And despite his age, Willan still feels comfortable in his attacking midfield role in the Croatians’ 4-5-1 formation. “I’ve got to say, at the age of 40, I’ve got no problem getting fired up,” he said with an edge of excitement in his voice. That year, the Croatians traveled to Iowa to face the PDL’s Des Moines Menace, falling 4-1 in the qualifying round. “I do get a kick out it – it has yet to rub me negatively, put it that way,” Willan said with a chuckle....
