Watkins: Demba Ba is the driving force behind 1904 FC
Late Monday night, the National Independent Soccer Association (NISA) filed its application for Division 3 status with the US Soccer Federation, according to league President Bob Watkins.
“Let me give you an inside scoop here,” he told Prost Amerika in an interview in Oceanside, hone of 1904 FC.
“Last night about ten minutes to midnight, we submitted all the documentation, over 1000 pages to US Soccer. in accordance to acquire their sanction. That process will now take abut 2-3 weeks to get through.
“They will go through each of the clubs that have applied in the application. Then there will be a recommendation made to the Soccer Federation board.
“Hopefully by early December, we’ll have an answer.”
The new President of the league, Bob Watkins, speaking exclusively to Prost, confirmed that they had reached the minimum of eight clubs that met US Soccer D3 requirements on matters like working capital, and that they are expecting an initial answer within 2-3 weeks.
Eight clubs are definite members with another six waiting to join if the D3 status is awarded. Watkins confirmed that there is no Plan B if the status is denied.
“If it doesn’t succeed, there’s no Plan B. Plan A is Plan B.
“We expect this t be approved. We’ve gone through everything we can possibly got through.
“Unless there’s some compelling reason why it wouldn’t be, we anticipate it’ll be approved,” he added.
The 14 clubs come from the south east, mid-central east coast, north east coast, four from southern California and three from the midwest, according to Watkins.
In a wide ranging interview to be published later, he also discusses the latest plans for 1904 FC in the wake of the failure of Soccer City to win public approval of their plan to being MLS to San Diego.
