FC Cincinnati has acquired Vancouver Whitecaps’ Kyle Greig (GREG) on loan for the remainder of the season, pending ITC and league approval while defender Sem de Wit (de VIT) from the Whitecaps FC 2 side will also join FCC. The Orange and Blue have also signed Kevin Schindler, a free agent from Weden Wiesbaden, to a contract. De Wit and Schindler will be added to the FCC roster pending league and federation approval.
“Kyle is an excellent center forward who has the ability to score goals and also set up his teammates,” said FCC Head Coach Alan Koch. “His work-rate and mentality are second to none, and I am very excited to add a player of his credentials to our squad. He has shown that he can excel in the USL, and his recent MLS experience, will allow him to come in to our team full of confidence in his abilities.”
Greig, from Olathe, Kansas, is a 6-2 forward with Vancouver’s first team. He made his debut in 2016 with the first team against Crystal Palace FC in an international friendly. He came off the bench for three CONCACAF Champions League appearances, logging a key assist against Sporting KC that clinched the team’s spot in the quarterfinals.
He played four years in the United Soccer League, joining WFC2 in January of 2016 and scoring a team-leading 11 goals with three assists in 25 starts. Scoring a goal in six of his first seven matches, Greig captained the squad, leading the team to playoffs while posting a goal in each of their two wins.
Greig played two seasons with Oklahoma City FC, finishing second on the team with seven goals and an assist. He was instrumental in Energy FC’s second-place finish in the Western Conference. In his first season donning the OKC uniform, Greig led the team with nine goals while chipping in with two assists.
He started his professional career in the USL with the Wilmington Hammerheads and put away six goals with an assist. Grieg played collegiately at Benedictine College (NAIA) and was a three-time all-conference selection. Scoring 43 goals in four years, the forward led Benedictine College to the NAIA national tournament.
De Wit, joins FCC from the WFC2 team, where he was named the team Player of the Year after a record-setting season in 2016. The defender had 27 starts and logged 2,416 minutes played, seeing action in every minute of the team’s three playoff fixtures.
“Sem will bring a winning mentality to our team. He is a fierce competitor who is not only a physical presence at the back, but also an excellent distributor” said Koch. “His style of play will compliment how we want to play with our group. He is a great young man, and will fit in very well with our team. His success with Whitecaps2 and the Whitecaps first team will help him adjust to playing at Nippert Stadium.”
De Wit saw action with the first team, coming off the bench in the international friendly against Crystal Palace FC. A native of Harderwijk, Netherlands, de Wit competed in the Eerste Divisie, the second-highest tier in the country, and played with Fortuna Sittard. He also had a stint with FC Dodrecht and made his professional debut with Almere City FC in 2012. De Wit played in one match for the Netherlands U18 national team.
Schindler, from Delmenhorst, started his career in the Bundesliga as a midfielder for Werder Bremen in 2006 and played two seasons. That was followed with a successful season with Hansa Rostock in the 2. Bundesliga, scoring five goals and playing in 32 matches. He spent six seasons in the second division with teams such as MSV Duisburg, Werder Bremen II and Saint Pauli.
“Kevin has played in one of the top leagues in the world (Bundesliga) and will bring a lot of experience to our squad,” commented Koch. “He is a versatile player that will come in and compete to start in our group immediately. He is motivated to come and be successful in North America and we will work hard with him to set him up for success. He is still in his prime as a player and we look forward to welcoming him to Cincinnati.”
Prior to signing with FCC, Schindler spent the last three seasons with Wehen Wiesbaden, playing in 3. Liga, the third tier in Germany. The midfielder’s best season was in 2015-16, when he put away six goals and totaled 2,707 minutes over 36 appearances. In his first season, Schindler recorded a pair of goals in 15 games played.
