Zayed brings scoring touch to Red Wolves

When he took over as the first head coach of the city’s new United Soccer League organization, the Chattanooga Red Wolves’ Tim Hankinson spoke of building the “spine” of the team in his roster construction, meaning goalkeeper, forward, center defensive back and defensive midfielder.

“You have to try to get that structure right, because it’s the style of those players and what they bring that will often lead you in one direction or another as to who is going to complement that,” Hankinson told the Times Free Press on Sept. 11, the day he was introduced as coach.

“What style do they play? Is it a player that is outstanding without the ball at his feet, therefore making him an option for a pass? Or is it a player that wants the ball at his feet and is better at going one on one? So you look for players to complement each other in that way stylistically.”

Hankinson and the team got their second piece of the puzzle Wednesday.

The Red Wolves announced forward Eamon Zayed as the second member of the USL League One team, joining goalkeeper Greg Hartley on the roster for the 2019 debut season. Zayed, who was born in Ireland and has played for the Libyan national team, most recently played professionally for the Charlotte Independence of the primary USL league, tying for second on the team with eight goals in 25 matches and notching a pair of assists.

Zayed, 35, has experience playing for Hankinson because they were part of the North American Soccer League’s Indy Eleven. Zayed was the only player in the league to register double-digit goals in consecutive seasons, earning him a spot on the 2016 NASL Best XI and league MVP nominations in 2016 and 2017. He is still the club’s all-time leading scorer, with 27 goals and nine assists in 60 matches.

“Eamon is an incredibly dynamic attacking player with a natural knack for finding the net,” Hankinson said Wednesday in a release about the signing. “His international experience coupled with his USL presence makes him a strong addition to our team. He will be an exciting player to watch.”

Zayed has also played in England, Iran, Ireland and Libya.

“I am very grateful for the opportunity to continue my playing career and join the Chattanooga Red Wolves SC family under Coach Hankinson,” Zayed said in the release. “A promising program is being built, and I am excited to be a part of its beginnings.”

Contact Gene Henley at ghen ley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @genehenley3.