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NATIONAL SOCCER NEWS: www.nationalsoccernetwork.com
BY DAN STICKRADT
WEB AND CONTENT EDITOR | DIRECTOR OF NEWS
Premier Media Group | National Soccer Network and affiliates
BUSINESS LINE: (248) 525-2349
TW/X: @msn_stickradt @MiSoccerNetwork
SHELBY TWP., Mich. – Vinnie Vasilevski has found a new home.
Less than one month after stepping down as general manager from Oakland County FC of the USL-League Two, Vasilevski, of Romeo, Michigan, accepted the job last week with Union FC Macomb and is excited to direct his new club as GM at Macomb.
He will serve in that role for both of Union FC Macomb’s second-year men’s soccer team and inaugural women’s team. In its inaugural campaign, Union FC Macomb only fielded a men’s soccer team in 2024 that competed in the USL League Two.
“It was a discussion. I’ve known the staff (at Union FC Macomb) a long time. We chatted about this for a couple of months and some things happened (at Oakland County FC) and their arms were always wide open, so I reached back out,” noted Vasilevski. “That’s how things kind of went.
“I think having that experience with USL (League Two), doing it for five years, knowing some of the players (here), adding some players who may fill in that could help us a little bit,” continued Vasilevski. “A little bit of the marketing part of it, too. Working with some of the local businesses and also bringing in some of that camaraderie to the players.”
The talent in the area is plenty some and Vasilevski and staff are working feverishly to try to bring in the best possible talent in Michigan.
“I’ve been through that, obviously, and those kids are getting better. They were freshmen with us (last year) and they’re getting better. We also brought in 8-9 players that are going to make this team even better. So we have depth and talent. I’m really excited about all of that,” noted Vasilevski.
Gronthik Chatterjee, the Union FC Macomb men’s head coach and one of the club’s founders, CEO and President, said bringing in a person the caliber of Vinnie Vasilesvski is multi-fold and is the right fit for what the USL club visions for the near and distant future.
Vasilevski has become a popular and well-respected figure in both the prep and amateur soccer circles in recent years. At the high school level, Vasilevski has put together an 88-52-15 record in eight seasons as boys soccer coach at Romeo High School. He led the program to the Macomb Area Conference-White Division league title in 2023 and in 2024 helped the Bulldogs not only win their first district title since 1987 but reach the regional finals (Elite Eight) to become the furthest a Romeo team has ever advanced in both boys soccer or girls soccer combined. The program also posted a record 15 wins.
While at Oakland County FC, he helped the club elevate from the Premier League of America and the United Premier Soccer League up to the USL League Two during his tenure. Vasilevski served as GM of that club from 2020-2024 and also as head coach in 2021-22. His men’s squad captured the Michigan Milk Cup in 2022.
In club soccer, Vasilevski began coaching in the PSG Nova/Gators soccer clubs, which later merged with other clubs to found Nationals Soccer Club nearly a decade ago. He has remained active in the soccer community since growing up playing high school and club soccer in Macomb County.
Vasilevski is working with the aforementioned Chatterjee in not only developing teams that will at least contend for Great Lakes Division crowns each year but also contend for lengthy postseason runs and generating large fan bases.
“I do think Vinnie is the right for us," said Chatterjee, who will also be the Union women’s assistant coach in 2025. David Robertson, a long-time successful youth club soccer coach in Michigan, will serve as head coach of the Union women’s program which will debut in May of this year.
“Vinnie has always been connected to us because he grew up in the club (system). But it was only recently that we’ve spoken to him. When Vinnie became available a couple of weeks ago, we sat down with him. The opportunity to hire him and bring him on board from my perspective is a huge value to our organization,” explained Chatterjee. “One, he has a lot of experience at this level and in this league. He has a lot of connections to players and his track record is there and already really proven to me in terms of the type of relationships that he has built with players and coaches. You can just see it in the league-wide meetings that the relationships he has with everyone in the league from coaches to general managers, and he knows how each program is set up. So, he knows all the league rules and the nitty gritty and how to run the operation. He has that experience and can add that to us. We kind of learned on the fly last summer, and now we are taking on a second franchise with the women, so there’s more to be done this year.
“From the players, to coaches, to GMs, business contacts – that’s what it takes to be a successful GM. A wide array of skillsets, and Vinnie has all of them,” continued Chatterjee. “He can be a good coach, he is a good GM, he can be a good player relationship person and outside of the coaching staff a person a player can go to if they have any type of issues or need help with extra things that the coach can’t quite get to. Game day setup. Vinnie’s knowledge is immense and well-rounded and it is across every single facet of the club.”
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(Have a story suggestion for the Premier Media Group and the National Soccer Network regarding club/youth soccer, high school varsity, amateur soccer, collegiate soccer or professional soccer involving teams, players or coaches with ties to a particular state or states, contact Web and Content Editor/Director of News Dan Stickradt via email at dstickradt@thepremiermediagrp.com, or call 248-525-2349. Dan Stickradt is a 32-year veteran of the Michigan and national media circles and recently joined the staff full time at PMG in March of 2024. Want to schedule a broadcast game or live show, contact PMG/NSN Director of Broadcasting Jonathan Turner for availability and pricing at jonathan@thepremiermediagrp.com.)
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