Today we found out the names of some more of D.C. United's trialists, with some competition for the starting goalkeeper role in Bill Hamid's absence among them. Steve Goff is reporting that United's trialists will include goalkeepers Chris Konopka and Paolo Tornaghi, as well as midfielder Kevan George.
Chris Konopka was, before this year, a career backup, with stints in Kansas City, New York, and Philadelphia. This season, however, he started 21 games for Toronto FC, taking over when Joe Bendik was injured and then staying on the field when he got healthy. His save percentage was 67.4%, which is fairly league average (though better than Luis Robles). He is known as a good organizer, a good teammate, and an average shot stopper.
Tornaghi got his start with D.C. United's sister club, Inter Milan, though he never appeared in any games for them. After loan stints in the lower divisions of Italy, he came to the Chicago Fire before moving onto the Vancouver Whitecaps. He got some time for their USL team this season when he wasn't on the bench for the MLS team, backing up the best goalkeeper in MLS this season, David Ousted.
Kevan George is another defensive midfielder, most recently of Columbus Crew SC. The Trinidadian international is still only 25 years old, and though he only played 287 minutes this season he did register an assist. He steps into a crowded central midfield battle that includes Paul Clowes, Markus Halsti, Jared Jeffrey, Ariel Rodriguez, and Julian Buescher.
Both Tornaghi and George have green cards, so none of these players would occupy an international roster spot (for which there is now surprising competition).