Matt Clare will finish season with FC Wichita before joining MASL’s San Diego Sockers

Out of loyalty, Matt Clare waited. And he kept his mouth shut.

FC Wichita’s star midfielder knew there would be an opportunity for him to get back in the indoor game, and it came this week when he signed with the MASL’s San Diego Sockers.

“Wichita has done me pretty well,” said Clare, who has eight goals and six assists through eight matches. “I wanted to see if things panned out, but it’s just getting later and later and I need to make decisions based on my career and what’s best for my life.”

Clare, 27, was 10th in the MASL in scoring last season with 35 goals and 48 points for the Wichita B52s. The Tampa, Fla., native scored 58 goals for Wichita from 2013 to 2015.

Financial problems, however, have put the B-52s’ future in jeopardy – there have been no signs that they will even field a team this season, with the MASL season starting in September.

Clare connected with San Diego coach/owner Phil Salvagio when Salvagio coached and Clare helped lead Team USA to the WMF World Cup indoor championship in March.

“I kind of knew the interest was there after the first game and the first day of training when (Salvagio) asked me where I stood (with the B52s),” Clare said. “I didn’t have a lot of positive things to say about the soccer side, but Wichita itself was a place I feel like I have a real connection with.”

Clare’s standout performance this season in the outdoor game – this is FC Wichita’s inaugural season in the NPSL – isn’t over with his signing with San Diego. He’ll stay with FC Wichita through the end of the season, whenever that may be.

FC Wichita is 6-2-0 with six matches left in the regular season, including Sunday against Houston Regals SCA at Stryker Complex. Clare was named the NPSL’s National Player of the Week on Friday.

“I’ll be in Wichita through the end of the season, and hopefully we’ll make it into the playoffs,” Clare said. “If not, I’ll take off on Aug. 1 to report to camp in San Diego, but I’m going to fulfill my obligation to (FC Wichita).”

This story was originally published June 20, 2015 at 12:14 PM with the headline "Matt Clare will finish season with FC Wichita before joining MASL’s San Diego Sockers."