Today, Louisville City announced that George Davis, IV would return to the club’s roster for his sixth season with the club. Davis, who played a career-low 25 minutes over two appearances last season, is nonetheless a USL legend, having played in a league-record 233 matches and scoring 56 career goals. At age 33, however, it appears Cuatro is on the downside of his career, something both he and the club acknowledged with the signing of his new contract, which includes new responsibilities as a team administrator:
“This is a fantastic opportunity for both George and our club. While we still expect George to compete and lead both on the field and in the locker room, he will now be charged with handling a wide variety of administrative responsibilities as well. This will be challenging, but I am absolutely sure that George is more than up to the task.”
John Hackworth, Dec. 8, 2020 Louisville City FC press release
“It’s an opportunity to see the game from another perspective. Hopefully it leads to more opportunities when I’m done playing. My aspirations are high, but I don’t know what the future looks like. I just want to prepare by learning as much as I can about what I love — this game of soccer.
“[Moving into a new role is] just part of the game. My role was different this year, and it’s going to look different next year. I’ll prepare to be the best in any role that I have. It’s a great thing to see the club grow, and to be a part of that is important to me. I’m excited to be back.”
George Davis, IV, Dec. 8, 2020 Louisville City FC press release
This is probably a smart move from all parties involved. Cuatro’s season was hampered by injury and just the general compressed nature of the times in 2020. I honestly wasn’t sure he’d be part of the club’s plans going forward. However, Davis has been a real touchstone for the locker room, stemming from his part in The Triumvirate in 2018, and is now an important part of the USL’s Black Players Alliance.
This new deal is a good compromise. Davis obviously doesn’t think he’s done playing, but both sides apparently realized that his future lies in different roles at the club off the field. I’m excited for his future after soccer is over, but also hope his on-field days aren’t quite over yet.
