Bill Tuiloma

I mean if I got that salary I’d happily ride the pine. 

loyalgunner

I mean if I got that salary I’d happily ride the pine. 

Yes for sure. But not great it seems for his conditioning (looked overweight in the recent window) or 2026 WC chances.

You'd think Charlotte will try offload him to another MLS team over their winter offseason. Auckland another option, but no way they will pay close to that $1M/season, plus they already have two AWs CBs plus Dan Hall.

Gets another run for reserve team Crown Legacy today in MLS Next Pro.
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2024/09/20/united-states/mls-next-pro/crown-legacy/atlanta-united-2/4320449/

Edit - double checked and Tuiloma's annual salary with Charlotte is less than a $NZD1M at $USD485K or $NZD777K
https://mlsplayers.org/resources/salary-guide

0-0 draw. Full game Billy T, who wasn't required for the pen shoout CL won 5-3.

Charlotte (7th in the East) host New England (15th/last)

Charlotte win 4-0. No Tuiloma.

Charlotte (6th in the East) travel to Barcelona Old Boys aka Inter Miami (1st).

Can be Billy T become the first Kiwi to share the same turf as Messi? Sadly highly unlikely

Tuiloma makes the bench for Charlotte, so gets a front row seat to the GOAT, who scores Inter Miami's goal in a 1-1 draw.

https://www.mlssoccer.com/video/highlights-inter-miami-cf-vs-charlotte-fc-september-28-2024#highlights-inter-miami-cf-vs-charlotte-fc-september-28-2024

Gets a sleepover in Miami, after sitting on the bench for the MLS game yesterday. The today starts for Charlotte II (Crown Legacy) against Inter Miami II in MLS Next Pro. 

Plays the first half only (3-1) & gets a goal in a 5-2 win for Crown Legacy. Inter Miami II went down to 10 men just prior the break, so I guess Leagcy's coach at HT thought the game was already safe.

This seems Tuiloma's lot now for 2024, playing for the reserve team.

MLS games tomorrow, as the race for playoff spots heats up.
Charlotte (7th in the East) hosts Chicago Fire (15th/last) 

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2024/10/03/united-states/mls/charlotte-mls/chicago-fire/4286549/

Billy T on the pine. 1-1 at 25 mins in.

Edit - unused sub in a 4-3 win for Charlotte. They were 4-1 up until mid the 2nd half.

coochiee

Billy T on the pine. 1-1 at 25 mins in.

Edit - unused sub in a 4-3 win for Charlotte. They were 4-1 up until mid the 2nd half.

Another promising career for a Kiwi sitting on the pine and struggling for game time!

Charlotte (7th in the East, 45 pts) host Montreal (8th, 40 pts). Charlotte already in the MLS playoffs, but can avoid the 8th/9th Play In Playoff with a win or draw.

Tuiloma on the pine

95th min sub just after Charlotte's 2nd goal in a 2-0 win. Charlotte up to 5th in the East, but teams below them with games in hand.

Gets a game for Charlotte's 2nd team in the MLS Next Pro.
A full game & yellow as Crown Legacy (8th in the East) lose 1-4 to Toronto II (12th).

Crown Legacy finish regular season 8th, enough to make the playoffs.

Last round of the regular MLS season. Charlotte win 3-0 at DC (8th). Charlotte  finish 5th heading into the playoffs.

Tuiloma an unused sub.

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2024/10/20/united-states/mls/washington-district-of-columbia-united/charlotte-mls/4286577/


Charlotte's reserve team Crown Legacy have a playoff game in the MLS Next Pro tomorrow at Cincinnati II
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2024/10/21/united-states/mls-next-pro/fc-cincinnati-ii/crown-legacy/4544853/

Charlotte (5th in the East) travel to Orlando City (4th), in the first match of their 3 game playoff series. MLS following the other American sports and moving to playoff series, not just single games

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2024/10/28/united-states/mls/orlando-city-fc/charlotte-mls/4547712/

Edit - Orlando lead 1-0 approaching HT. Tuiloma on the pine for Charlotte.

Charlotte lost 2-0. They had one of their midfielders sent off late on.
Tuiloma an unused sub.

Game 2 of the playoff series later this week in Charlotte.

Game 2 of the 3 match playoff series. Charlotte host Orlando. Orlando won Game 1 by 2-0.

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2024/11/02/united-states/mls/charlotte-mls/orlando-city-fc/4547713/

Calvin Harris's Colorado Rapids are also in the playoffs, but they got thrashed in Game 1 at the LA Galaxy 5-0. Harris came off the pine. Considering he was I think the no 2 MLS draft pick a few years back, his career to date hasn't really matched that hype.

He's got 3 goals in this season (had 2 in one match) in 33 MLS games (16 starts).

0-0 at 74 mins. Tuiloma on the pine.

Finished 0-0, with Tuiloma an unused sub. 

Charlotte then win the pen shootout, so is 1 win each, goling back to Orlando for final Game 3.

Charlotte travel to Orlando City for Game 3 of their Eastern Conference quarter finals.  1 game apiece so far.
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2024/11/10/united-states/mls/orlando-city-fc/charlotte-mls/4547714/

Tuiloma on the pine.
Edit - Charlotte take a 1-0 lead at 81 mins.

Orlando equalise in 102nd min, so it's gone to pens. No ET.
Billy T watching it all from the bench.

Orlando win the shootout 4-1. Charlotte missed their first two pen attempts.

So season over for Charlotte.

Waste of a year (apart from the paycheck) for 29 yr old Tuiloma. Only 4 MLS games (2 starts). 27 times on the bench. He also played 7 games for Charlotte's reserve team Crown Legacy.

Still another year of his lucrative contract. I reckon he should take his chunky frame to Coach Sunz's football boot camps over this NZ summer. Get fellow NZ Samoan lad Mikey Boxall to motivate him to lose a few kgs, and be in peak shape for MLS 2025.

Our protected player list ahead of the 2024 MLS Expansion Draft for San Diego FC.

The draft will take place tomorrow, Wednesday, Dec. 11 at 10:30 PM ET.https://t.co/2EZGt9hdvZ

— Charlotte FC (@CharlotteFC) December 10, 2024

Bill Tuiloma is one of the 17 names put up by Charlotte FC to be eligible for the MLS Expansion Draft. Each MLS club had to put up this list, but in turn, they could also protect 12 players from being poached in the draft as well.

The Expansion Draft is of course for the new boys San Diego FC, who will get to pick up five 'non-protected' players (from a pool of about 350 available) as they look to build a squad for the 2025 season.

Always thought Bill played his best on the west coast...just saying... He just hasn't been the same since he was traded/sold by Portland...

Not saying he'll be picked up, but there is a possibility. You'd also have to think that he probably needs a move somewhere soon if he's to get back into AW's consideration, as things don't necessarily look particularly rosy for him if he stays in Charlotte (apart from the bank balance of course).

Billy T's last season in the MLS?

Charlotte travel across the US to Seattle for game 1.

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2025/02/23/united-states/mls/seattle-sounders-fc/charlotte-mls/4579236/

Tuiloma on the pine.

Unused sub in a 2-2 draw.

Tuiloma looked a bit overweight last season. Remembering he played for the AWs against Mexico & USA

Be interesting to see if he looks a bit leaner in 2025. Someone who will be on Auckland's radar as the MLS season goes on, especially if they get any overseas offers for Dan Hall and/or Pijnaker.

With Corica's tough fitness regime, it's not madness that Billy T could go to AFC, and shine in the ALM. Even get back into the AWs frame, if there was a CB injury or 2. 

AFC has worked out for De Vries, Rogerson, Mata, Smith and Nando. Who's AW stocks have all risen.

Charlotte host Atlanta
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2025/03/01/united-states/mls/charlotte-mls/atlanta-united/4579239/

Tuiloma rides the pine for a 2-0 win
Crowd 51,000 in Charlotte.

Charlotte off to Florida to play Inter Miami
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2025/03/09/united-states/mls/inter-miami/charlotte-mls/4579262/

I still don't think a Kiwi has ever shared a football field with the GOAT??

37 yr old Messi has missed IM's last 2 games.

What do Bill Tuiloma and Lionel Messi have in common?
10th March 2025 (NZT) they are both unused subs in a MLS game.

Jordi Alba, Busquets & Suárez all start as Miami win 1-0. 38 yr old Suarez the assist. Miami had their keeper sent off in the first half.

https://www.mlssoccer.com/video/goal-k-yeboah-vs-sj-33#highlights-inter-miami-cf-vs-charlotte-fc-march-9-2025

Assuming Nando and Hall stay, would likely be a good replacement for Smith who must be nearing the end. 

Nando and Hall probably both have ambitions beyond Auckland FC

imanixsupporter

Nando and Hall probably both have ambitions beyond Auckland FC

Yipe far better odds Hall and/or Pijnaker will be leaving AFC for Europe, than Smith being released. Tommy is rated by Danny Hay (as much for that off field mentoring stuff). Smith will be desperately trying to hang in there for another campaign, with an eye to next year's WC. He's slow but still very fit, and done a good job in Hall's absence.

For sure Tulloma will be a targeted signing for the next ALM season. He's off contract with Charlotte at the end of this season, and won't garner much interest from other MLS clubs. He knows to be any chance of making next year's WC, he needs to be playing football. 

He's even a potential future AFC captain once Sakai retires. Would be a nice feelgood story the Samoan boy from Beach Haven, who's dad sold his fishing boat to finance his son's early football dreams. He'd add some Pasika fans to the gate.

Tricky bit is the MLS plays in November, a month after the ALM starts.

Charlotte host Cincinnati.
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2025/03/16/united-states/mls/charlotte-mls/fc-cincinnati/4579269/

Tuiloma on the pine.

Edit - an unused sub in a 2-0 win.

Charlotte (4th in the East) host San Jose (6th in the West)

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2025/03/23/united-states/mls/charlotte-mls/san-jose-earthquakes/4579284/