Though the 2024 USL Championship is still months away, El Paso Locomotive FC midfield duo Eric Calvillo and Liam Rose are ready to step up and lead the team as the club prepares for its upcoming sixth season in the league.
Both were key figures under Head Coach and Technical Director Brian Clarhaut (two of just three players to play more than 2,500 minutes in 2023), so it was no surprise in the summer when Locomotive inked them to contract extensions that would see each stay with the club through the 2025 season.
Calvillo – who led as team captain in the final third of the season – started in all 32 of his appearances in 2023, scoring three times and assisting four to finish as the team’s joint-assist leader. The 25-year-old also led the team in chance creation, building up 37 scoring opportunities throughout the season, and was joint-third for shots on target (16).
His individual performances did not go unnoticed. He was named to the USL Championship Team of the Week four times (twice as a starter), won the 2023 Locomotive Fan Award for Save of the Year (Week 5 vs Orange County SC) and was a nominee for the 2023 MVP Locomotive Fan Award.
“I know my role and what the coaches expect from me, so I’m beyond ready to step up to be one of the leaders for 2024,” Calvillo said. “We clinched playoffs in 2023, but this organization, the players and the fans deserve more. We must build off this past season going into next year so we can get this club back on track for consistent postseason runs and my goal, like everyone else on the team, is to work to bring this club its first championship.”
Rose had 34 starts in 35 matches this past season, recording an assist and his first career goal along the way. In 2023, Rose led the team in interceptions (50) and tackles won (36-of-49, 73% success rate), was joint-second in blocks (16) and was the midfielder with the most clearances (36). He was consistently threading the ball through the midfield as the team’s top passer, recording an overall 92% passing accuracy (87% when in the opponent half).
Individually (in addition to a nod on the USL Championship Team of the Week – Week 11), Rose was the winner of the 2023 MVP Locomotive Fan Award.
“I like to lead by example on and off the pitch and I think that will be important to help integrate the new guys coming in,” Rose said. “Making playoffs was a positive for us but our goal is to bring a trophy to the city of El Paso. I want to be a player El Paso loves having on their team, so I will continue to bring the hard work, hunger and drive to improve week in and week out. I can’t wait for what 2024 has in store for us.”
