Field Insider
GoalkeeperUSAUSL Championship

M. Van Oekel

Experienced headBirmingham Legion · 39 yrsStarter
5.9
Ratingi
3
Seasoni
0.2
Valuei

based on the 2025 season · updated 18 Aug 2026

Profile

Full nameJames Matthew Van Oekel
PositionGoalkeeper
NationalityUSA
Age39
Date of birth20 Sept 1986
BirthplaceChesapeake
Height191 cm
Shirt number#1
ClubBirmingham Legion
More about M. Van Oekel →
Goalkeeper

Season stats

Full career & schedule →
14
Appearances
2
Clean sheets
14%
CS rate
share of apps kept clean
1260
Minutes

Domestic-league season · Birmingham Legion.

Scout report

Experienced headGoalkeeper

M. Van Oekel is a 39-year-old goalkeeper at Birmingham Legion, rated 6.1 overall by Field Insider's model, ranking 257th of 257 on scout potential in the USL Championship. A seasoned veteran, he has been a rotation option this season (46.7% of available minutes). Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Oekel.

Judged on this season alone, Oekel graded 3 — a workmanlike campaign that ranks 20th of 22 of the 22 goalkeepers in the USL Championship, on 2 clean sheets across 14 appearances.

We hold a single season for Oekel, so there's no year-on-year comparison to draw yet — the read above is this campaign only.

On long-term talent our Rating reads 6, 22nd of 22 of the 22 goalkeepers in the USL Championship. At 39 Oekel is into the veteran stage, where the age curve weighs on the projection, and a market index of 0.2 reflects that trajectory.

Current potential22nd of 22 goalkeepers · USL Championship · 14 appsCurrent season20th of 22 goalkeepers · USL Championship · 14 apps20th-best goalkeeper in the USL Championship257th in the USL Championship · potential22nd-highest potential goalkeeper in the USL Championship
6.1
Ratingi
22nd of 22 goalkeepers
3
Seasoni
below regular-starter level
46.7%
Minutes
rotation minutes
0
Def. actions / 90
light defensive volume

Output in context · Birmingham Legion finished 6th of 12 · a mid-table side

14
Apps
2
Clean sheets
14%
CS rate
46.7%
Minutes

2 clean sheets in 14 appearances (14% of games).

Watch points

  • Game time. Only 46.7% of available minutes — needs a settled run to prove the level.
  • Age curve. At 39, both level and resale value are on the downslope.
  • Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.

Outlook

With a Rating of 6.1, Oekel carries the 22nd-highest potential of the goalkeepers in the USL Championship of 22 — though on just 14 appearances this season, so the standing rests on a small sample. A rotation minutes keeper carrying the gloves this season. Veteran phase — a short-term, lower-fee proposition as both level and value decline (0.5× and falling).

Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.

Season statistics

Bars = where he ranks among goalkeepers in the USL Championship with 600+ minutes this season.

Goalkeeping

Clean sheets2

Yellow/red cards

Yellow cards1
Red cards0

Transfer news

No transfer news found for this player.