by DAVE MARTINEZ

“Rocco is not known for screwing anybody.”

Those were the words of new New York Cosmos owner Rocco Commisso – and he made good on that claim early Thursday morning.

According to several sources and former employees of the team, the Cosmos have met their obligation and paid all employees and players for their outstanding back pay. That includes all weekly and salaried debts owed to team staff. However, yearly bonuses and outstanding vendor invoices remain to be addressed.

One reason for that may simply be an issue of logistics: the Cosmos have but one person working on their payroll issues in office.

Nevertheless, the move is a positive step forward for the organization. The Cosmos have been mired in controversy since Thanksgiving weekend when the club abruptly put the majority of their staff on furlough. That was followed by the termination of all player contracts and a litany of promised payment dates that they simply did not meet.

Whether publicly or privately, Commisso has made the back pay issue a top priority with the club: a fact he addressed during this week’s introductory conference call. Club COO Erik Stover echoed the new owner, citing payment by today – a promise that has clearly been met.

The Cosmos will now go about the job of restaffing their front office and player personnel. The team has confirmed the return of David Ochieng, Ryan Richter and Eric Calvillo, with several other players negotiating a return.