MLS Originals, Who Will Be Left?

Discussion in 'MLS: News & Analysis' started by MouseyTongue, Aug 26, 2007.

  1. MouseyTongue

    MouseyTongue New Member

    Feb 16, 2001
    a box in the Chairma
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Sorry if this has already been discussed, I couldn't find a thread by searching.

    From what I can tell there are 7 MLS originals still active this year:
    Chris Armas
    Jesse Marsch
    Ante Razov
    Jaime Moreno
    Cobi Jones
    Steve Ralston
    Eddie Pope

    Am I right that Pope, Jones, Marsch and Armas have announced that this is their last seasons, meaning only 3 MLS originals will be left next season, Razov, Moreno and Ralston?
     
  2. scheck

    scheck Member

    Mar 13, 2007
    Denver
    Club:
    Colorado Rapids
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Depending on what brian mcbride does with the rest of his career, he may also be on that list.
     
  3. MouseyTongue

    MouseyTongue New Member

    Feb 16, 2001
    a box in the Chairma
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Good point, I was only looking at those players who have been in the league continuously since 96. Are there any others in the same category as McBride?
     
  4. Boloni86

    Boloni86 Member+

    Jun 7, 2000
    Baltimore
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    Gibraltar
    You forgot Tony Sanneh who will probably play in the Rapids game in about 1 hour. You also forgot Diego Gutierrez, Greg Vanney and Frankie Hejduk. I think all three played in '96


    Shaun Bartlett is still active in South African club Kaizer Chiefs at the age of 34. Theoretically he still could sign in MLS. There's probably some other fringe youngsters from that era who might still be active in USL or some obscure foreign league ...

    Oh yeah, Brad Friedel was a '96er, now plays @ Blackburn.
     
  5. nick

    nick Member+

    Nov 23, 1998
    Potomac Falls, Va
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'm not sure if you can count Moreno as an "original" since he was not added to the DC United roster until part way through the 96 season.
     
  6. Roehl Sybing

    Roehl Sybing Guest

    It's not that impressive if you're going to include everyone who's still active regardless of whether or not they're still in MLS. Why not throw in Tony Meola (MISL) or Eric Wynalda (six year layoff but active this season in 2007)?
     
  7. fireman451

    fireman451 Member+

    Jun 26, 2002
    The Midwest
    Club:
    --other--
    Zach Thornton has been eating his way around MLS since '96. He took a year off to warm the bench at Benfica and learn the fine art of making port, but came back to MLS for the glory.
     
  8. kaka'22

    kaka'22 New Member

    Aug 14, 2005
    New York
    Eddie Lewis was also an original I believe. He's definitely still going strong with a start and an assist yesterday for Derby. It would be cool to see him return to San Jose when his contract ends in two years.
     
  9. kaka'22

    kaka'22 New Member

    Aug 14, 2005
    New York
    And so if you're going to eliminate guys like McBride and Lewis.
    And Moreno since he wasn't technically an original.
    And Hejduk, Razov, and Vanney all had stints where they left MLS for a bit.
    And if Pope, Cobi, Marsch, and Armas all retire after this year.

    All you have left are Ralston and Guttierez assuming they don't retire
     
  10. CrewDust

    CrewDust Member

    May 6, 1999
    Columbus, Ohio
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Same with Friedel.
     
  11. alf

    alf Member+

    Jun 29, 1999
    Illinois
    Club:
    Chicago Red Stars
    Technically Gutierrez did not play at all in 1997 due to injury.
     
  12. scaryice

    scaryice Member

    Jan 25, 2001
    1996 players currently playing in MLS

    Armas, Chris
    Gutierrez, Diego
    Hejduk, Frankie
    Jones, Cobi
    Marsch, Jesse
    Moreno, Jaime
    Pope, Eddie
    Ralston, Steve
    Razov, Ante
    Sanneh, Tony
    Thornton, Zach
    Vanney, Greg


    1996 players who have never left MLS

    Armas, Chris
    Gutierrez, Diego
    Jones, Cobi
    Marsch, Jesse
    Moreno, Jaime
    Pope, Eddie
    Ralston, Steve
     
  13. MouseyTongue

    MouseyTongue New Member

    Feb 16, 2001
    a box in the Chairma
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Thanks for that list. It makes clear what I'm getting at by talking about "originals" I meant more specifically those who started in MLS at the beginning and have continued in MLS ever since.
    I got the list by going to the MLS site and sorting the players by years in MLS. Gutierez was not listed as 11, perhaps because of the year injured. Razov was listed as 11 years, did I miss something about him or should the list be 8 players?

    And the question I was looking to have answered about those 7 or 8 (realizing that there are 4 or 5 more that have left and returned) is who among them has made their plans for next year known? Someone made the comment in the Eddie Pope retirement thread that these retirements are marking the end on an era. What I was looking at was how soon that end may be. It will be interesting to see who is the last active player from among this group (expanded to include McBride, Lewis, Freidal, et al.)
     
  14. scaryice

    scaryice Member

    Jan 25, 2001
    Razov went to Spain after the 2000 season to play for Racing de Ferrol. He came back for the end of the 2001 season.

    The MLS "Survivors." That was the title of a thread here that went on for a couple years regarding this subject. This info is from a post there:

     
  15. CeltTexan

    CeltTexan Member+

    Sep 21, 2000
    Houston, TX USA
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    More dear to a U.S. die hard is who will be the last from that gritty USA'94 squad that came home to the U.S. to jump start Div-1 pro men's soccer will be the last to retire from MLS.

    Cobi.


    Jesse Marsh has been hackin' guys since day one.

    He's not lost a step in that department. Ask Spiceboy.
     
  16. Chicago1871

    Chicago1871 Member

    Apr 21, 2001
    Chicago
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Ralston or Moreno are the clear favorites to outlast the rest. My gut says Ralston, but Moreno could hang on for a while as he still looks pretty sharp.
     
  17. alf

    alf Member+

    Jun 29, 1999
    Illinois
    Club:
    Chicago Red Stars
    Annouced retirement at end of season
    Chris Armas
    Cobi Jones
    Eddie Pope
     
  18. Jay Hipps

    Jay Hipps Member

    Mar 18, 2000
    Northern California
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yup, Eddie was an original. He's #21 in this clip.

    [youtube]Wa5TSeIn5TM[/youtube]
     
  19. glyconerd

    glyconerd Moderator
    Staff Member

    Apr 8, 2007
    Los Angeles
    Club:
    CD Chivas USA
    Nat'l Team:
    Uzbekistan
    Razov and Marsch I can see coming back next year to CUSA. Don't know the length of their contracts with CUSA. But they've been key players for us.
     
  20. ne plus ultra

    ne plus ultra Member

    Jul 9, 2000
    Razov hasn't been in the league continuously. His sojourn in Spain (Racing Ferrol or something like that) kept him out. I don't remember well, so it's possible that he didn't miss an entire season.
     
  21. nick

    nick Member+

    Nov 23, 1998
    Potomac Falls, Va
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    96 allocation, preseason

    Jones

    96 college draft
    Pope (1st round)
    Gutierrrez (2nd round)
    Ralston (2nd round)
    Marsch (3rd round)

    96 supplemental draft
    Armas (1st round)

    96 midseason
    Moreno (allocation replacing Suarez in July)




    Based on what I understood the question to be, everyone on the list above except Moreno should be considered an "Original". Therefore with Jones, Pope and Armas retiring that leaves only,

    Gutierrrez
    Ralston
    Marsch

    as Originals still playing assuming they make they clubs next spring.
     
  22. Sandon Mibut

    Sandon Mibut Member+

    Feb 13, 2001
    Besides missing most of 01 while in Spain, Razov also missed a big chunk of the 97 season.

    Few remember this because he blossomed afterwards, but he was cut by the Galaxy early in the 97 season. When he joined the Fire, it wasn't because he was taken in the expansion draft or traded or what not, he was out of work and went to camp in 98 just to win a roster spot.

    He only played a few games for LA before being cut and he missed most of the 97 season. So, while he is an MLS original and has, in fact, played in every MLS season, he's had two different stints where he was out of the league.
     
  23. BigLarr

    BigLarr Member

    Jan 2, 2001
    Overland Park, KS
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Zach Thornton anyone? He's played in all 16 seasons I believe. He may be the last.
     
  24. SJTillIDie

    SJTillIDie Member+

    Aug 23, 2009
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Ramiro Corrales but he took a break from 05-07 to go to Norway.
     
  25. Sandon Mibut

    Sandon Mibut Member+

    Feb 13, 2001
    I think these are the last two standing, but both took a break from MLS to sign in Europe.

    Thornton signed with Benfica in 2004. He never played for their first team and re-joined the Fire late in the MLS season but didn't play for them that year, which was the season Henry Ring was the starter (and actually an all-star). Thornton became the starter again in 2005.

    And Corrales spent three seasons in Norway between 05-07.

    It will be interesting to see which of these lasts the longest. Corralles didn't play college soccer and signed with MLS at age 19 and is four years younger than Thornton.

    Big Zach, of course, has the advantage of being a GK, which have a much longer shelf life.
     

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