Former Fire and Metrostar (and current A-Leaguer) John Wolyniec lived in my neighborhood in Chicago (or at least hung out at a coffeehouse there). I actually met more players in the NASL, as I was a kid in them days. Karl-Heinz Granitza, Ingo Peter, Arno Steffanhagen on the Sting. From the famous international front: Johan Cruyff was very generous with his time. And of course, I've met not one but BOTH NASL players who were mentioned in Monty Python skits: Franz Beckenbauer and Phil Parkes.
my friends and i went to cmgi (yes, it was still cmgi then) and were the first ones to cross the gate when they opened for the usa v. holland match earlier this year. we stood at the end of where the holland players were coming from, and i got my oranje jersey autographed by 9 out of the first 11 that day, including edgar davids, frank de boer (captain that day), jaap stam, zenden, van de meyde, and numan. that was awesome, they seemed really cool. but the coolest that day was rob stone for sure, he took the time to talk to my friends and myself for at least a full two minutes, as he hails from connecticut also. i gave him a lil note with the name of my high school to read on the air, unfortunatley i havent watched the game on tape yet to see if he read it on the air.
You know! I never got to meet any Liverpool players but I met a lot from Everton. I used to go into Everton supporters club with friends. (And I was in love with the barmaid) But I had to hide my red scarf. Met Albert Dunlop he played in goal then and others including Jimmy Gabrial. He moved to Seattle as well and ran the Sounders for a few years. I used to go to school with David Sager, his dad was a long time goalie for Everton as well, he ran the Blue Anchor Hotel in Aintree by the National course. We’d go in for a pint when we were about 16 and get some great stories. And me old granddad Charlie Bell, he played alongside Dixie Dean in the 30’s.
I think I have the parallel universe version of that story. At Dante Washington's wedding in December, John Harkes was about to get a drink when he realized he had pretty much cut in front of me in the nonexistent "drink line". Rather than try to stay there, he let me go first and then offered to buy both, of course, knowing it was an open bar. We had a brief conversation about how his brother in law used to play on my club team for a spell. Through Dante and others, and years of playing youth soccer throughout the East Coast against folks from Claudio Reyna to Richie Williams, I've probably got too long a list to put here. But when I fenegle that all-access pass for next year's ManUtd tour, you'll hear about it.
I was walking past going to my friends house and they were training. I decided to go pay them a visit and then the little incident happend.
Old School: Pele - met him twice at soccer camp and at a youth clinic. Werner Roth - Cosmos captain. Met him during Cosmos soccer camp. Hubert Berkenmeyer (sp.)- Cosmos goalie from early 80's. Cosmos soccer camp. Mario Kempes - Back in 1982 my family was visiting Spain and we went to visit an old friend of my moms outside of Madrid. My mothers friend also had another couple visiting. It was Mario Kempes and his wife! He was really nice and me my brother kicked the ball around with him for a couple hours. He was playing in Spain at the time.
I've met a # of MLS players over the past few years, Mathis Petke Jolley Semioli Howard Serna Beckerman Llamosa Chacon Henderson Wolyniec (when he played for the Rough Riders) Ray Hudson Jay Heaps Harkes Most of these guys were terrific to talk to, but the best were Mathis and Henderson. It means something to a fan when a player of their stature talks to you for 10-15 minutes. Harkes acted like a jerk.
All Crew players...they used to hang out at a bar with fans post game...and the visiting team would come. My favorite opponent was Preki. He had a chauffer and he was translating....Preki was looking for a lady to take back to the hotel. His only mission. didn't even get a drink. It was hillarious. A beautiful black girl didn't know who he was and wasn't remotely interested...he was stunned.
I haven't met so many players because in Italy it's very difficult to meet them. Just if you meet them at the restaurant or in the street, you get the chance to have an autograph or a picture with them. But I got the chance to meet Pep Guardiola and Roberto Baggio almost a year ago. It was unbelievable. Just great.
Most of the Rapids Just yesterday morning , the Colorado Rapids had a free soccer clinic for the Westminster, CO youth league (a kind of "thanks" to the community for using our rec center as their practice facility). Then, in the afternoon, they had their annual picnic for season ticket holders. Between the two events, I got to chat briefly (some more brief than others ) with nearly all of the players and the coaches (Hankinson and Bravo). Without exception, I was impressed at how friendly and out-going ALL of the players/coaches were with everyone. Two standouts: -- John Spencer pulled the little girl I'd taken to the soccer clinic aside and gave her 5-10 minutes of one-on-one tips during a finishing drill they were running. -- Richie Kotschau was really great with my 2 year-old daughter while she played with his dog for quite a while at the picnic. A class group. -- jeff
I live in the North East...close to a city called Venezia...do u know it??? maybe you know it as the city on the water??? by the way, i live in a city called Padua which is very close.
my two cents.some player I have met The list is really way too long...but the ones that stand out the most are (not in any particular order) Michel Platini Paolo Rossi George Best Zvegniew Boniak Claudio Gentile Bobby Charlton Franz Beckenbauer Edson Arantes Do Naciemiento Kenny Dalgleish Ian Rush
Yes, some of my family are originally from Venezia. I think I've heard of Padua. My question is why do you support Juve?
Played against Dante Washington and Tony Sanneh in college. Tony was huge and I just thought Dante was fast. I also played against Joe Addo and Rob Smith, but they are less known. Funny enough....I've never met any famous players just out in public....only played against them before they were famous. Sanneh scored a beautiful rocket against us and was actually playing forward at the time.
Been fortunate enough to come across these lads... Niall Quinn Jason McAteer Terry Phelan Kevin Kilbane Matt Holland John Aldridge John Barnes David Connolly Packi Bonner Gary Taggardt Robbie Savage Mathew Le Tiss Jurgen Klinsmann Tony Cascarino John O'Shea Barry Ryan Clive Delaney Paul Keegan Peter Beardsley Steve Staunton Micheal Laudrup ** My apologies for the horrible spelling , I'm sure I slaughtered some names.
A few old NASL Whitecaps: The Lenarduzzi's (Sam and Bob) Carl Valentine Brian Budd Rudi Kroll and a 17 year old Luther Blisset who was playing for Graham Taylor in Watford of the 4th Division at the time.
very good question since my papa is a massive roma fan....he always says 'how could i let u grow up with this kind of love for juve????' dont ask me why i am a great juve fan. i think it is an old friend of mine's fault. he supports juve and i remember he kept on talking about it that i fell in love with it too...
Hoddle When I was playing for a local youth team near swindon, are senior team 'Wootton Bassett Football club' played a friendly (no game is ever a friendly) against Swindon Town FC.....This is going back to about 1993, when, swindon were player/managed by Former England/Chelsea and now Spurs manager Glenn Hoddle....He signed my match programme and told me I had the touch of a rapist. Dan