im not really sure what ever happened to good old mike ammann, our goalie for the 99-01 season i think, i think hes the most underrated gk we've ever had, i know meola, howard were all good but i liked ammann a lot anyone know where he is or whats he been up to? cuz if walkers on his way out, i would love to see ammann back on the metros bring back some magic from the 2000 season cup run.
pretty sure he retired was a little PO'd at MLS for the way he was shown the door (lack of communication from the front office, think he was not re-signed). IIRC he sat out a whole season at DC injured his last year. There's an interview floating around here if you try searching enough here I took 2 seconds to find it for you (searched MLS forum for Ammann, on first page of results) https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=128699&highlight=ammann http://www.90soccer.com/90MinutesArticle.html sounds like he's still injured but "He's pulling in well over 200K/yr selling storage products for Hitachi."
I remember him having surgery on his elbows,and then retiring. He is without a doubt my all time favorite Metro,was always hoping hed resurface in some position with the Metros. After seeing what hes making with hitachi though id say hes better off there.
I wouldn't say he was under-rated. The guy had a lot of skill and was an All-Star in 2000. Mike definately was a fan favorite. He had a rocky start with the club in 1999, but he totally made a 180 the following year. I accept the fact that he had to be dealt, but the way he was traded was horrible and one of the many reasons why fans dislike Nick. Trade a fan favorite for Richie Williams of all people. Don't even get me started on Petke. That 2000 team was one hell of a team, and a team I surely miss. Every player went 110% in every game. There was chemistry with everyone, except Lothar of course. What a team. I wish this team could do half of what that team did on the field. Rock solid defense of Ammann/Howard, Petke, Jolley and Hernandez to the powerful offense of Chung, Mathis, Valencia and Comas.
dont leave out my favorite Peter Viegas out of that squad. He had a # of big games that season, especialy when he had to play out of position on defense
What about Perkins. The young keeper from DC united. I have been able to watch his play during the majority of the season and have been pretty impressed with his ability for a young keeper. He could be a good investment considering DCU will probably not want to keep two keepers who deserve to start.
we got Zach Wells who is probably as good if not better if gets as much playing time. In that hall of fame game vs Fire he showed his incredible ability to react to the ball and BB in the interview earlier in the season said that Wells got great hands and very promising keeper. BUT you can not put the season on the shoulders of unexpirienced keeper, look even in DC when it came around to the play offs time they went with Rimando
there were some players on our Metro who gave 110% and more, this guys were pumped up and ready to fight till the end. Mike was one of them, so was Vermes,Petke, and many others. Many Metro fans got turned off by the MFO loosing respect for our team because of it.
The spirit of Metro was gutted after that year.... A little retooling and we would have a had a great run at the cup if not the cup itself. A damn shame, too. Yeah we havee a few good players now, quite a few but we really ahven't had a team since then. Just for me, the strength of a team flows from the back. Metror has had some great keeps in the past and as much as I liked Mike, you had to repsect the way Howard came out and made the position his. Walker is a very pale comparision to these guys. I have posted for a long while how he is no where hear the kind of player Metro needs in that position. I guess a lot of folks turned on to him cuz he came in when THO left and did okay , had a neat sorta rep as a "tough" keep whop played lotsa "tough" games in a "tough" league. That was all PR bs and you know it. People though he had good composure, but seriously lacked the passion and communication skills not to meniton distribution, off his line, pace..... An any real keep worth his salt would have screamed bloody murder at Pope and then went on to organize the back himself, but no and neither did Coach Bob. So in short, no Walker is, and hoopefully was, not a good Metro keeper choice. Mike was great. I am afriad that afternoon he was run down by Diallo his career ended...... And name me one player now, just one who would come up with and wear a "Crime Of The Century" shirt now. We need to play as a team again. I do miss it and highly doubt that coach Bob, with that silent scowl on his face during the games, will get it done. That game last weekend was a lot of things, but I tell you what - it had passion and the look on Ramundo's face, the way he ran out of the net, after he stuffed that last shot, man that was great, just great. So yeah we need some of that stuff. A few dozen gallons of passion. and make the team drink it up every game.
I was going to mention Petter Villegas, but I didn't want to cause trouble here. People complained about his field goal attempts from the right wing, but I'll take his dribbling and crappy shots over the right wing play we had to watch this past season. They definately have yet to find a replacement for Petter.
yea, he was playin wide spreading the field all the way and he was involved in the game all the time he was on the field. I think we definately need to trade Vaca for a more solid player
gotta love mike - 2000 was the year i truly became a metro fan and the Diallo game was the day i cemented it by becoming a pissed off and belligerent metro fan