Juergen Sommer

Juergen Sommer

Personal information
Full name	Juergen Peterson Sommer
Date of birth	(1969-02-27) February 27, 1969 (age 55)
Place of birth	New York, New York, United States
Height	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Position(s)	Goalkeeper
Youth career
1987–1990	Indiana University
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1991–1995	Luton Town	82	(0)
1991–1992	→ Brighton (loan)	1	(0)
1991–1992	→ Kettering Town (loan)	10	(0)
1992–1993	→ Torquay United (loan)	10	(0)
1995–1998	Queens Park Rangers	66	(0)
1998–1999	Columbus Crew	21	(0)
1999	→ Myrtle Beach Seadawgs (loan) [1]	2	(0)
2000	Connecticut Wolves	1	(0)
2000–2002	New England Revolution	33	(0)
2001	→ Bolton Wanderers (loan)	0	(0)
Total		224	(0)
International career
1994–1998	United States	10	(0)
Managerial career
2014–2015	Indy Eleven
Medal record Representing   United States Runner-up CONCACAF Gold Cup 1998 Men's Soccer
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Juergen Peterson Sommer (born February 27, 1969) is an American former professional soccer player and coach. He became the first American goalkeeper to play in the FA Premier League, when he signed to play for Queens Park Rangers in 1995. He has served as the United States national team goalkeeping coach. Later on, Sommer coached Indy Eleven in the NASL. ^[2]

Youth and college

Sommer played soccer at Culver Military Academy in Culver, Indiana where he was an All-American. After graduation, Sommer walked on at Indiana University, where he quickly became the starting goalkeeper in 1987. He was named Collegiate Goalkeeper of the Year in 1990.

Club career

Sommer left Indiana to sign with Luton Town of the First Division in 1991. Sommer played for the next seven years in England for Queens Park Rangers, Luton Town and Torquay. In 1998, he made the jump back home to sign with the Columbus Crew of Major League Soccer, as a replacement for Brad Friedel, who had signed for Liverpool the previous year. Sommer became the Crew starter over the next two seasons, and after a pair of major knee injuries, he signed with the New England Revolution. In 2000, he played one game with the Connecticut Wolves in the USISL A-League. ^[3] After another injury forced Sommer to the sidelines, and the emergence of Adin Brown as the Revolution's starting goalkeeper, he retired after the 2002 MLS Cup. He represented English side Bolton Wanderers for just one FA Cup game against Blackburn Rovers in February 2001. Sommer answered an S.O.S. by Wanderers manager Sam Allardyce who saw his other goalkeepers either injured or ineligible but was himself injured during the match.

International career

Throughout his career, Sommer earned ten caps for the United States national team, and was a member of the team which competed at the 1994 and 1998 FIFA World Cups. Although many rated him as a solid goalkeeper in his prime, Brad Friedel, Kasey Keller and Tony Meola greatly reduced his chances of seeing an extended run in the national team.

References

1. Waldrop, Melinda (July 14, 1999). "SeaDawgs to Get Guest Goalkeeper". The Sun-News. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Retrieved July 27, 2023.
2. "Juergen Sommer to Lead Indy Eleven as Head Coach". indyeleven.com. Archived from the original on December 13, 2013. Retrieved June 11, 2013.
3. 2000 Connecticut Wolves