MLS Original Players (Updated)

A while ago I mention that Jaimie Moreno technically wasn't an MLS original. He joined DC United after the 1996 season was underway. With Tony Sanneh retiring from the game after his 2007 sting with the Colorado Rapids it appears that there are 5 players left that were with the league on it's first day. There are :

• Diego Gutierrez - Chiacgo Fire
• Jesse Marsch - Chivas USA
• Steve Ralston - New England Revolution
• Ante Razov - Chivas USA
• Zach Thornton - New York Red Bulls

Of these only Steve Ralston and Jesse Marsch have played every year in the league. Diego Gutierrez was with Kansas City in 1997. Unfortunately he missed the entire season due to a knee injury. Zach Thorton was not in the MLS in 2004 having left on a free to Benefica. And Ante Razov wasn't around for much of the 2001 season having joined Spanish club Racing de Ferrol.

Diego Gutierrez mulled retirement after the 2007 ended. He came back for one more season. Given the age of these guys, enjoy seeing them play while you can. It's likely that 2008 will be the last season for a few other of these guys.

MLS Original Players

Awhile ago I mentioned MLS originals, I mentioned Jaimie Moreno as one of them. I was wrong. Jaimie came in during the 1996 season, he wasn't with DC United to start the first MLS season. Tony Sanneh isn't playing right now (retired?) so that leaves Chivas USA's Ante Razov and Jesse Marsch as the only one's left. As you probably know, Ante had a short stint with Racing de Ferrol in Spain's La Segunda (2nd division). The only other player I could find that's an MLS original is Zach Thornton. He had a short stint with Benfica in 2004.

Am I missing anyone? If I'm not, it looks like they're the last 3 with Jesse being the last player that's continuously been with the league since it's inaugural 1996 season.

Chase and The Big Cat

The Colorado Rapids have signed Chase Hilgenbrinck. Hilgenbrinck is an American left back that was last plying his trade in Chile. Is this a sign that Fernando Clavijo is looking to repeat the short but successful Dedi experiment? For those that don't know, Dedi was an Israeli left back the Rapids signed in 2005 and moved up to left midfield. He managed to score some goals for the Rapids and make enough of a difference to fool Rapids fans into thinking that Clavijo may actually know what he's doing (forgive them; it was Clavijo's first year at the club). Having signed Jose Burciaga in a trade with Kansas City 2 weeks ago the Rapids didn't need another left back. It may be that Clavijo envisions Burciaga, who just 2 years ago netted 8 goals from the LB position for KC, as a left midfielder. And that just may mean that Colin Clarke is going to be shown the door (part of a trade for Christian Gomez)? Why Clarke? Why not? After all, has Clavijo ever shown a liking for a player with offensive skills?

In announcing the signing of Chase, the Rapids made official what many of us already suspected. They announced that the contracts for Jose Cancela and Tony "Big Cat" Sanneh will not be renewed. The question for Sanneh is what is next? Along with Jaime Moreno and Ante Razov, Sanneh is the last of the MLS originals from 1996. Chris Armas, Eddie Pope and Cobi Jones retired after 2007. The only others that could still be part of that group are Brian McBride and Ramiro Corrales but they would need to return to the MLS before they retire. Will Sanneh hang up his boots too now? Or will he pop up with an MLS team looking for a veteran to help them out?