Craig Ziadie

Craig Andrew Ziadie ( born September 20, 1978 in Pembroke Pines, Florida, USA ) is a retired American- Jamaican soccer player on the position of a defender.

In its 2001-2004 lasting professional career, he played for the two MLS franchises DC United and MetroStars. He was also a 2002-2004 regular players of the national team of his native land and came as 26 international appearances.

• 2.1 University of Richmond
• 2.2 MetroStars

Career

High School and College

Born in Pembroke Pines, FL Ziadie grew up in Jamaica, where he attended from 1993, the Norman Manley High School in the capital, Kingston. After his graduation, he went there in 1997 to return to his native country, where he began studying at the University of Richmond in Richmond, Virginia and was active at the same time for their senior football team. In his college days also was for the former PDL franchise Palm Beach Pumas in the Viertklassigkeit active. During his time in college football team Ziadie was elected three times to the All- CAA selection and was also in his senior year in 2000 CAA Player of the Year. In the Richmond Spiders, the nickname of the college sports teams, became Ziadie during his time there to a playmaker and was further towards the end of his career there even as captain of the team active.

In addition to several nominations and recordings in different selections Ziadie celebrated with the election of the CAA Player of the Year in 2000 and the three shots in the All- CAA selection his greatest college success. In his first year at the University of jamaikanischstämmige defensive player came in all 19 league matches from the start for use. In subsequent years, the Sweeper was integral part of the team and came in his senior year also in 19 games for the Spiders used.

Draft to D.C. United

Early in 2001 Ziadie in the third round of the MLS SuperDraft pick in 2001 as a 28 to DC United drafted. A little later secured the Richmond Kickers, who had their game at that time still operating in the sub-prime USL First Division, also still the Draft Place of Ziadie, if this is not from DC United should be contracted. His professional debut came Ziadie on April 7, 2001, a 3-2 victory over the Kansas City Wizards. In his first year in the MLS franchise in the U.S. state of Kansas, the young defender came up with a record of 18 league games, of which from the start he was doing the same in 13 and made ​​a total of three assists throughout the season. Due to a hamstring injury he fell out of the last four games in the MLS. Since he already did so well in his first season, he was first invited to a game of the Jamaican national team. But Ziadie declined the invitation because at first he still had hopes that it could nominate for the A national team of the United States, the former U.S. national team coach Bruce Arena.

Players exchange with the MetroStars

After he came to the 2002 only in a league game used Ziadie early May 2002 was transferred along with his team-mate Mark Lisi for Petter Villegas and Orlando Perez to the then MetroStars. His team debut, the then 23 - year-old came with a 1:2 away defeat against the San Jose Earthquakes when he came onto the field in the 72nd minute for the same age Liberians Sam Forko. The Metro Stars of the defender immediately found connection and made it quickly into the starting squad of Quakes, for a total of 20 league games he came in the 2002 season, a field that was in 18 games from the start on turf. He also came to two inserts in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in 2002, in which the MetroStars made ​​it to the quarter-finals and were eliminated there against the Columbus Crew 1-2.

Also during the 2003 season was Ziadie most of the time in the starting lineup of the MetroStars and so came to a balance of 22 league appearances. In the game 2003 him his first and only professional league matches at the same time succeeded in his career. In the 2-1 home victory over the Colorado Rapids he was first in the 51 minutes the assist for Clint Mathis headed goal and scored himself just eleven minutes later the all-important 2-1 victory. In addition to the 22 league games of the 1.78 m wide defender came in a playoff encounter as well as in two games of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in 2003 for use in which it managed the MetroStars to the finals of the competition, and only there 0-1 lost to the Chicago Fire SC. In the game year 2004 brought Ziadie again on 15 League Appearances ( two assists ) and an insert in the playoffs and was drafted Draft 2004 CD Chivas USA on the MLS expansion.

End of career and life thereafter

As he got there, however, offered no contract, he was released only shortly afterwards by the club and was henceforth without a club. When he ended his official career as a football player, said the jamaikanischstämmige Ziadie that he had been thinking about the earning potential in Major League Soccer, and that the approximately $ 40,000 he earned in the year, enough were not incentive for him to continue its active Karrieres as a professional player. After the End of career as a professional Ziadie played in various local amateur and amateur football leagues in Florida and got a career in the real estate business and especially in the real estate valuation.

In 2008, Craig Ziadie was about to return to professional football when he some sample workouts and games at Camp graduated from Real Salt Lake in Florida. Although he indeed conditionally could still compete with the MLS players, but it lacked a lot of match practice and he privately also had little time because his wife was pregnant at that time. This was also the reason why he often had to leave the training camp to go to his wife can. As the same time also Ziadies son was born, made ​​the situation any easier, whereupon the former defender decided to hang the comeback in professional football on the nail.

Internationally

Like his father and his two brothers also played Craig Ziadie for Jamaican national football team. Once in his first professional season, he in DC United was invited to an international match of Jamaica, perhaps to play there even refused the American- Jamaican dual citizenship for the time being as to compete for the homeland of his parents, just to keep the chance of being appointed to the U.S. National Team. In October 2002, he took a renewed offer of Jamaicans and gave so on 16 October 2002, his first team debut when the 1-1 draw in a friendly match against Japan he. He also came to three international match appearances during the CONCACAF Gold Cup 2003 in the USA and six missions in all six group matches of Jamaica in the third round of qualifying for the 2006 World Cup. Overall he completed for the homeland of his parents in the 2002 and 2004 26 Internationals.

Achievements

University of Richmond

Metro Stars

Family / Private

Craig Ziadie grew up in a sports-loving family. Already his late father in 1986, Dennis Ziadie, was an active soccer player and end of the 60 years with the Boston Beacons in the North American Soccer League ( NASL ) in use. In addition, Craig's older brothers Chris and Nick the late 80s and early 90s for the college football team of Columbia University active and celebrated there were some successes. In addition, both still playing football in Jamaica and were part of the Jamaican youth teams and the senior national teams. The former U.S. national team and professional actor Mark Chung is a cousin Ziadies.

In February 2008 Ziadie father of a son was. To date (2010) has / had Craig Ziadie his main residence already in four different U.S. cities, in Pembroke Pines (Florida), Miramar (Florida ), Hoboken (New Jersey) and Hyattsville (Maryland).