Eddie Johnson (American soccer)
Edward " Eddie" Johnson ( born March 31, 1984 in Bunnell, Florida) is an American football player and currently in Major League Soccer for the Seattle Sounders FC active.
Sports career
After Johnson had played in his youth also American football and basketball, he focused from now on to football, attended the Bradenton Academy, a prestigious soccer school in Bradenton, Florida and was used in 52 international matches of the U- 17 team from the U.S. National. He was also a member of the Project 40 teams, one sponsored by the company Nike team in the MLS and the U.S. Soccer Federation United States Soccer Federation ( USSF ) and in 2001 was one of the youngest player in MLS history on the draft system in committed the second round of the club Dallas Burn.
Johnson spent much time with the U-17 national team, participated in the world championship in 2001 in Trinidad and Tobago in part, and thus came only ten games for his club in Kansas. In the subsequent season, he suffered a severe sprain of the left ankle and missed again by ten championship matches. Although his breakthrough at his club initially did not succeed - Johnson showed very inconsistent performances and scored in his first three years in the MLS only seven goals - he was still an important player in the U-20 national team, with which he qualified for the Junior world Cup in the United Arab Emirates in 2003. He preferred his team to the quarter- finals and scored during the tournament four goals ( including three penalties ), which he - was top scorer - along with three other players.
After the successful tournament Johnson was able to bring on the club level, its qualities now, with the trainer switch to Colin Clarke had a positive impact in this regard. He scored in 2004 with 12 hits more goals than in the past three seasons together and was, together with Brian Ching, the top scorer of the season and also the youngest at that time leading scorer in MLS history. The good performance was accompanied by that Johnson first came into the senior team used there against El Salvador scored his first goal in a qualifying match for the 2006 World Cup on 9 October 2004 and just four days later minutes against Panama within only 17 was followed by three more goals. He also met in the next two qualifying matches and was the first U.S. national team, who scored at least one goal in each of his first four matches.
Johnson was injured in May 2005 at the toes of the right foot and was sidelined until August of the same year. He made his comeback in both the club and on September 7 in the national team, but the injury set off again, which meant that Johnson's season ended prematurely after five goals this season. After his recovery, in January 2006, disagreements developed in terms of its content and situation, he moved on 14 February for two years on the Kansas City Wizards. In August 2006, the MLS negotiated with the Spanish club Real Sociedad, and agreed to borrow Johnson for one year. As the new owner of the Wizards prevented this venture, however, this change did not materialize. Johnson would thus become the first U.S. field player in the Spanish top flight and only the second U.S. soccer players after goalkeeper Kasey Keller. Another point of contact with the European league football was in November 2006 when Johnson in the pre-season time of the MLS was training with the English Premier League club FC Reading. Despite the steady transfer rumors to Europe Johnson, however, had to fight in 2006 and in the early months of 2007 with a form of crisis. He came here in the MLS in the 2006 season to just two goals and was weakly positive in the national team.
In the 2007 season Johnson was again overall a good power back and scored twelve goals in the first eleven games. The speculation about a move to England were increasing and especially Derby County was very interested. Although the MLS had already accepted the transfer fee of the " Rams" in the amount of six million dollars, reportedly rejected Johnson himself the deal because he wanted to play the season with the Wizards to an end. On January 17, 2008 Johnson left a training camp of the national team in California and signed six days later a contract with Fulham, which ties him until the summer of 2011 at his new club.
In the summer of 2008, he was loaned to Cardiff City. After his loan at Cardiff Johnson stood at the Europe League match against FK Vetra in the square. Previously, he scored a goal for Fulham in a friendly match against Melbourne Victory. For the remainder of the season, it was not considered further.
December 31, 2009 Johnson was loaned to the Greek first division club Aris Thessaloniki. His first game in the Super League, he completed 17 January 2010 against PAS Ioannina. He came on in the second half.
After lending his expiring in summer 2011 contract was not renewed. He is currently looking for a new club.
In February 2012, Johnson signed a contract with the Seattle Sounders.
Others
- Johnson received from his followers the nickname " Grown -Ass Man" ( or in short: " GAM " ) after his dislike of video games said in an interview on the grounds that he was a grown man ( " I do not play video games. 'm a grown -ass man. ").
- He has an older sister and a younger brother.