FIRST ON SBI
Photo by ISIphotos.com
Ultimately, the injuries were just too much to overcome.
After a 14-year professional career that saw him play in Germany, England and Scotland before returning to the United States, Claudio Reyna has decided it is time to stop playing. The former U.S. national team captain and New York Red Bulls midfielder is retiring immediately, sources within MLS told SBI on Tuesday.
The Red Bulls have scheduled a press conference for Wednesday at 2pm at St. Benedict’s Prep in Newark, the school where Reyna’s decorated career began two decades ago.
Leg and back injuries limited Reyna, who turns 35 later this month, to just six games this season, and 27 games total during his two seasons with the Red Bulls after joining the club on a free transfer from Manchester City.
Reyna’s retirement is expected to free up a designated player slot the team is very likely to use to sign a forward to replace departed U.S. national team forward Jozy Altidore, who was sold to Villarreal last month. (Update- according to a source, the Red Bulls will not be using the DP slot this year.)
According to sources, Reyna will still be paid the remainder of his $1.25 million contract, but the Red Bulls will pay the remaining portion of the salary that MLS was due to pay. This would allow the club to fill his salary slot and designated player slot (I’m seeking confirmation on this from the league, with a source just telling me they don’t believe this to be the case).
Reyna joined the Red Bulls prior to the 2007 season as its first designated player. He played 27 matches over the course of two seasons, including six matches this year, but nagging leg injuries prevented him from ever having the impact expected of him when he was signed for a two-year, $2.5 million contract by then Red Bulls coach Bruce Arena.
Reyna showed flashes of the composure and skill with the Red Bulls that made him so successful in Europe, but ultimately his body could not handle the rigors of playing on artificial turf and in the physical MLS at the age of 34. He was repeatedly forced to miss matches with a variety of injuries, and after considerable deliberation, Reyna made the final decision to stop playing.
Reyna’s last public appearance came two weeks ago in a charity game with Steve Nash and Thierry Henry in Manhattan. At that match, Reyna stated his desire to come back, but at that point discussions were already underway with the Red Bulls about the possibility of him retiring.
Reyna spent a dozen seasons in Europe, playing for Wolfsburg in Germany, Sunderland and Manchester City in England, and Glasgow Rangers in Scotland. He was regarded as one of the best players ever produced by the United States for his composure and skill in central midfield.
His career reached its peak at the 2002 World Cup, where he helped lead the United States to the World Cup quarterfinals. His inspired performance in that tournament earned him All-Tournament honors, making him the first American to ever receive such a distinction.
It remains to be seen just how the Red Bulls will be allowed to use the vacated designated player slot and salary cap space left open by Reyna’s retirement. With the designated player mechanism only in its second year of existence, MLS is in uncharted territories when it comes to handling a situation like this. According to sources, the Red Bulls were expected to pay Reyna’s entire remaining salary, believed to be slightly more than $600,000, a figure that includes the $200,000 pro-rated amount due Reyna from the league (MLS pays up to $400,000 of a designate player’s salary, less for a team’s second designated player, with the team paying the rest.)
I’ll share my thoughts on Reyna’s retirement later. For now, share your own thoughts on Reyna’s retirement below.
AD-RI-ANO!
clap clap clap-clap-clap
I only hope that all the bandwagon-jumpers remember Reyna as the all-WC performer of 2002 and the marshall of the US midfield for a decade, instead of the guys whose injuries sapped the ability to play.
Reyna and McBride are the two most successful field players the US has ever produced. Nat’l team captains and club captains in Europe, they stand head and shoulders above any other Americans of their generation. For all the fawning that’s gone on over McBride these last few weeks, I wish some folks would take a step back and remember just how good Reyna was in Europe and in the US midfield. He spent 10 years as the automatic starter at CAM, and there was never a debate about supplanting him.
Reyna – sorry your body gave out on you, but thanks for all those years in the red, white, and blue, playing Captain America to our USMNT.
YES!
I was at work and still couldn’t resist cheering in pure joy.
Btw. why does the “world wide leader in sports” lead with a story about a regional junk sport? (Home run hitting.) Instead of a event of true international sporting importance, like the Tour de France?
already disapeared
How many WC Best XI do we have? It’s good for the Red Bulls that he is pulling the plug, but anything less than gratitude for the best US field career in Europe and a great Nats career is completely classless.
By the way, this is on the front page of ESPN.com.
Quite the accomplishment, Mr. Galarcep. Figured I’d throw some kudos your way.
Its about time! I do respect Reyna who WAS a great player at one time, but he couldn’t stay healthy. And his DP slot was doing nothing for the Red Bulls because he was hardly playing.
Best news all day. He is supposedly a super nice guy and I feel badly that his career deteriorated the way that it did, but I would rather see us actually do something with the DP slot than have the person who occupies it sitting on the bench or hurting the team when they’re on the field.
You comment about artifical turf being the reason for injuries. Wrong. The dude was glass and wouldn’t have lasted 10 minutes if the field was made of pillows.
geez… It’s not like injuries weren’t a concern before the RBs signed him. Why blame the player for a bad signing? He’s one of the most storied US players ever and if you only look at the last two years of any athlete’s career there wouldn’t be many memorable players.
sorry for the bad spelling
It’s going to be funny when they replace him and still finish in last.
Tab Ramos hung around too long, for too much money (though not as much as Reyna), as well …
http://www.prestonm.com/brewcity/the_day_tab_ramos_signed.php
while i didnt appreciated him until after we lost him from the nat’l team, I would like to ask everyone if anyone at all thought this was gonna be a good signing for the money and the DP slot.
I would bet 95% of the people knew what Redbull was walking into just by looking at his last few years
THANK YOU, REYNA!!!!!!!
And yeah, we will owe CUSA a DP slot, but maybe the MLS will start giving teams two?
It is sad, BTW, that the reaction here seems to be more relief at finally seeing him go from the Red Bulls than of appreciation for his whole career. It’s a mark of a player (any sport) holding on too long. But we should appreciate what he did for US soccer. He was never the savior he was touted to be – Tab Ramos was still a better player than Reyna for the National Team – but he did lead our team for a long, long time, including one of the greatest moments in US Soccer history in 2002.
henry next year….this year herman CRESPO
… and he keeps the money. Sweet.
Im sure thats a breath of fresh air for new york fans.
Sorry to see it come to an end like this for him. This isn’t the way he should be remembered. He is a class player and deserves respect. It’s not his fault that Red Bull gave him that contract, would anyone of you haters turn it down if it was offered to you? Exactly.
Thierry Henry will play in Barcelon until 2010 if he has a good season this year. The only way he comes to NY in 2009 is if he struggles this season, Guardiola had Henry in his plans for Barca.
of course thats hypothetical…. assuming NY doesnt obtain another DP slot in that time or somehow pursuades CUSA to let them hold onto it a lil’ longer…
Drew D (From FL)- but with 1 of NY’ DP’s going back to CUSA after the 09′ season that would mean either Henry is only a 1 season player, or JPA is leaving the redbulls
Our long national nightmare is over.
(That was a joke.)
I couldn’t believe the abuse Reyna took (here and elsewhere) after playing in the LES charity match. Wonder if that had spurred the final decision.
Thank G-d!!!!!
Osorio, go shopping NOW!!
Reyna had a fine career and that should not be forgotten. To say that he is the best american player of his generation is a little too much.
However, Reyna was what he was and the expectations that he was a #10 were very unrealistic. His play during his time with New York was subpar and I dont blame that entirely on injuries, the player he was during his career does not warrant a designated player salary in this league, he was an adequate player but never a star. I wish him the best in his future endeavors.
Everyone knew he was done a long time ago, he just had to finally accept it to be able to go out with grace. Unfortunately, he didn’t help himself out much by not being able to look at himself in the mirror in order to judge his own remaining playing ability impartially and thus admitting the obvious. Heart, which he’s always had a ton of, can only go so far. Eventually it was no longer heart it came off as, but plain old stubborness. That he’s taken this long to retire while negatively affecting the team’s ability to get someone additional to help out in the rebuilding process led to the amount of widespread, bitter, and deserved condemnation he’s gotten, unbefitting an American player with a career of his calibre, but brought upon himself seemingly as much by ego as by a sense of duty. I hope he finds happiness in retirement and more time spent with family. And I hope we now go find out if Thierry Henry is available.
http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/5802/hasbeenup0.jpg
As ives has stated earlier, I think this is a coming together for the target of thierry henry coming to RBNY when RB Park opens in 2009. I just hope you’re right ives.
While I certainly understand how Red Bull fans feel relief at Reyna’s retirement, let’s have some perspective here. First, Claudio’s injuries throughout the past two years are not the only reason why your club has been so terrible. Second, one of the best, if not THE best, American players of our generation is hanging his boots up. Have some respect and look back at a career that truly advanced American soccer.
Ives, you should have posted that “has-been” banner of Reyna from Toronto. lol!
Wow.
Come on down Thierry Henry.
Or Ronnie.
But most likely Henry.
(Next year?)
Too bad Reyna’s stint here didn’t bode very well. Tough way to end his career. He must have pissed someone off. Because it all went down hill after a tough way to end his WC career.
I’m going to church this week to thank the Lord Almighty God!
I was about to ask if we’d notice a difference, until I read that it opens up the DP spot for someone.
*AFTER* contracts became guaranteed.
So, Red Bull get a slot, but not the cash?
I, for one will be wearing a black #10 armband for the rest of the season. When a DP retires during the middle of the season, does that mean that us season ticket holders are entitled to some of our money back. (granted, I’m sure that whoever we get for our other DP slot will not be as old as good ole Methuselah).
I’m gonna miss him though.
I agree with smorebs. As little impact he’s had with NY, it’s sad to see a player who’s given so much service to MNT retire due to injuries. Here’s wishing him the best in future endeavors.
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!
I agree with smorebs. As little impact he’s had with NY, it’s sad to see a player who’s given so much service to MNT retire due to injuries. Here’s wishing him the best in future endeavors.
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
and i’m not even a red bull fan
muscfiorentina – while its possible money might talk, BMB has made it obvious he wishes to play in chicago, or he will also retire…
but as i stated, money might talk…. so i guess anything is possible
There is a god!
As much as it’s a good thing for the team, I’ll always be a CR fan. I jut wish he could have gone out better than this.
Hey Ives, any word on where Mathis will end up? Any chance RB want him? I’m telling ya, he’s good….and we could use him. He’s definitely an upgrade over Woly and Echeveryy….
27 games since joining the bulls? No way he played that many games. good riddance.
about time
Not surprised but, as much as he has not been helpful in NY it is sad to see a great player go.
Hey Ives,
Any possibilty of signing McBrideas a DP?
thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you!!!!!!!!!
YESSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!