Fred Grgurev
Encyclopedia
Ferdo "Fred" Grgurev is a retired Yugoslavian-American football (soccer)
forward
who played professionally in the North American Soccer League
and Major Indoor Soccer League. He also earned 14 caps, scoring one goal, for the United States men's national soccer team
.
in the American Soccer League
. In 1978, he joined the New York Cosmos
of the North American Soccer League
. In the fall of 1978, he began his indoor career with the Philadelphia Fever
of the Major Indoor Soccer League. He led the league in scoring and was a First Team All Star. He was back in the NASL in 1979, this time with the Rochester Lancers
. He went on to play for the Fever again during the 1979-1980 indoor season and the Lancers during the 1980 outdoor season. In the fall of 1980, Grgurev joined the New York Arrows
, winning the 1981 MISL title with them. He moved to the New Jersey Rockets during the offseason, but on October 2, 1982 rejoined the Arrows on a two year contract. He began the 1983-1984 season in New York before being sold to the Memphis Americans
in February 1984. At the end of the season, the Americans moved to Las Vegas, Nevada
to become the Las Vegas Americans
. Grgurev continued playing for the Americans in their new home during the 1984-1985 season. When the Americans folded in the summer of 1985, Grgurev became a free agent and signed with the Pittsburgh Spirit
in September 1985. The Spirit folded at the end of the season and Grgurev did not play again until he signed with the New York Express
on January 2, 1987. However, the Express also folded soon after and Grgurev retired. Grgurev was the original MISL's ninth all-time point scorer with 544. He was the league's seventh all-time goal scorer with 331. As a member of the Fever, Grgurev was Scoring Champion as well as Pass Master (ie. assists leader) in the league's inaugural season, 1978-79. It would be however his only scoring title as all-time leaguer scoring Steve Zungul
won six of the next seven seasons'.
between 1973 and 1976. He scored against Canada
in a friendly played in Windsor
on May 8, 1973, which the Americans won 2-0.
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
forward
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
who played professionally in the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
and Major Indoor Soccer League. He also earned 14 caps, scoring one goal, for the United States men's national soccer team
United States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
.
Professional
in 1976 and 1977, Grgurev played for the New York ApolloNew York Apollo
The New York Greeks was an American soccer club based in New York City that was a member of the American Soccer League.The team began as the amateur Greek-Americans. The club played lower Premier Division of the German American Soccer League which was based in the New York metropolitan area...
in the American Soccer League
American Soccer League
The American Soccer League has been a name used by three different professional soccer leagues in the United States. The first American Soccer League was established in 1921 by the merger of teams from the National Association Football League and the Southern New England Soccer League. For...
. In 1978, he joined the New York Cosmos
New York Cosmos
The New York Cosmos were an American soccer club based in New York City, New York and its suburbs. The team played home games in three stadiums around New York before moving in 1977 to Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, where it remained for the rest of its history...
of the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
. In the fall of 1978, he began his indoor career with the Philadelphia Fever
Philadelphia Fever
.The Philadelphia Fever were an indoor soccer team based out of Philadelphia that played in the original Major Indoor Soccer League from 1978 to 1982. Their home arena was the Spectrum)...
of the Major Indoor Soccer League. He led the league in scoring and was a First Team All Star. He was back in the NASL in 1979, this time with the Rochester Lancers
Rochester Lancers
The Rochester Lancers were a soccer team based in Rochester, New York that played in the American Soccer League from 1967 until 1969 and the North American Soccer League from 1970 to 1980 at Aquinas Stadium...
. He went on to play for the Fever again during the 1979-1980 indoor season and the Lancers during the 1980 outdoor season. In the fall of 1980, Grgurev joined the New York Arrows
New York Arrows
The New York Arrows was an indoor soccer team that played in the original Major Indoor Soccer League from 1978 to 1984. They won the first four MISL championships.-Preparing for the first season:...
, winning the 1981 MISL title with them. He moved to the New Jersey Rockets during the offseason, but on October 2, 1982 rejoined the Arrows on a two year contract. He began the 1983-1984 season in New York before being sold to the Memphis Americans
Memphis Americans
The Memphis Americans were a soccer team based out of Memphis, Tennessee that played in the old Major Indoor Soccer League. They played from 1981 to 1984. Their home arena was the Mid-South Coliseum....
in February 1984. At the end of the season, the Americans moved to Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
to become the Las Vegas Americans
Las Vegas Americans
The Las Vegas Americans were a soccer team based out of Las Vegas that played in the Major Soccer League. They played only one season, 1984 and lost in the first round of the championship that year. The Americans finished their only season in the league with a 30-18 record earning them second place...
. Grgurev continued playing for the Americans in their new home during the 1984-1985 season. When the Americans folded in the summer of 1985, Grgurev became a free agent and signed with the Pittsburgh Spirit
Pittsburgh Spirit
Pittsburgh Spirit were an indoor soccer team based out of Pittsburgh and were one of the original six teams that played in the Major Indoor Soccer League...
in September 1985. The Spirit folded at the end of the season and Grgurev did not play again until he signed with the New York Express
New York Express
This article is about the former indoor soccer team.The New York Express were a soccer team based out of Uniondale, New York that played in the Major Indoor Soccer League. They played only one season, the 1986-1987 season. Their home arena was Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum...
on January 2, 1987. However, the Express also folded soon after and Grgurev retired. Grgurev was the original MISL's ninth all-time point scorer with 544. He was the league's seventh all-time goal scorer with 331. As a member of the Fever, Grgurev was Scoring Champion as well as Pass Master (ie. assists leader) in the league's inaugural season, 1978-79. It would be however his only scoring title as all-time leaguer scoring Steve Zungul
Steve Zungul
Slaviša Žungul, known in the United States as Steve Zungul is a retired Yugoslavian-American football striker. Žungul began his career with Hajduk Split in his native Yugoslavia before moving to the United States where he became a dominant indoor soccer striker...
won six of the next seven seasons'.
National team
Grgurev earned fourteen caps with the United States men's national soccer teamUnited States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
between 1973 and 1976. He scored against Canada
Canada men's national soccer team
The Canada men's national soccer team represents Canada in international soccer competitions at the senior men's level. They are overseen by the Canadian Soccer Association and compete in the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football .Their most significant...
in a friendly played in Windsor
Windsor, Ontario
Windsor is the southernmost city in Canada and is located in Southwestern Ontario at the western end of the heavily populated Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. It is within Essex County, Ontario, although administratively separated from the county government. Separated by the Detroit River, Windsor...
on May 8, 1973, which the Americans won 2-0.
Awards
- MISL Top Goalscorer 1978-79 (46)
- MISL Scoring Champion 1978-79 (74)
- MISL Pass Master (most assists) 1978-79
- MISL All-Star Team 1978-79