Mike Ammann
Encyclopedia
Mike Ammann is a retired American soccer goalkeeper who played professionally in England and Major League Soccer
.
in the Western Soccer League
. In 1990, Ammann graduated from Mater Dei High School
. He entered Cal State-Fullerton
where he played on the men's soccer team from 1990 to 1993. In 1993, the Titans went to the NCAA Final Four
. That year, he also played for the East Los Angeles Cobras
in the USISL.
saw Ammann play in the NCAA Final Four. He contacted Ammann and offered him a trial with Charlton. Ammann played for Charlton Athletic from 1994 to 1996. When Major League Soccer
started in 1996, Ammann signed with the then-Kansas City Wiz
late in the inaugural season. In 1997, he set a league record (since broken) of twenty-one wins. Before the 1999 season, Ammann was traded to the MetroStars
with Mark Chung
for Tony Meola
and Alexi Lalas
. That season the MetroStars squad finished with the worst record in league history. However, Ammann played well despite the lack of success.
The 2000 season was Ammann's best as the Metros went through a re-birth. Ammann was selected to the 2000 MLS All Star game and starting in goal for the Eastern Conference. However, Ammann missed the last five weeks of the season after an incident involving Mamadou Diallo
. In a game against the Tampa Bay Mutiny
, Diallo stepped on the Metro goalie, breaking three ribs, puncturing his lung, and giving him a concussion. The incident, which was dubbed Crime of the Century by Metro teammate Mike Petke
, saw Diallo receive no punishment. Ammann, on the other hand, had to miss the rest of the regular season, returning for the playoffs and shutting out the Chicago Fire 2-0.
With the emergence of Tim Howard
for the MetroStars, Ammann was traded to D.C. United
for Richie Williams
and an allocation
before the 2001 MLS season. Injuries dogged him, however, and he retired after not playing a minute in 2002. Ammann's doctor had never performed the procedure prior to operating on Ammann and left him permanently disabled. Ammann suffers disabilities in his right and left arms and hands. Dr. Hazel was found guilty by a jury of Malpractice in D.C. Courts. Although Ammann received a favorable decision, his fees outweighed the verdict adding another hardship to his removal from the game. He has since been outspoken about some of the problems of MLS.
Data Systems within their Federal Division. In 2010, Ammann launched Twenty-Four Seven Goalkeeper, Mike Ammann's Premier Goalkeeper Academy in the Northern Virginia area.
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
.
Youth
In 1989, Ammann, younger brother of Bob Ammann, played for the Los Angeles HeatLos Angeles Heat
Los Angeles Heat joined the Western Soccer Alliance in 1986. They joined the American Professional Soccer League in 1990 when the WSL merged with the American Soccer League...
in the Western Soccer League
Western Soccer League
Western Soccer Alliance was a professional soccer league featuring teams from the West Coast of the United States and Western Canada. The league began in 1985 as the Western Alliance Challenge Series. In 1986, it became the Western Soccer Alliance...
. In 1990, Ammann graduated from Mater Dei High School
Mater Dei High School
Mater Dei High School may refer to:* Mater Dei High School is a Catholic high school located in Orange County, California.* Mater Dei High School is a Catholic high school located in Clinton County, Illinois....
. He entered Cal State-Fullerton
California State University, Fullerton
California State University, Fullerton is a public university located in Fullerton, California. It is the largest institution in the CSU System by enrollment, it offers long-distance education and adult-degree programs...
where he played on the men's soccer team from 1990 to 1993. In 1993, the Titans went to the NCAA Final Four
NCAA Men's Soccer Championship
The NCAA began conducting a Men's Division I Soccer Championship tournament in 1959 with an eight-team tournament. Currently, the tournament field consists of 48 teams...
. That year, he also played for the East Los Angeles Cobras
East Los Angeles Cobras
The Los Angeles Salsa U-23's were an American soccer team that played in East Los Angeles, California.They joined the USISL in 1993, as the East Los Angeles Cobras. The next season they became the Los Angeles Salsa U-23's and moved to the USISL Pro League in 1995.-Year-by-year:...
in the USISL.
Professional
In 1994, Mike Stevens, the director of Charlton Athletic F.C.Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
saw Ammann play in the NCAA Final Four. He contacted Ammann and offered him a trial with Charlton. Ammann played for Charlton Athletic from 1994 to 1996. When Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
started in 1996, Ammann signed with the then-Kansas City Wiz
Kansas City Wizards
Sporting Kansas City is an American professional soccer club based in Kansas City, Kansas that competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada...
late in the inaugural season. In 1997, he set a league record (since broken) of twenty-one wins. Before the 1999 season, Ammann was traded to the MetroStars
Metrostars
Metrostar may refer to:*New York Red Bulls, formerly called the "MetroStars", a soccer team from New York*Manila Metro Rail Transit System, popularly called "The Metrostar Express", a part of the metropolitan rail system in Manila...
with Mark Chung
Mark Chung
Mark Chung is a former American soccer midfielder who, after a season in the Continental Indoor Soccer League, played ten seasons in Major League Soccer. He also earned twenty-four caps, scoring two goals, with the U.S. national team.-Youth and college:Chung was born in Toronto to Chinese...
for Tony Meola
Tony Meola
Antonio Michael "Tony" Meola is an American former soccer goalkeeper who played for the United States national team at the 1990 and 1994 World Cups, and from 1996 to 2006 played in Major League Soccer, the U.S. top soccer division, where he obtained multiple honors...
and Alexi Lalas
Alexi Lalas
Panayotis Alexander Lalas is a retired American soccer player who played mostly as a defender for the United States national team in the 1994 FIFA World Cup...
. That season the MetroStars squad finished with the worst record in league history. However, Ammann played well despite the lack of success.
The 2000 season was Ammann's best as the Metros went through a re-birth. Ammann was selected to the 2000 MLS All Star game and starting in goal for the Eastern Conference. However, Ammann missed the last five weeks of the season after an incident involving Mamadou Diallo
Mamadou Diallo
Mamadou Diallo , also known as Big Mama, is a former Senegalese football striker.-European career:Diallo has played all over the world: United States, Senegal, Morocco, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, South Africa, Mali, Germany, Turkey, Sweden and Norway...
. In a game against the Tampa Bay Mutiny
Tampa Bay Mutiny
The Tampa Bay Mutiny was a charter franchise of Major League Soccer active from 1996 - 2001. They initially played in Tampa Stadium and were immediately successful, winning the first MLS Supporters' Shield behind MLS MVP Carlos Valderrama and high-scoring forward Roy Lassiter, whose 27 goals in...
, Diallo stepped on the Metro goalie, breaking three ribs, puncturing his lung, and giving him a concussion. The incident, which was dubbed Crime of the Century by Metro teammate Mike Petke
Mike Petke
Mike Petke is a former American soccer player who is now an assistant coach with New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer.-College:...
, saw Diallo receive no punishment. Ammann, on the other hand, had to miss the rest of the regular season, returning for the playoffs and shutting out the Chicago Fire 2-0.
With the emergence of Tim Howard
Tim Howard
Timothy Matthew Howard is an American soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper for English club Everton and the United States national team....
for the MetroStars, Ammann was traded to D.C. United
D.C. United
D.C. United is an American professional soccer club based in Washington, D.C. which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league since its inception, in 1996.Over the...
for Richie Williams
Richie Williams
Richie Williams is an American former professional soccer player and coach.Known for his diminutive height and his dogged tackling, Williams spent the vast majority of his playing career in the United States, playing one season in the National Professional Soccer League, two in USISL, two in the...
and an allocation
Allocation (MLS)
In Major League Soccer, an allocation represents an amount of money teams can use to sign players and/or allocate to their salaries to get under the salary cap. Allocations are given to teams that have missed the playoffs the previous seasons, given to expansion teams, or awarded as compensation...
before the 2001 MLS season. Injuries dogged him, however, and he retired after not playing a minute in 2002. Ammann's doctor had never performed the procedure prior to operating on Ammann and left him permanently disabled. Ammann suffers disabilities in his right and left arms and hands. Dr. Hazel was found guilty by a jury of Malpractice in D.C. Courts. Although Ammann received a favorable decision, his fees outweighed the verdict adding another hardship to his removal from the game. He has since been outspoken about some of the problems of MLS.
Post-soccer career
As of 2004, Ammann is working as a manager for HitachiHitachi, Ltd.
is a Japanese multinational conglomerate headquartered in Marunouchi 1-chome, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. The company is the parent of the Hitachi Group as part of the larger DKB Group companies...
Data Systems within their Federal Division. In 2010, Ammann launched Twenty-Four Seven Goalkeeper, Mike Ammann's Premier Goalkeeper Academy in the Northern Virginia area.