Blockbuster deal sends Lalas and Meola to the Kansas City Wizards
MetroStars Also Send Diego Sonora To D.C. United
NEW YORK (Thursday, January 28, 1999) -- Two of American soccer's most recognizable players will play for a new team in 1999, as World Cup veterans and three-time MLS All-Stars Alexi Lalas and Tony Meola of the MetroStars were traded to the Kansas City Wizards for midfielder Mark Chung and goalkeeper Mike Ammann, Major League Soccer Deputy Commissioner Sunil Gulati announced today.
"This put Kansas City on the map," Wizards Head Coach Ron Newman said. "Both players represent soccer. They have been in World Cups and bring a vast amount of experience. Every soccer person in the country knows them and both are still excellent players. We have beat New York every time we have played them, but our record does not show it, because of Tony Meola. He can turn the whole game around. Lalas will bring both soccer and non-soccer fans to Arrowhead, and he is a quality player. We are very happy."
The MetroStars–Wizards deal highlighted a day in which five MLS teams were involved in player transactions.
In other MLS trades today, D.C. United acquired Argentinean defender/midfielder Diego Soñora in a three-way deal involving the MetroStars and the San Jose Clash. As part of the trade, San Jose received D.C. United's first-round selection in the 1999 MLS Supplemental Draft (no. 11 overall) and United's second-round selection in the 1999 MLS College Draft (no. 21 overall). The MetroStars picked up D.C. United's second-round selection in the 2000 MLS College Draft, United's third-round selection in the 2000 MLS College Draft and San Jose's third-round selection in the 2000 MLS College Draft.
"The acquisition of Diego Sonora certainly addresses a need we've had," United President and General Manager Kevin Payne said. "It's rare to be able to pick up a three-time All-Star and fill a position on the field where you have a need, but we've been able to do that."
The MetroStars, meanwhile, created room under Major League Soccer's salary cap to pursue additional players to fit into Head Coach Bora Milutinovic's system.
"As a team, we recognized that sacrifices have to be made in order to realize our ultimate goal of winning the MLS Cup," MetroStars Vice President and General Manager Charlie Stillitano said. "This is yet another step in the remaking of the MetroStars."
"These talented individuals obviously meant a great deal to the MetroStars, but we feel that we've gone as far as possible with these players. We're now in a position that allows us to go out and acquire the impact players Bora wants."
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Lalas
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Kansas City Wizards
Defender
6-3, 198
Hometown: Detroit, Michigan
Born: June 1, 1970 in Birmingham, Michigan
The most recognizable U.S. soccer player in the world, Lalas was part of the first-ever three-team trade in MLS history, a deal that brought him to the MetroStars in 1998 and sent Raul Diaz Arce to Lalas' former team, the New England Revolution ... Lalas has started each of the first three MLS All-Star Games, representing the Eastern Conference twice and MLS USA in 1998… Earned honorable mention on FIFA's 1994 World Cup All-Star Team after playing every minute of the USA's four World Cup games ... Represented the U.S. again at World Cup France '98.
MLS Regular Season YEAR TEAM GP GS MIN G A PTS SHT SOG --------------------------------------------------------- 1996 N.E. Revolution 25 25 2218 1 1 3 17 7 1997 N.E. Revolution 29 28 2517 2 3 7 24 10 1998 MetroStars 25 25 2250 2 0 4 12 5 Three-year totals 79 78 6985 5 4 14 53 22 MLS Playoffs YEAR TEAM GP GS MIN G A PTS SHT SOG --------------------------------------------------------- 1997 N.E. Revolution 2 2 180 0 0 0 2 1 1998 MetroStars 2 2 180 0 0 0 1 0 Two-year totals 4 4 360 0 0 0 3 1
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Meola
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Kansas City Wizards
Goalkeeper
6-1, 205
Hometown: Kearny, New Jersey
Born: February 21, 1969 in Belleville, New Jersey
A vocal defensive leader, Meola has consistently demonstrated brilliant ability during the first three MLS seasons … He recently was recalled to the U.S. National Team after an absence of more than four years … The Kearny, N.J., native (also the hometown of Tab Ramos and John Harkes) is MLS' all-time leader in shutouts (18), the record-holder for saves in a game (15) and owns the longest shutout streak in MLS history at 414 minutes … Meola ranks third in MLS in all-time minutes played (8,100), second all-time in wins (40) (Mark Dodd has 42) and second all-time in saves (455) (Dodd has 477) … Meola has the most international appearances of any goalkeeper in U.S. Soccer history with 87, posting 28 shutouts during that time … He is a three-time MLS All-Star and captained the U.S. in both the 1990 and 1994 World Cups, playing every minute.
MLS Regular Season YEAR TEAM GP MIN SHTS SVS GA GAA SO --------------------------------------------------------- 1996 MetroStars 29 2610 191 142 38 1.31 9 1997 MetroStars 30 2684 204 149 48 1.61 5 1998 MetroStars 31 2790 236 164 62 2.00 4 Three-year totals 90 8084 631 455 148 1.65 18 MLS Playoffs YEAR TEAM GP MIN SHTS SVS GA GAA SO --------------------------------------------------------- 1996 MetroStars 3 270 25 19 5 1.67 0 1998 MetroStars 2 180 10 4 6 3.00 0 Two-year totals 5 450 35 23 11 2.20 0
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Chung
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MetroStars
Midfielder
5-7, 155
Hometown: Pembroke Pines, California
Born: June 18, 1970 in Toronto, Canada
A strong left-footed player who can create one-on-one opportunities or set up his teammates, the durable Chung is the MLS all-time games played leader (94); ranks first all-time in minutes played (8,269); #1 all-time in fouls suffered (204); #10 all-time assist leader (25); #20 all-time goal leader (20), and #18 all-time points leader (65) … A member of the 1997 Western Conference All-Star squad … Chung made 24 appearances for the U.S. National Team from 1992-94, scoring twice … After finishing his five-year career at the University of South Florida, "Chungy" earned Continental Indoor Soccer League Rookie of the Year honors for the San Diego Sockers in 1995, scoring 29 goals and adding 22 assists.
MLS Regular Season YEAR TEAM GP GS MIN G A PTS SHT SOG --------------------------------------------------------- 1996 Kansas City Wizards 32 32 2847 8 9 25 81 40 1997 Kansas City Wizards 32 32 2871 10 8 28 62 32 1998 Kansas City Wizards 30 29 2551 2 8 12 60 23 Three-year totals 94 93 8269 20 25 65 203 95 MLS Playoffs YEAR TEAM GP GS MIN G A PTS SHT SOG --------------------------------------------------------- 1996 Kansas City Wizards 5 5 449 1 1 3 10 6 1997 Kansas City Wizards 2 2 180 0 0 0 2 0 Two-year totals 7 7 629 1 1 3 12 6
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Ammann
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MetroStars
Goalkeeper
6-3, 200
Hometown: Irvine, California
Born: February 8, 1971 in Orange, California
Ammann's 21 wins in 1997 are the second-highest victory total for an MLS goalkeeper in league history (L.A.'s Kevin Hartman won 22 in 1998) … Went 7-2 in shootout decisions during the '97 campaign, his first full year as a starter ... Before signing as a discovery player with Kansas City in June, 1996 (playing just four games), Ammann played two seasons in the English First Division with Charlton Athletic FC, appearing in 32 games and earning a 2-0 shutout win against Millwall and fellow American 'keeper Kasey Keller in December, 1995.
MLS Regular Season YEAR TEAM GP MIN SHTS SVS GA GAA SO --------------------------------------------------------- 1996 K.C. Wizards 4 291 21 12 8 2.47 0 1997 K.C. Wizards 29 2597 160 109 45 1.56 5 1998 K.C. Wizards 27 2430 134 85 42 1.56 5 Three-year totals 60 5318 315 206 95 1.61 10 MLS Playoffs YEAR TEAM GP MIN SHTS SVS GA GAA SO --------------------------------------------------------- 1997 K.C. Wizards 2 180 15 9 6 3.00 0
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Soñora
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D.C. United
Defender
5-8, 165
Hometown: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Born: July 17, 1969 in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Soñora, who was the Dallas Burn's defensive force during MLS' first two seasons and a standout with the MetroStars at right back in 1999, will bring that defensive tenacity to United in 1999 … The three-time MLS All-Star is considered one of the league's best attacking defenders … Prior to joining MLS, Soñora played 16 years in the famed Boca Juniors system, serving as the Argentinean team's captain during the 1994-95 season.
MLS Regular Season YEAR TEAM GP GS MIN G A PTS SHT SOG --------------------------------------------------------- 1996 Dallas Burn 31 31 2720 2 7 11 23 13 1997 Dallas Burn 16 16 1421 1 2 4 9 4 1998 MetroStars 30 30 2572 3 7 13 25 9 Three-year totals 77 77 6713 6 16 28 57 26 MLS Playoffs YEAR TEAM GP GS MIN G A PTS SHT SOG --------------------------------------------------------- 1996 Dallas Burn 3 3 246 0 0 0 1 0 1998 MetroStars 2 2 146 0 0 0 1 1 Two-year totals 5 5 392 0 0 0 2 1