Revolution’s Reis retires, takes job with Galaxy

New England Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis retired Wednesday

after a 16-year career to become the goalie coach for the Los

Angeles Galaxy.

Reis, who spent the past 11 seasons with the Revolution, is a

four-time MLS all-star. He starred at UCLA before playing for the

Galaxy from 1998 to 2002 and helping the club win its first MLS Cup

in 2002.

He’s coming off a strong season with a 7-0-4 record for New

England, the first MLS goalkeeper to go undefeated while playing at

least 10 games. But he played in just 12 games because of physical

problems and the Boston Marathon bombing in which his

father-in-law, John Odom, was severely injured.

Reis, 38, returned in August and helped the Revolution to the

playoffs. But in their last game of the season when they were

eliminated by Sporting Kansas City he tore a tendon in his left

thigh. He underwent surgery on Nov. 11, five days after the game,

and faced several months of rehabilitation.

He’s fourth in MLS history among goalkeepers in games, fifth in

wins and saves and sixth in shutouts.

Reis called himself ”an MLS lifer” and said he’s ”proud of

where the league has gone.”

But, he said, ”everything that happened in April and not

playing for a while” contributed to his decision to retire. Until

then, he said, ”I just kept going out every day trying to get a

little bit better.”

Jay Heaps played against and with Reis before coaching him the

past two years with the Revolution.

”He made the guys in front of him better,” said Heaps, a

former defender. ”Matt always was there to make the save.”