Sporting KC veteran, MLS great Brad Davis announces his retirement
Sporting Kansas City veteran midfielder Brad Davis announced he'll be retiring at the end of the season. Fortunately for Davis, Sunday is not that day, as Sporting KC's 2-0 win over the San Jose Earthquakes helped the club punch its playoff ticket.
Davis, 34, is third all-time in assists in MLS history with 123, and he has 57 goals to accompany them over time spent with the New York/New Jersey MetroStars, Dallas Burn, San Jose Earthquakes, Houston Dynamo and Sporting KC.
"Brad was one of the most naturally gifted soccer players I have ever been around," current San Jose Earthquakes head coach Dominic Kinnear, who coached Davis in San Jose and Houston from 2005-2014, said in a statement to Sporting KC. "He has had a great career and I wish him the best of luck. It was a pleasure to coach him for as many years as I did, and I felt lucky to have him on the field helping our team."
Added Sporting KC manager Peter Vermes: "Brad has been a tremendous professional throughout his career and during his time with us. This was a very difficult decision for him, but I have the ultimate respect for Brad because he wanted to leave the game being remembered for playing at a very high level. My only disappointment is that Sporting KC didn't get him earlier in his career, because he would have been a great asset for this club–just as he was this year. It's sad to see him go, but at the same time I'm very happy for everything he has accomplished."
A six-time MLS All-Star and two-time MLS Cup champion, Davis was a runner-up for MLS MVP in 2011. He had seven seasons of double-digit assists and was a set-piece specialist with his precise left foot.
Davis was on the USA's 2014 World Cup roster and has four assists in 17 caps for the U.S. national team.
As the fifth seed in the West, Sporting KC will play on the road at Seattle in a one-game playoff to determine which one will reach the conference semifinals this week.
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