Major League Soccer has a set of emergency goalkeepers who are signed to a contract with the league and are loaned to teams during emergencies in which they are missing a goalkeeper due to injuries or suspensions.[1] The pool goalkeeper trains with an MLS club or an affiliated team when not assigned to a team; some pool goalkeepers, including Tim Melia, have gone on to be signed to permanent contract with their assigned teams.[2]

When originally created, the league had several goalkeepers on their pool roster as roster sizes were small (around 20 players), with teams commonly only having two goalkeepers signed to the roster. However, MLS rosters have since increased to include up to 30 players and teams are required to carry three goalkeepers. In addition, the league's "extreme hardship" roster rules allow teams to bring up a goalkeeper from its MLS Next Pro side or another affiliate on a short-term basis, which has resulted in the need for a pool goalkeeper lessening. Whereas prior years saw three to four pool goalkeepers signed, now there is usually only one or two keepers on the pool roster.[3]

List

MLS Pool Goalkeepers
Season Goalkeepers References
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003 Clint Baumstark [4]
2004 Clint Baumstark, Andrew Terris [5]
2005 Clint Baumstark
2006 Sam Reynolds
2007 David Monsalve, Boris Pardo, Sam Reynolds, Kenny Schoeni [6]
2008 Mike Graczyk, Andrew Kartunen, David Monsalve, Bryant Rueckner, Chris Sharpe [7]
2009 Miguel Benitez, Ben Dragavon, Kevin Guppy, Bryant Rueckner, Chris Sharpe [8]
2010 Kevin Guppy, Alex Horwath, Chris Sharpe [9]
2011 Kevin Guppy, Chris Konopka, Chris Sharpe [10]
2012 Scott Angevine, Brian Rowe, Chris Sharpe, Steve Spangler [11]
2013 Doug Herrick, Brad Stuver [12]
2014 Tim Melia, Daniel Withrow [13]
2015 Trey Mitchell [14]
2016 Trey Mitchell [15]
2017 Billy Heavner [16]
2018 Billy Heavner [3]
2019 Charlie Lyon [17]
2020 Charlie Lyon, Caleb Patterson-Sewell [18]
2021 Greg Ranjitsingh [19]
2022 Cody Cropper
2023 Kenneth Vermeer [20]

References

  1. ^ Koczwara, Kevin (November 4, 2016). "On MLS's Most Star-Studded Team, Brian Rowe Is the Last Line of Defense". Vice News. Retrieved August 22, 2020.
  2. ^ Brenner, Steve (June 25, 2019). "Meet Charlie Lyon: The MLS 'Pool Goalkeeper' Who Can Play for Every Club". Bleacher Report. Retrieved August 22, 2020.
  3. ^ a b Carlisle, Jeff (May 24, 2017). "Billy Heavner's life in limbo in Major League Soccer as a 'pool goalkeeper'". ESPN.
  4. ^ Sferra, German (August 16, 2010). "Colorado Players in MLS". Colorado Rapids.
  5. ^ "All-Time Player Transactions". D.C. United.
  6. ^ "2007 MLS Player Salaries" (PDF). MLSPA.
  7. ^ "2008 MLS Player Salaries" (PDF). MLSPA.
  8. ^ "2009 MLS Player Salaries" (PDF). MLSPA.
  9. ^ "2010 MLS Player Salaries" (PDF). MLSPA.
  10. ^ "2011 MLS Player Salaries" (PDF). MLSPA.
  11. ^ "2012 MLS Player Salaries" (PDF). MLSPA.
  12. ^ "2012 MLS Player Salaries" (PDF). MLSPA.
  13. ^ "2012 MLS Player Salaries" (PDF). MLSPA.
  14. ^ "2015 MLS Player Salaries" (PDF). MLSPA.
  15. ^ "2016 MLS Player Salaries" (PDF). MLSPA.
  16. ^ "2017 MLS Player Salaries" (PDF). MLSPA.
  17. ^ Brenner, Steve (June 25, 2019). "Meet Charlie Lyon: The MLS 'Pool Goalkeeper' Who Can Play for Every Club". Bleacher Report.
  18. ^ Bogert, Tom (July 21, 2020). "Why Vancouver Whitecaps FC will have no backup goalkeeper on Thursday". Major League Soccer.
  19. ^ "Orlando City add MLS Pool goalkeeper Greg Ranjitsingh amid absences". Major League Soccer. September 3, 2021.
  20. ^ "MLS Players Salary Guide". MLS Players Association. Retrieved 2023-06-25.
Categories