Tony Sanneh

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Anthony (Tony) Sanneh (born June 1, 1971 in St. Paul, Minnesota) is an American soccer midfielder and defender, who last played for the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer. On January 24, 2008, Colorado announced that they had declined to extend his contract[1].

[edit] Early life

Sanneh grew up in St. Paul, where he attended St. Paul Academy and Summit School. He graduated in 1990 having been selected twice to the All State team. He went on to play college soccer for the NCAA Division I University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Panthers in the Horizon League, where as a striker he became the school's all-time scoring leader, with 53 goals and 32 assists from 1990 to 1993. He was named an NCAA Second-Team All-American in 1993.

[edit] Club career

In 1994, his first year out of college, Sanneh played with USISL's Milwaukee Rampage, where he scored 14 goals and 14 assists while teaming up with Brian McBride. That winter, he joined the indoor soccer Chicago Power of the National Professional Soccer League (NPSL). He played 34 games, scoring 27 goals in the 1994-1995 season. He also played goalkeeper in four games for a total of 79:15 minutes.^[2] In the 1995-1996 indoor season, he played in only 9 games, scoring 4 goals, but also played 4:19 minutes as a goalkeeper.^[3] In 1995 he played with a former UWM Panthers teammate, Manny Lagos, on the Minnesota Thunder, amassing 18 goals and 22 assists with the team. In 1996, midway through the inaugural MLS season, Sanneh was signed by D.C. United. Originally a forward, Tony played a variety of positions for United, mostly at right midfield. He went on to score goals in the first two MLS Cup, leading DC to consecutive titles. Sanneh ended his original MLS stay after the 1998 season, signing with Bundesliga club Hertha BSC Berlin.

Sanneh spent the next three years with Hertha, but did not see much playing time due to various injuries, scoring just one goal in league play. He transferred to FC Nuremberg in 2001, and again spent three injury-filled seasons there, scoring five goals. In 2004, he came back to MLS, signing with the Columbus Crew, to play alongside long-time friend, college and Thunder teammate Manny Lagos. Sanneh was traded following the end of the season to the Chicago Fire, in exchange for Ante Razov and part of an allocation. He can a down season with the Fire. Sanneh's MLS league totals stand at 16 goals and 27 assists.

However, following the 2006 season, Sanneh and the Fire failed to reach a new agreement on his contract, prompting his release from the team. On July 24, 2007, USL First Division team Minnesota Thunder announced that they had signed Sanneh. The Colorado Rapids then acquired his rights from the Fire. He made his debut for the Rapids on Aug 16, 2007 against the New England Revolution at Dick's Sporting Goods Park.

[edit] International career

Sanneh made his debut for the United States national team on January 9, 1997 against China and has played all over the field, often at right back. He became an important part of the team by the 2002 FIFA World Cup, and was one of US's best players in the tournament, playing in every minute of every game. He was awarded the Conn Smythe trophy as voted by sportswriters. In the first US game of the tournament, the US's stunning upset of Portugal, his precise cross from the right side of the field provided an assist to Brian McBride's goal. He has scored three goals in 43 caps for the US.

[edit] See also

• Interview with Tony Sanneh
• List of current MLS players
• [4]
• MLS Stats Surname S

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