Thomas Dooley, a key member of the U.S. national team since 1992, has signed to play in Major League Soccer through the 1999 season and expects to make his debut for the Columbus Crew on June 7 against Tampa Bay.
Dooley has been negotiating with MLS for several weeks, but the deal wasn’t cleared until his Bundesliga club Schalke agreed Wednesday not to pick up the option on the final year of his contract.
That allows Dooley, who will turn 36 on May 12, to join the Crew after May 31, when Schalke finishes its Bundesliga schedule.
“For me, it will be a new experience, a new starting position in my soccer career,” Dooley said. “When I came to Schalke, nobody thought we would finish in the top five. Last year we finished third and now we’re in the UEFA Cup final. I’m looking forward to having the same success with Columbus. Everybody tells me the fans in Columbus are great, some of the best in the league.”
Metros sign Rizi
The MetroStars signed veteran A-League and indoor defender Marco Rizi on May 2 as their second “discovery player.”
Rizi was a member of A-League championship teams in both Montreal and Seattle and most recently helped lead the Rochester Rhinos to the finals of the U.S. Open Cup last year. He was a member of the Canadian national team from 1990-92, but became a U.S. citizen this past winter.
To make room for Rizi, the Metros placed midfielder Miles Joseph (pulled groin) on injured reserve.