It took him four years and no small measure of sacrifice, but Juergen Sommer is poised to become only the second American-born and bred player to compete in the top echelon of English soccer.
Sommer, whose contract with First Division Luton Town expired during the summer, signed a two-year deal with Queen’s Park Rangers of the Premier League Aug. 31 for a transfer fee of approximately $925,000.
“It’s a nice challenge to have,” said Sommer, who spurned several Luton attempts to re-sign him as he held out for a Premier League offer. “Some of the best players in the world are here, and I plan to make the most of this opportunity.”
Sommer, 26, signed with Luton after completing his collegiate career at Indiana. Most of his first two seasons were spent on loan to lower division and semipro teams, and he sometimes played two or three games a week on fields surrounded by fencing and perhaps a few hundred fans.
He won the Luton starting job at the start of the 1993-94 season, and played 43 League matches as the club narrowly avoided relegation. But Sommer’s performances usually drew acceptable ratings, and Luton’s strong run in the FA Cup — it lost at Wembley to Chelsea in the semifinals — increased his value.
Last season, Luton again flirted with relegation and finished 16th of 24 teams. Luton manager David Pleat benched Sommer late in the season, after the American keeper had struggled through a run of heavy losses — including a 6-0 thrashing in the FA Cup by Premier League club Southampton — and contract negotiations lagged.
Sommer’s salary terms were not disclosed. Pleat has left Luton to manage Sheffield Wednesday; QPR’s new manager is former England international Ray Wilkins, whom Sommer says has assured him of a fair shot at the starting job held last year by Tony Roberts.
By his German parentage, Sommer counts as an European Community (EC) worker, and thus is not subject to Professional Footballers’ Association and Department of Employment restrictions regarding foreign players.
His first match in the Premier League will move Sommer into the company of midfielder John Harkes, who played two years at the top level with Sheffield Wednesday.
by Soccer America Senior Editor Ridge Mahoney