Chivas USA Acquire New Zealand International Tony Lochhead

January 22, 2014 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Club Deportivo Chivas USA News Release


Carson, Calif. (Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2014) - Chivas USA announced today the acquisition of New Zealand Men's National Team defender Tony Lochhead via discovery. The left back joins the Red-and-White after six seasons with Australia's A-League side, Wellington Phoenix, and will be eligible to play for the Goats pending receipt of his P1-Visa and International Transfer Certificate. Per club and league policy, terms of the agreement will not be disclosed.

While with the New Zealand-based side, the 32-year-old set a club record by becoming the first player to appear in 50 games for the 'Nix. By the end of his six-year stint with Wellington, the six-foot defender set the all-time club record by participating in 131 matches.

A product of UC Santa Barbara, Lochhead was selected by the New England Revolution with the 33rd overall pick in the 2005 MLS SuperDraft. Despite not joining the Revs immediately after the Draft, Lochhead was added to New England's roster in late 2005. A season later, the defender was instrumental in the Revs' run to the MLS Cup Final against the Houston Dynamo, recording a total of 16 appearances before returning to his native country in 2007.

Lochhead started in all 83 games played at UCSB, setting an all-time school record for minutes played with 7,546. While playing alongside current Chivas USA goalkeeper and team captain Dan Kennedy, Lochhead helped lead the Gauchos to the 2004 NCAA Finals against Indiana, where they eventually fell on penalty kicks.

The defender was named All-Big West First Team in 2003 as well as Second Team All-American, and earned Big West Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2004. Upon graduation, the defender went on to play in 10 matches with USL-PDL side Orange County Blue Star.

The Tauranga, New Zealand native represented his country at the U-17 and U-23 levels before making his debut with the All Whites' senior squad on Oct. 12, 2003 against Iran. Since then, Lochhead has recorded 43 caps, including his participations in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the 2006, 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, and the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup.



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