MLS Real Salt Lake

RSL Assistant Coach Robin Fraser Named to National Soccer Hall of Fame's 2009 Player Election Ballot

Published on November 6, 2008 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Real Salt Lake News Release


SALT LAKE CITY (Thursday, November 6, 2008) - The National Soccer Hall of Fame has released the list of 25 former players that will be eligible for induction into the Hall's "Class of 2009," a distinguished group that includes Real Salt Lake assistant coach and 10-year MLS veteran Robin Fraser. Fraser is one of 19 players with Major League Soccer ties on the impressive 2009 ballot, from which eligible voters will be able to determine their selections through December 3.

"It is a great honor to be nominated for consideration in the Hall of Fame once again," said Fraser, who is on the ballot for the second consecutive year. "After seeing first-hand the sport of soccer change so greatly in the United States over the years, it is an honor to be simply be in a position where I can be remembered as someone that contributed to that growth."

Fraser, 41, was one of the most dominant defenders in Major League Soccer throughout his 10 seasons of play in the formative years of America's top-flight division from 1996-2005 (L.A. Galaxy, 1996-2000; Colorado Rapids, 2001-03; Columbus Crew, 2004-05). The Kingston, Jamaica-born Fraser earned the respect of teammates and opponents alike for his hard-but-fair style of play and on-field leadership, traits that earned him five nods to MLS' Best XI Team (1996, 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2004) and a pair of MLS Defender of the Year Awards in 1999 and 2004. The durable and cerebral Fraser, now in his second season as an assistant on the RSL sideline, started in 256 of his 260 MLS regular season appearances and in all 30 MLS Cup Playoff contests he took part in.

"This is a well-deserved recognition for Robin and a testament to the years of hard work and quality he displayed throughout his career," said RSL Head Coach Jason Kreis. "Robin's combination of professionalism, intelligence, and toughness made him the best defender I faced during my career, and he still brings those same characteristics to the table every day as a valuable member of our coaching staff."

Prior to his MLS career, Fraser spent six seasons with the American Pro Soccer League's (APSL) Colorado Foxes from 2000-2005, earning APSL All-Star honors in each of his last four seasons. Despite being born and raised in his native Jamaica, Fraser would represent the United States at the senior international after becoming a U.S. citizen in 1986. Fraser would don the Red, White & Blue 27 times for the USA during his international career, which spanned from 1988-2001 and included a World Cup qualifying "cap" in a 1-1 draw at Guatemala on July 16, 2000.

The Board of Directors of the National Soccer Hall of Fame and Museum revamped the threshold for the election of recently retired players this past August, as now nominees listed on 66.7% of the ballots will be elected to the Hall of Fame (previously 75%). If no player meets the new election threshold, a second round ballot will be conducted among those voters who participated in the initial round of balloting. The five players who received the most votes in the first round will be placed on the second ballot. Voters will be asked to rank the players on a 5-4-3-2-1 basis with 5 being the most deserving player. The player who receives the most points will be elected to the Hall of Fame. If there is a tie for most points, all those tied will be elected to the Hall of Fame. Voters in the annual Player Election include:

- Selected members of the media,

- Hall of Famers,

- Past and present U.S. Men's and Women's National Team coaches and select MLS coaches, and

- Selected MLS, WPS, and U.S. Soccer administrators.

"This is an impressive list of candidates," Hall of Fame President Steve Baumann said. "It contains World Cup players and champions, MLS champions, and Olympians. We look forward to announcing the newest members of the Hall of Fame on January 15, at the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Convention in St. Louis and on the Center Circle Live broadcast on Fox Soccer Channel."

The full list of players eligible for induction into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2009 is as follows:

- Jeff Agoos - 134 caps, 1988, 2002 World Cup, 10 seasons in MLS, 5-time MLS champion, 3-time MLS all-star

- Mike Burns - 75 caps, 1992 Olympic Team, '94 and '98 World Cup team, 7 MLS seasons,

- Mauricio Cienfuegos - 8 MLS seasons, 3-time MLS All Star, MLS Cup and U.S. Open Cup champion

- Raul Diaz Arce - 6 MLS seasons, 2-time MLS Cup champion, U.S. Open Cup champion

- Thomas Dooley - 81 caps, 1994, 1998 World Cup team, 4 MLS seasons, MLS all star, 1992 Honda Award

- John Doyle - 53 caps, 1990 World Cup team, 1988 Olympic Team, 1991 Gold Cup champion, 5 MLS seasons,

- Marco Etcheverry - 8 MLS seasons, 4-time All Star, MVP, 3-time MLS Cup champion, U.S. Open Cup champion

- Joy Biefeld Fawcett - 239 caps, World Champion 1991 and 1999, Olympic Gold in 1996 and 2004

- Robin Fraser - 26 caps, 10 seasons in MLS, 2-time MLS Defender of the Year, 5-time MLS All-Star

- Dominic Kinnear - 54 caps, '91 Gold Cup champion, 5 MLS seasons,

- Frank Klopas - 40 caps, 1988 Olympic Team, 1994 World Cup, 4 MLS seasons, MLS and Open Cup champion

- Roy Lassiter - 30 caps, MLS all star, MLS scoring champion, MLS Champion

- Shannon MacMillan - 176 caps, World Champion in 1999, Olympic Gold in 1996

- Pato Margetic - 5 NASL seasons, 2-time NASL champion, 3-time NASL all-star, 15 indoor seasons,

- Joe-Max Moore - 100 caps, '92 Olympic Team, '94, '98, and '02 World Cup Team

- Victor Nogueira - 6 seasons in the NASL, 13 seasons indoor soccer, 4-time MVP

- Peter Nowak - 5 MLS seasons, 3-time MLS all star, MLS Cup champion, 2-time Open Cup champion

- Cindy Parlow - 158 caps, World Champion in 1999, Olympic Gold in 1996 and 2004

- Preki Radosavljevic - 28 caps, 4-time MLS all star, MLS champion in 2000

- Mike Sorber - 67 caps, 1994 World Cup team, 5 MLS seasons

- Earnie Stewart - 101 caps, '94, '98, 2002 World Cup team, Honda Award winner in 2001, MLS champion in 2004

- Steve Trittschuh - 38 caps, 1990 World Cup team, 6 MLS seasons,

- Carlos Valderrama - 7 MLS seasons, 3-time MLS all-star, MVP

- Tisha Venturini Hoch - 132 caps, World Champion in 1999, Olympic Gold in 1996

- Peter Vermes - 67 caps, 1988 Olympics, 1990 World Cup, 7 MLS seasons, MLS Cup and Open Cup champion

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Major League Soccer Stories from November 6, 2008


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