Greg Vanney

Greg Vanney

Personal information
Full name	Greg Vanney
Date of birth	June 11, 1974 (1974-06-11)
Place of birth	South Boston, VA, United States
Height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Playing position	Defender
Youth career
1992	Florida Int'l
1993–1995	UCLA
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1996–2001	Los Angeles Galaxy	168	(21)
1996	→ Sacramento Scorpions (loan)	3	(3)
2002–2005	Bastia	65	(0)
2005–2006	FC Dallas	53	(1)
2007	Colorado Rapids	9	(0)
2007–2008	D.C. United	15	(0)
2008	Los Angeles Galaxy	25	(0)
National team‡
1996–2006	United States	36	(1)
Teams managed
2011–	Chivas USA (assistant)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 26 October 2008. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 26 October 2008

Greg Vanney (born June 11, 1974 in South Boston, Virginia) is retired American soccer defender who last played for the Los Angeles Galaxy of MLS. He retired in October 2008 after a 13-year professional career.

One of Major League Soccer's original players, he spent 10 seasons in the league and another three-and-a-half in the French First Division playing for Sporting Club de Bastia between 2002 and 2005. He also earned 36 caps, scoring one goal, with the U.S. national team between 1996 and 2006.

High school and college

Vanney played soccer for Marcos de Niza High School in Tempe, Arizona, and led the team to three consecutive state championship titles in 1990, 1991, and 1992. Vanney holds the school record for most assists by one player in a season with 13 for the 1990-1991 season, and also holds the school record for most goals by one player in a single season with 33 goals for the 1991-1992 season. He was also named the 5A player of the year for the 1991-1992 season, Gatorade Player of the Year, NSCAA and Parade All-America in 1992. Greg Vanney played college soccer for Florida International University in 1992, and for UCLA from 1993 to 1995. In 1995, Vanney was named All-America honorable mention and finished his senior season with 8 goals and 10 assists.

Professional

He was drafted 17th overall in the 1996 MLS College Draft by the Los Angeles Galaxy. The team sent him on loan to the Sacramento Scorpions of USISL for three games at the beginning of the season where he netted three goals in three games including two game winners. Vanney played for the Galaxy for six years, from 1996 to 2001, and was consistently one of the best defenders in MLS, leading the Galaxy to three MLS Cup Finals and CONCACAF Champion's Cup Championships, and was also named to the MLS Best XI in both 2000 and 2001 and an MLS All-Star in 2001. After the 2001 MLS season, Vanney transferred to the French First Division club SC Bastia. In the first six months with Bastia, Vanney helped lead the French Club to its first appearance in the Coupe de France Final in over 20 years. He left the club in 2005, coming back to MLS and signing with FC Dallas. After two seasons with the Hoops, and two All-Star selections, Vanney was traded to Colorado on January 12, 2007. On 06/29/07 Vanney was traded from the Rapids to D.C. United. On February 15, 2008 the rights for Greg Vanney were transferred to his first club, the Los Angeles Galaxy. Vanney announced his retirement from the professional game on October 26, 2008; his last game against his former club FC Dallas.

National team

Vanney also spent 11 years as a member of the United States national team, debuting December 21, 1996 against Guatemala, and played 36 games and scored one goal (September 2005). Vanney participated in three FIFA World Cup qualifying cycles for the United States (1998, 2002 and 2006). He was originally named as an alternate for the 2002 FIFA World Cup but initially replaced the injured Chris Armas on the roster after the midfielder picked up an ACL injury in a warm-up friendly against Uruguay on May 12, 2002. Vanney was himself injured in the next warm-up friendly on May 16, 2002 against Jamaica and was replaced on the roster by Steve Cherundolo. Vanney also was a member of the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup Championship team and was featured in the early part of 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifying for the US.

Youth club soccer

Vanney has more than 15 years experience in youth soccer: coaching, directing and consulting. He holds a USSF "A" Coaching License and has been actively involved with the U.S. Soccer Development Academy as a scout and other programming. Vanney was a member of the U.S. Soccer Education Staff that traveled to Spain in March 2010.

Current life

Greg Vanney moved back to Arizona in 2008. For some time, he held two titles: (1.) Director of Soccer Operations at Grande Sports World in Casa Grande, Arizona and (2.) Director of the Real Salt Lake-Arizona Youth Academy. As Director of Soccer Operations, Vanney oversaw program and event development at the Grande Sports World facility featuring 8 professional quality fields; state-of-the-art 58,000 sq ft (5,400 m²) performance center with 4 stadium quality locker rooms; 10,000 sq ft (930 m²) weight room, physical therapy and 16 classrooms. In the first year, Vanney has help attract four professional teams (Real Salt Lake, Seattle Sounders, Colorado Rapids, and Vancouver Whitecaps to the facility to host their preseason camps.

Vanney and his staff, with the support of Grande Sports World and Real Salt Lake, established the first MLS Residential Academy in the United States in fewer than 8 months. The U-18 and U-16 boys teams began play in Fall 2010.

In January 2011, Vanney joined Chivas USA as an assistant to former teammate Robin Fraser.

Broadcasting

In 2009, Greg Vanney provided color commentary with play-by-play announcer Kevin Calabro for Seattle Sounders FC games on FSN Northwest and KONG-TV and radio.

Other

Participates on the U.S. Soccer Professional Referee Committee as well as being a representative on the U.S. Soccer Athlete's Council.

United States

• CONCACAF Gold Cup Champions (1): 2005

D.C. United

• Major League Soccer Supporter's Shield (1): 2007

External links

• Greg Vanney articles on Yanks Abroad