Joe Cannon (soccer)

Joe Cannon

Cannon in October 2008
Personal information
Full name	Joseph Cannon
Date of birth	January 1, 1975 (1975-01-01)
Place of birth	Sun Valley, Idaho, United States
Height	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Playing position	Goalkeeper
Club information
Current club	Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Number	1
Youth career
1993	UC Santa Barbara Gauchos
1995–1997	Santa Clara Broncos
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1998	San Diego Flash	28	(0)
1999–2002	San Jose Earthquakes	101	(0)
2003	RC Lens	0	(0)
2003–2006	Colorado Rapids	86	(0)
2007	Los Angeles Galaxy	29	(0)
2008–2010	San Jose Earthquakes	70	(0)
2011–	Vancouver Whitecaps FC	20	(0)
National team‡
2003–2005	United States	2	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of October 26, 2011. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of March 17, 2009

Joe Cannon (born January 1, 1975 in Sun Valley, Idaho) is an American soccer player who currently plays for Vancouver Whitecaps FC in Major League Soccer.

Career

Professional

After playing college soccer at UC Santa Barbara, Cannon was not drafted by a Major League Soccer team and instead signed with the now-defunct San Diego Flash of the A-League in 1998. After a season with the Flash, he was signed by MLS's San Jose Earthquakes as the backup goalkeeper. After a shoulder injury sidelined starting goalkeeper David Kramer eight games into the 1999 season, Cannon manned the Quakes nets as the starter until 2002, leading the team to the MLS Cup championship in 2001 and winning his first MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Award in 2002.

Cannon left the Quakes in 2003, signing a six-month contract with RC Lens of France's Ligue 1. He was not able to break into the Lens first team, and left France after the season. The Earthquakes traded his rights to the Colorado Rapids for three draft picks. Cannon could not get into the squad in Colorado, as incumbent keeper Scott Garlick was playing well, but Rapids coach Tim Hankinson controversially made the switch for the playoffs. Although Colorado did not advance, Garlick was traded to the Dallas Burn, and Cannon kept his starting position.

In 2004, Cannon was one of the better goalkeepers in MLS, often keeping Rapids in games thanks to his play, and winning his second Goalkeeper of the Year award, being named to his first MLS Best XI and becoming a finalist for the MVP. On December 1, 2006, Cannon was traded to the Los Angeles Galaxy for Herculez Gomez and Ugo Ihemelu. He made his Galaxy debut April 8, 2007 in a 0-0 tie with the Houston Dynamo.

Cannon later returned to the Earthquakes via a trade with the Galaxy for allocation money on January 10, 2008. He had a great year, though San Jose could not make the playoffs. During the season, he stopped 4 out of 6 penalty kicks he faced.

Cannon was selected by Vancouver Whitecaps FC in the 2010 MLS Expansion Draft. He re-signed with Vancouver for the 2012 season in December 2011.

International

Cannon's father is Canadian, which made him eligible to have played for the Canadian national team, should he have chosen to do so. Joe turned down the chance, instead choosing to represent the United States National Team.

Cannon has earned two caps with the US national team (as of early 2005), his first coming against New Zealand on June 8, 2003.

Honors

Individual

• MLS Goalkeeper of the Year: 2002, 2004

See also

• List of current MLS players

External links

• MLS player profile
• Joe Cannon at National-Football-Teams.com

Preceded by Tim Howard

MLS Goalkeeper of the Year 2002

Succeeded by Pat Onstad

Preceded by Pat Onstad

MLS Goalkeeper of the Year 2004

Succeeded by Pat Onstad