Robin Fraser

Robin Fraser

An autographed Robin Fraser hero card
Personal information
Full name	Robin Lucius Fraser
Height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Position(s)	Defender
Team information
Current team	Retired
Youth career
1985–1988	FIU Golden Panthers
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1988–1989	Miami Sharks
1990–1995	Colorado Foxes
1996–2000	Los Angeles Galaxy
2001–2003	Colorado Rapids
2004–2005	Columbus Crew
International career‡
1988–2001	United States
Managerial career
2007–2011	Real Salt Lake (assistant)
2011–	Chivas USA (head coach)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 8 April, 2009 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 8 April, 2009

Robin Fraser (born December 17, 1966 in Kingston) is a retired Jamaican-born American soccer player who is currently head coach of Major League Soccer club Chivas USA.

Fraser played six seasons in the American Professional Soccer League and ten in Major League Soccer. He earned 27 caps with the United States men's national soccer team between 1988 and 2001.

Career

Youth

Fraser grew up in Miami, Florida where he played soccer at Miami Palmetto High School. He played college soccer at Florida International University from 1984 to 1988, leading the team to a NCAA Division II Championship as a freshman. After the team moved to Division I before the 1987 season, he was recognized as a 1987 and 1988 second team All-American, and was a finalist for the Hermann Trophy as a senior.

Professional

In 1988, Fraser signed with the Miami Sharks in the American Soccer League. He played two seasons with the Sharks. In 1990, he moved to the Colorado Foxes of the American Professional Soccer League, for whom he played from 1990 to 1995. While with the Foxes, Fraser was named an APSL All-Star four straight years, from 1992 to his final season in 1995.

When Major League Soccer was created, he was the Los Angeles Galaxy's first selection (fourth overall) in the 1996 MLS Inaugural Player Draft. Fraser played five seasons with Galaxy, and was named to the league's Best XI four times (1996, 1998, 1999, 2000), and was named MLS Defender of the Year in 1999.

Fraser was traded to the Colorado Rapids in a salary-cap related move before the 2001 season. He spent three years in Colorado, before being traded to the Columbus Crew for two draft picks. Although his career was considered to be on the downslide during his time with the Rapids, he anchored the Crew defense in 2004, and was once again considered one of the best at MLS at the position, winning his second Defender of the Year award and being named to his fifth Best XI while captaining the Crew to the Supporters' Shield. During the 2003 and 2004 season, Fraser helped mentor two of MLS's most promising young defenders, Nat Borchers and Chad Marshall. Never a big scorer, Fraser only scored one regular season and one playoff goal in his entire MLS career. He retired after the 2005 season.

International

Although Fraser was born in Jamaica, he chose to represent the United States at the international level, after becoming a citizen in June 1986. He made his debut against Chile on June 1, 1988 and amassed 27 caps. His last came in a scoreless tie with Ecuador on July 6, 2001.

Coaching

During the late 90s, Robin Fraser and Greg Vanney co-coached a local girls soccer club in Los Angeles California known as the Santa Anita Soccer Club or SASC. In 2007, Real Salt Lake hired Fraser as a third assistant coach. On January 4, 2011, Fraser was hired as the new head coach of Chivas USA, becoming the team's sixth coach in seven years.

Honors

Individual

• MLS Defender of the Year: 1999, 2004

Achievements

As an assistant coach

• MLS Cup
  • Winner (1): 2009

As a player

• MLS Supporters' Shield
  • Winner (1): 2004

• MLS Eastern Conference
  • Winners (Regular Season) (1): 2004

See also

• List of current MLS coaches

External links

• Soccer Times player profile