Geoff Cameron
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Geoffrey Scott Cameron | ||
Date of birth | July 11, 1985 | ||
Place of birth | Attleboro, Massachusetts, United States | ||
Height | 5 ft 3 in (1.60 m) | ||
Position(s) | Center back / Midfielder | ||
Team information | |||
Current team | Stoke City | ||
Number | 2 | ||
Youth career | |||
2004–2005 | West Virginia Mountaineers | ||
2006–2007 | Rhode Island Rams | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2005–2007 | Rhode Island Stingrays | 33 | (8) |
2008–2012 | Houston Dynamo | 117 | (11) |
2012– | Stoke City | 15 | (0) |
International career‡ | |||
2010– | United States | 11 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19:02, 8 December 2012 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 20 October 2012 |
Geoffrey Scott "Geoff" Cameron (born July 11, 1985) is an American soccer player who currently plays for Premier League side Stoke City.
Cameron began playing college soccer with the West Virginia Mountaineers and the Rhode Island Rams, as well as USL Premier Development League side Rhode Island Stingrays, before being drafted by Major League Soccer club Houston Dynamo in 2008. After an impressive second season in professional soccer Cameron was named as MLS Best XI in 2009 and helped Houston reach the MLS Cup 2011 where they lost in the final to the Los Angeles Galaxy. In August 2012 he joined English Premier League side Stoke City.
Club career
Youth and college
Cameron was born in Attleboro, Massachusetts and played youth soccer for Bayside FC. He attended Attleboro High School and Providence Country Day School before choosing West Virginia University for college. After making 28 starts in two seasons at West Virginia, Cameron transferred to the University of Rhode Island for his junior and senior years. Cameron was an immediate starter and helped URI beat Rutgers in the 2006 NCAA tournament, scoring in a shootout. As a senior in 2007, Cameron was named Midfielder of the Year in the Atlantic 10 Conference and was a first-team all-Mid Atlantic Region selection. During his college years, Cameron also played for Rhode Island Stingrays in the USL Premier Development League.
Houston Dynamo
Cameron was drafted by the Houston Dynamo in the third round (42nd overall) in the 2008 MLS SuperDraft. He made his professional debut on March 29, 2008, coming on as a sub in a loss against the New England Revolution. In his first home appearance, on April 6, he scored a last-minute goal to help the Dynamo to a 3–3 tie with FC Dallas. He became a regular substitute and sometimes starter for the Dynamo by mid-season. On October 31, 2008 it was announced that Cameron was a finalist along with Sean Franklin and Kheli Dube for MLS Rookie of the Year.[1]
Cameron was selected for the 2009 MLS All-Star Game in Sandy, Utah, and he played all 90 minutes in the 1–1 draw with Everton of the Premier League. Cameron was also named in the MLS Best XI for the 2009 season. During the 2010 season, Cameron suffered a knee injury that kept him out for half of the season. He returned in August, and scored a 70th minute header from a free kick by Brad Davis against DC United in the Dynamo's 3–1 win on September 25 in RFK Stadium. In 2011, Cameron was named to the MLS All Star team and played in the All Star Game against Manchester United.
Stoke City
Cameron agreed to join English Premier League club Stoke City on July 25, 2012 with the deal subject to a successful work permit appeal,[2] which was granted on August 8.[3] He played in his first match for Stoke in a 1–1 draw with German side SpVgg Greuther Fürth in a pre-season friendly.[4] He made his Premier League debut in a 0–0 draw against Arsenal on 26, August 2012.[5] He has impressed since his arrival in England and has begun to play at right back, a position which Cameron is enjoying learning about.[6] He also described playing in the Premier League as "pretty special".[7]
International career
Cameron received his first call up to train with the senior United States national team in January, 2009, but he was injured during the first week and was unable to play in the team's friendly against Sweden. He participated again in training with the team in Carson, California in January, 2010, leading up to a friendly match against Honduras. Cameron did not play in that match, but he was again called into camp for the February 24, 2010 game against El Salvador in Tampa, Florida. He appeared as a substitute in the 86th minute for Robbie Rogers, recording his first cap for the national side, nearly scoring on a blazing strike that narrowly went over the bar.[8] In December 2011, Cameron was called up to coach Jürgen Klinsmann's camp. On January 21, 2012, he went 90 minutes in a friendly against Venezuela.
Style of play
A versatile player who is currently featured as center back but can also play as defensive and attacking midfielder, Cameron has become known for his combination of aerial ability, man marking and composure on the ball.[9] Former United States international Alexi Lalas believes that Cameron has the right mental and technical ability to succeed in English football.
"I think Geoff has the mentality and all the skill-sets to succeed, but sometimes it's not always the best players that are successful. You need a little bit of luck, timing and coaches that believe in you but, just on sheer ability and potential going forward, yeah, I think that Stoke and England are getting a quality player that they can be excited to see. He's good with the ball, he reads the game well and he's not going to lose possession of the ball while under pressure. If you're playing with Geoff Cameron, be prepared to play with the ball. He has the physical attributes to bang when he needs to but he also has a real confidence in the way he handles the ball and the way he passes out of the back. He can not only play at the back but also in the midfield, which gives him versatility"
Personal life
During his time at Houston Dynamo, Cameron took part in a series of community service efforts to raise money for local charitable organizations in 2011 and 2012. The 20 for 20 campaign was started in September 2011 when Cameron, who wore the No. 20 jersey in Houston, announced a goal to raise a total of $20,000 for the Fisher House and Ronald McDonald House of Houston.[11] In March 2012, Cameron and the Dynamo announced the return of the 20 for 20 campaign with the same initial goal of $20,000, with proceeds going to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.[12] Growing up Cameron supported English side Manchester United and Italian side Juventus.[13]
Career statistics
Club
Club | Season | Division | League | Cup | League Cup | Other[A] | Total | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
Houston Dynamo | 2008 | Major League Soccer | 23 | 1 | 1 | 0 | – | 8 | 0 | 31 | 1 | |
2009 | 29 | 2 | 0 | 0 | – | 6 | 0 | 35 | 2 | |||
2010 | 16 | 3 | 0 | 0 | – | 1 | 0 | 17 | 3 | |||
2011 | 33 | 5 | 0 | 0 | – | 4 | 0 | 37 | 5 | |||
2012 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | |||
Total | 117 | 11 | 1 | 0 | – | 19 | 0 | 137 | 11 | |||
Stoke City | 2012–13 | Premier League | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | 15 | 0 | |
Total | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | ||
Career Total | 132 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 153 | 11 |
- A. ^ The "Other" column constitutes appearances and goals in the MLS Cup Playoffs, CONCACAF Champions League and North American SuperLiga.
International
As of 16 October 2012[14]
Template:Football player national team statistics |- |2010||1||0 |- |2011||0||0 |- |2012||9||0 |- !Total||10||0 |}
Honours
Club
- Houston Dynamo
- Major League Soccer Eastern Conference Champion: 2011
Individual
References
- ^ "MLS announces finalists for 2008 awards". Soccer By Ives. Retrieved 10 February 2009.
- ^ "City Close In On Cameron". Stoke City F.C. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
- ^ "Cameron Granted Work Permit". Stoke City F.C. Retrieved 8 August 2012.
- ^ "Kightly strikes in Stoke draw". Sky Sports. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
- ^ "Stoke City 0-0 Arsenal". BBC Sport. Retrieved 26 August 2012.
- ^ "Geoff Cameron happy to help Potters upset Liverpool's Boston owners". The Sentinel. Retrieved 9 October 2012.
- ^ "Stoke new-boy Cameron: Playing in the Premier League feels pretty special". Goal.com. 19 October 2012. Retrieved 9 November 2012.
- ^ "United States 2 - 1 El Salvador". ESPN. Retrieved 8 August 2012.
- ^ Creditor, Avi. "Preseason MLS Power Rankings: Defending champ Galaxy on top". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 9 July 2012.
- ^ "Cameron tipped for success". ESPN. Retrieved 8 August 2012.
- ^ "Geoff Cameron announces 20 for 20 campaign" (Press release). Houston Dynamo. 09/08/2012. Retrieved 08/17/2012.
{{cite press release}}
: Check date values in:|accessdate=
and|date=
(help) - ^ "Geoff Cameron announces 20 for 20 campaign to benefit Leukemia & Lymphoma Society" (Press release). Houston Dynamo. 03/29/2012. Retrieved 08/17/2012.
{{cite press release}}
: Check date values in:|accessdate=
and|date=
(help) - ^ Stoke City Official Matchday Magazine 24 November 2012 v Fulham
- ^ "Cameron, Geoff". National Football Teams. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
External links
- MLS player profile
- Geoff Cameron at National-Football-Teams.com
- 1985 births
- Living people
- American soccer players
- American expatriate soccer players
- Association football midfielders
- West Virginia Mountaineers men's soccer players
- Rhode Island Stingrays players
- Houston Dynamo players
- Stoke City F.C. players
- People from Attleboro, Massachusetts
- Expatriate footballers in England
- USL Premier Development League players
- Major League Soccer players
- Major League Soccer All-Stars
- Premier League players
- American expatriate soccer people in the United Kingdom