Ian Feuer
Encyclopedia
Ian Anthony "Tony" Feuer (born May 20, 1971 in Las Vegas, Nevada
) is a retired U.S. soccer goalkeeper
who spent most of his career with English clubs with time in Belgium and the United States.
. While growing up, he developed a love for soccer after beginning to play at age 8. His coaches moved him to the goal when he was 11 because of his clumsiness. Feuer's life took a significant turn when, at age 16, he attended a soccer clinic run by Harald Schumacher
. Schumacher recommended that Feuer move to Europe to develop his skills and Feuer immediately took his advice.
Feuer moved to Belgium
in 1988 where he signed with First Division club Brugge. In 1991 he joined Molenbeek
, also of the Belgian First Division, on loan from Brugge. He played nineteen league matches For Molenbeek, before returning to the U.S.
at the 1992 Summer Olympics
in Barcelona
. He saw no playing time as he was the backup to Brad Friedel
. Feuer also earned his one cap with the U.S. national team
when he came on for Mark Dodd
in the 71st minute of a March 18, 1992 loss to Morocco
.
. He played for Salsa in their 1993 American Professional Soccer League
season, making 17 regular season appearances for them. The team made the playoffs before losing to Colorado Foxes
in the championship game. Feuer was named Rookie goalkeeper of the season whilst with Salsa.
's books for the 1994-1995 season but did not play any competitive matches for them, with Luděk Mikloško
being their first choice keeper. Therefore, West Ham loaned Feuer to Division Two
club Peterborough United
on 20 February 1995 and he was to play sixteen games for The Posh that season.
On 11 September 1995 Feuer began another loan spell, this time with First Division
side Luton Town
, and he debuted for them two days later against Millwall
. He started fourteen straight league matches for the Hatters up to a game against Tranmere Rovers on 2 December 1995, and then on 14 December Luton signed him on a permanent basis for a fee of £580,000. His first game as a full Luton player was on 16 December 1995 versus Portsmouth
. In total he played 38 league games for Luton in the 1995–96 season.
He established himself as the club's first choice as keeper, seeing time in 97 League matches overall for Luton, until he injured his right shoulder in August 1997.
(MLS) signed Feuer on a free transfer from Luton Town. MLS allocated
Feuer to the New England Revolution
. He played 26 games in the 1998 season before being traded to the Colorado Rapids
for a future draft consideration on February 24, 1999. The Revs traded Feuer when Walter Zenga
announced he intended to play for New England. Before the trade, the Revs had loaned Feuer to English Nationwide Conference club Rushden & Diamonds
. Feuer impressed during an FA Cup
tie in which he made numerous impressive saves to take his team to a 0-0 draw with Leeds United.
When Feuer arrived in Colorado, he was the backup keeper to Marcus Hahnemann
. However, when Hahnemann moved to Fulham
during the season, Feuer stepped into the nets for the Rapids last nineteen games of the season. Those nineteen games saw the Rapids rapidly drop in the standings and on November 29, 1999, the team declined to pick up the second year in Feuer’s contract.
on a monthly contract as a backup keeper, although he did not play a League game for them. However, a month later he was transferred to West Ham
where he made 3 League appearances. At the end of the 1999-2000 season, he moved to Division 1 club Wimbledon
. He spent the next two seasons with Wimbledon as understudy to Kelvin Davis
. However, the club did loan him to Derby County
during the 2000-2001 season where he made just 2 appearances, although he was released by Wimbledon at the end of the 2001-2002 season. On August 12, 2002,he signed a week by week contract with Tranmere Rovers
when their starting keeper, Keith Welch
, was injured. That only lasted two weeks and two games. Feuer then had a trial with Arsenal
followed by a trial with Wolverhampton Wanderers
during September 2002 where he featured as an unused substitute in two league games. Less than a week later, Crystal Palace
attempted to sign Feuer when Matt Clarke
was injured. However, they could they could not come to terms with Feuer and pulled out of the deal. When no other clubs expressed an interest in Feuer, he retired from playing professionally and returned to the U.S.
As of March 2010, Feuer is the tallest goalkeeper to have ever played in the Premier League.
In 2005, Feuer played a bit role as an assistant soccer coach in the movie Kicking and Screaming.
In 2007, he was named the new goalkeeper coach for the Los Angeles Galaxy
following the release of Tim Hanley
.
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
) is a retired U.S. soccer goalkeeper
Goalkeeper (football)
In association football, the goalkeeper occupies a position that represents the last line of defence between the opponent's offence and his own team's goal. The primary role of the goalkeeper is to defend his team's goal and prevent the opposition from scoring a goal...
who spent most of his career with English clubs with time in Belgium and the United States.
Move to Belgium
Feuer, the son of show business parents, was born and raised in Las Vegas, NevadaLas Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
. While growing up, he developed a love for soccer after beginning to play at age 8. His coaches moved him to the goal when he was 11 because of his clumsiness. Feuer's life took a significant turn when, at age 16, he attended a soccer clinic run by Harald Schumacher
Harald Schumacher
Harald Anton Schumacher , commonly known as Toni Schumacher, is a German former football goalkeeper, and a member of the West German national team. He won the 1980 European Championship and lost two World Cup finals, in 1982 and 1986...
. Schumacher recommended that Feuer move to Europe to develop his skills and Feuer immediately took his advice.
Feuer moved to Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
in 1988 where he signed with First Division club Brugge. In 1991 he joined Molenbeek
R.W.D. Molenbeek
Racing White Daring Molenbeek was a Belgian football club founded in 1909 as White Star Club de Bruxelles. It then became a member of the Belgian Football Association later the same year as White Star Athletic Club and received the matricule n°47....
, also of the Belgian First Division, on loan from Brugge. He played nineteen league matches For Molenbeek, before returning to the U.S.
International career
While with Molenbeek, Feuer was also on the U.S. rosterUnited States at the 1992 Summer Olympics
- Gold:* Michael Marsh — Athletics, Men's 200 metres* Quincy Watts — Athletics, Men's 400 metres* Kevin Young — Athletics, Men's 400 m Hurdles...
at the 1992 Summer Olympics
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
. He saw no playing time as he was the backup to Brad Friedel
Brad Friedel
Bradley Howard Friedel is an American soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper for Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League....
. Feuer also earned his one cap with the U.S. national team
United States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
when he came on for Mark Dodd
Mark Dodd
Mark Dodd is a former U.S. soccer goalkeeper. He spent one season in the Major Indoor Soccer League, six in the American Professional Soccer League and four in Major League Soccer with the Dallas Burn. He also earned fifteen caps with the U.S. national team.-High school and college:Dodd attended...
in the 71st minute of a March 18, 1992 loss to Morocco
Morocco national football team
The Morocco national football team , nicknamed أسود الأطلس , is the national team of Morocco and is managed by Eric Gerets. Winners of the African Nations Cup in 1976, they were the first African team to win a group at the World Cup, which they did in 1986, finishing ahead of Portugal, Poland, and...
.
Return to U.S.
When Feuer returned to the U.S. from Belgium he signed with the Los Angeles SalsaLos Angeles Salsa
The Los Angeles Salsa was an American Professional Soccer League franchise. The club played on the campus of California State University, Fullerton at Titan Stadium in a suburb of Orange County, California...
. He played for Salsa in their 1993 American Professional Soccer League
American Professional Soccer League
The American Professional Soccer League is a former professional men's soccer league which featured teams from both the United States and Canada. It was the first outdoor soccer league to feature teams from throughout the United States since the demise of the original North American Soccer League...
season, making 17 regular season appearances for them. The team made the playoffs before losing to Colorado Foxes
Colorado Foxes
The Colorado Foxes were a professional soccer team, based in Commerce City, Colorado, that played in the APSL between 1990 and 1997. The Foxes won two APSL titles, in 1992 and 1993. When Major League Soccer started and the Colorado Rapids became the region's premier team, the Foxes tried to stay...
in the championship game. Feuer was named Rookie goalkeeper of the season whilst with Salsa.
Move to England
Feuer was on West Ham UnitedWest Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
's books for the 1994-1995 season but did not play any competitive matches for them, with Luděk Mikloško
Ludek Mikloško
Luděk "Ludo" Mikloško is a Czech retired football goalkeeper.-Career:Mikloško started his career in his native Czechoslovakia with Baník Ostrava...
being their first choice keeper. Therefore, West Ham loaned Feuer to Division Two
Division Two
Division Two may refer to either:* Football League Two the current fourth tier of the English football league system* The Football League Second Division, the former second and later third tier of the English football league system...
club Peterborough United
Peterborough United F.C.
Peterborough United Football Club are a professional English football club based in Peterborough. Peterborough United formed in 1934 and played in the old Midland League, which they won six times; eventually being admitted to the Football League in 1960, replacing Gateshead. Their home ground is...
on 20 February 1995 and he was to play sixteen games for The Posh that season.
On 11 September 1995 Feuer began another loan spell, this time with First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
side Luton Town
Luton Town F.C.
Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was...
, and he debuted for them two days later against Millwall
Millwall F.C.
Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...
. He started fourteen straight league matches for the Hatters up to a game against Tranmere Rovers on 2 December 1995, and then on 14 December Luton signed him on a permanent basis for a fee of £580,000. His first game as a full Luton player was on 16 December 1995 versus Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
. In total he played 38 league games for Luton in the 1995–96 season.
He established himself as the club's first choice as keeper, seeing time in 97 League matches overall for Luton, until he injured his right shoulder in August 1997.
MLS
On March 24, 1998, Major League SoccerMajor League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
(MLS) signed Feuer on a free transfer from Luton Town. MLS allocated
Allocation (MLS)
In Major League Soccer, an allocation represents an amount of money teams can use to sign players and/or allocate to their salaries to get under the salary cap. Allocations are given to teams that have missed the playoffs the previous seasons, given to expansion teams, or awarded as compensation...
Feuer to the New England Revolution
New England Revolution
The New England Revolution is an American professional association football club based in Foxborough, Massachusetts which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
. He played 26 games in the 1998 season before being traded to the Colorado Rapids
Colorado Rapids
The Colorado Rapids are an American professional soccer club based in the Denver suburb of Commerce City, Colorado which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league...
for a future draft consideration on February 24, 1999. The Revs traded Feuer when Walter Zenga
Walter Zenga
Walter Zenga is a retired Italian footballer and current manager. He is a long-time goalkeeper for the Italian national team and Internazionale. He also holds Romanian citizenship...
announced he intended to play for New England. Before the trade, the Revs had loaned Feuer to English Nationwide Conference club Rushden & Diamonds
Rushden & Diamonds F.C.
Rushden & Diamonds Football Club was an association football club based in Irthlingborough, Northamptonshire, England. Formed by a merger of Rushden Town and Irthlingborough Diamonds in 1992, the club played in the Conference National following a short spell in the Football League at the start of...
. Feuer impressed during an FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
tie in which he made numerous impressive saves to take his team to a 0-0 draw with Leeds United.
When Feuer arrived in Colorado, he was the backup keeper to Marcus Hahnemann
Marcus Hahnemann
Marcus Stephen Hahnemann is an American international soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper for Everton.Graduating out of Seattle Pacific University, he played for the Seattle Sounders between 1994 and 1996. Between 1997 and 1999 he turned out for the Colorado Rapids, signing with English club...
. However, when Hahnemann moved to Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
during the season, Feuer stepped into the nets for the Rapids last nineteen games of the season. Those nineteen games saw the Rapids rapidly drop in the standings and on November 29, 1999, the team declined to pick up the second year in Feuer’s contract.
Back to England
On October 1, 2000, Feuer signed with Cardiff CityCardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
on a monthly contract as a backup keeper, although he did not play a League game for them. However, a month later he was transferred to West Ham
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
where he made 3 League appearances. At the end of the 1999-2000 season, he moved to Division 1 club Wimbledon
Wimbledon F.C.
Wimbledon Football Club was an English professional association football club from Wimbledon, south-west London. Founded in 1889 as Wimbledon Old Central Football Club, the club spent most of its history in amateur and semi-professional non-League football before being elected to the Football...
. He spent the next two seasons with Wimbledon as understudy to Kelvin Davis
Kelvin Davis
Kelvin Geoffrey Davis is an English footballer who currently plays as a goalkeeper for newly-promoted Championship club Southampton. Born in Bedford, Davis began his career with Luton Town as a youth player in 1991 and remained there until 1999. Davis later played for Wimbledon, Ipswich Town and...
. However, the club did loan him to Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
during the 2000-2001 season where he made just 2 appearances, although he was released by Wimbledon at the end of the 2001-2002 season. On August 12, 2002,he signed a week by week contract with Tranmere Rovers
Tranmere Rovers F.C.
Tranmere Rovers Football Club are an English team based in Birkenhead, Wirral. The club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system...
when their starting keeper, Keith Welch
Keith Welch
Keith Welch is an English-born footballer who played as a goalkeeper in the Football League between 1987 and 2003, notably with Rochdale and Bristol City....
, was injured. That only lasted two weeks and two games. Feuer then had a trial with Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
followed by a trial with Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
during September 2002 where he featured as an unused substitute in two league games. Less than a week later, Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
attempted to sign Feuer when Matt Clarke
Matt Clarke (footballer born 1973)
Matthew Clarke is an English former football goalkeeper.-Club career:Clarke's first club was Rotherham United, where his nickname was Matt the Cat, in reference to his agility. He won the 1996 Football League Trophy with Rotherham...
was injured. However, they could they could not come to terms with Feuer and pulled out of the deal. When no other clubs expressed an interest in Feuer, he retired from playing professionally and returned to the U.S.
As of March 2010, Feuer is the tallest goalkeeper to have ever played in the Premier League.
Retirement
Since retiring from playing professionally, Feuer has been involved in several ventures, most of them as a youth soccer coach. In 2005, he was on the staff of Southern California United.In 2005, Feuer played a bit role as an assistant soccer coach in the movie Kicking and Screaming.
In 2007, he was named the new goalkeeper coach for the Los Angeles Galaxy
Los Angeles Galaxy
The Los Angeles Galaxy are an American professional soccer team, based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California, which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, and the league's second...
following the release of Tim Hanley
Tim Hanley
Tim Hanley was a U.S. soccer goalkeeper who played in the North American Soccer League and Europe. He is a long time Major League Soccer goalkeeper coach.-Youth:...
.