Ray Hudson
Encyclopedia
Ray Hudson is a retired professional football player and former coach
who currently works as an English-language football commentator
on Gol TV
.
in 1973 at the age of 17, from local team Whickham Juniors. He made over 40 appearances for Newcastle and fans there nicknamed him "Rocky." After four years in the Football League First Division
, Hudson moved to the United States, playing for the Fort Lauderdale Strikers of the North American Soccer League
from 1977 to 1983 and was named an All-Star five times. He played the winter season of 1983-84 in Germany
with Union Solingen
, making 10 appearances without scoring. Hudson also played for the Strikers following their move to Minnesota
in 1984, which proved to be the NASL's final year. During his stint there, Hudson scored 44 goals in 197 matches with 99 assists.
He followed this with a season playing for Edmonton Brickmen
before joining the Fort Lauderdale Strikers of the American Soccer League
. He continued to play for the Strikers through the 1991 season by which time the team was playing in the American Professional Soccer League
. He was released by the Strikers when the club was mired in a four-match scoreless streak to begin the season.
's community outreach director and TV commentator, Hudson was named its head coach in the middle of the 2000 season, finishing the season with an 11-12-1 record. He led the club to the best regular season record in Major League Soccer
(the MLS Supporters' Shield
, the equivalent of a league championship in European leagues) in 2001 with 16 wins, 5 losses and 5 draws. However, the club was defeated by the San Jose Earthquakes
in the semifinal round of the playoffs.
Hudson quickly became known for his fiery personality. One memorable incident occurred after a Miami home win against the Tampa Bay Mutiny
. The Fusion scored five goals, usually considered an excellent performance, but Hudson was apparently unsatisfied. He stormed into the media tent and up to the podium. He said, "I've got nothing to say. Any questions? ANY QUESTIONS? No? OK!" and stormed right back out. Interviews with players after the game indicated that Hudson was angered by a perceived lack of effort, even with the Fusion's dominant win.
Following MLS's contraction of the Fusion, Hudson was hired to replace Thomas Rongen
as head coach of D.C. United
on January 8, 2002. He continued to regale fans and journalists with his wit, stories, and quotes. He once famously said, "There’s a lot of talent on this team, and I’m talking Anna Nicole Smith
type of talent!" upon taking control of the team in 2002. He worked for ESPN
's World Cup coverage in 2002, and came up with a memorable quote after the American team drew 1-1 with South Korea in group play. Expounding upon whether U.S. goalkeeper Brad Friedel
should be thanking his defenders for their works, he said, "I'll be kissing their bums in the showers."
Despite his personality and love for the home fans, United finished at the bottom of the table in the East in 2002 with a record of 9-14-5, and were ousted in the first round by Chicago Fire by a 4-0 aggregate score in the two-game series in 2003. "Someone get me a blindfold and a cigarette!" he said during the post-game news conference. He was replaced by Piotr Nowak
in 2004. Hudson's cumulative record as an MLS head coach stands at 46-44-20.
Hudson has begun to develop a cult following because of his commentating style, which consists of highly elaborate metaphors and excited, romanticized descriptions of players and goals. One such example came in the 2007 La Liga Championship, when after Real Madrid scored a game-clinching goal, Hudson called Real Madrid coach Fabio Capello "braver than a matador in high heels and a pink tutu!" Shortly before the goal, Hudson claimed that the players were giving off "teardrops the size of pineapple chunks!" A weblog has been established to record Hudson's finest quotations http://hudsonia.blogspot.com/ http://newhudsonia.blogspot.com/. In particular, Hudson is a great admirer of the game's most skilled and technically gifted players. The likes of Lionel Messi
, Cristiano Ronaldo
(who Hudson coined the term "gunslinger pose" for, referring to Ronaldo's trademark free kick stance), Xavi
, and his newest favorite, "Avatar eyes" Mesut Ӧzil have drawn particular praise from Hudson. Though usually known for his excitement and love for the game and the style of his favourite teams, most notably Real Madrid
and FC Barcelona
, Hudson has been very critical of both England
's 2010 World Cup
campaign and Fulham F.C.
's new crest.
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
who currently works as an English-language football commentator
Sportscaster
In sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
on Gol TV
GOL TV
This article is about the American sports network. For the similarly named and themed network in Spain, see Gol Televisión.GOL TV is the first television network dedicated fully to soccer in the United States. It is based in North Bay Village, Florida and is owned by GOLTV Inc...
.
Career
Hudson signed with Newcastle UnitedNewcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
in 1973 at the age of 17, from local team Whickham Juniors. He made over 40 appearances for Newcastle and fans there nicknamed him "Rocky." After four years in the Football League 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....
, Hudson moved to the United States, playing for the Fort Lauderdale Strikers of the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
from 1977 to 1983 and was named an All-Star five times. He played the winter season of 1983-84 in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
with Union Solingen
Union Solingen
1. FC Union Solingen is a German association football club from Solingen, North Rhine-Westphalia.- History :The side can trace its roots back to an earlier Union Solingen club founded in 1897 out of the merger of a number of clubs from the district of Ohligs that would over time include Ohligs FC...
, making 10 appearances without scoring. Hudson also played for the Strikers following their move to Minnesota
Minnesota Strikers
The Minnesota Strikers was an American professional soccer team located in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area. The team played one season in the North American Soccer League and 4 seasons in the Major Indoor Soccer League....
in 1984, which proved to be the NASL's final year. During his stint there, Hudson scored 44 goals in 197 matches with 99 assists.
He followed this with a season playing for Edmonton Brickmen
Edmonton Brickmen
The Edmonton Brickmen were an Edmonton, Alberta-based soccer club that competed in two now-defunct leagues: the Western Soccer Alliance and the Canadian Soccer League.-History:...
before joining the Fort Lauderdale Strikers of the American Soccer League
American Soccer League
The American Soccer League has been a name used by three different professional soccer leagues in the United States. The first American Soccer League was established in 1921 by the merger of teams from the National Association Football League and the Southern New England Soccer League. For...
. He continued to play for the Strikers through the 1991 season by which time the team was playing in the 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...
. He was released by the Strikers when the club was mired in a four-match scoreless streak to begin the season.
Coaching
After starting out as the Miami FusionMiami Fusion
Miami Fusion F.C. was a professional soccer club located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida that participated in Major League Soccer from 1998 to 2001. The club played in Lockhart Stadium, which was a former high school stadium converted into a soccer-specific stadium...
's community outreach director and TV commentator, Hudson was named its head coach in the middle of the 2000 season, finishing the season with an 11-12-1 record. He led the club to the best regular season record in Major League Soccer
Major 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...
(the MLS Supporters' Shield
MLS Supporters' Shield
The Supporters' Shield is an annual award given to the Major League Soccer team with the best regular season record, as determined by the MLS points system...
, the equivalent of a league championship in European leagues) in 2001 with 16 wins, 5 losses and 5 draws. However, the club was defeated by the San Jose Earthquakes
San Jose Earthquakes
The San Jose Earthquakes professional soccer team is located in the San Jose, California, United States suburb of Santa Clara, and participates in Major League Soccer , the top level soccer league in the United States and Canada....
in the semifinal round of the playoffs.
Hudson quickly became known for his fiery personality. One memorable incident occurred after a Miami home win against the Tampa Bay Mutiny
Tampa Bay Mutiny
The Tampa Bay Mutiny was a charter franchise of Major League Soccer active from 1996 - 2001. They initially played in Tampa Stadium and were immediately successful, winning the first MLS Supporters' Shield behind MLS MVP Carlos Valderrama and high-scoring forward Roy Lassiter, whose 27 goals in...
. The Fusion scored five goals, usually considered an excellent performance, but Hudson was apparently unsatisfied. He stormed into the media tent and up to the podium. He said, "I've got nothing to say. Any questions? ANY QUESTIONS? No? OK!" and stormed right back out. Interviews with players after the game indicated that Hudson was angered by a perceived lack of effort, even with the Fusion's dominant win.
Following MLS's contraction of the Fusion, Hudson was hired to replace Thomas Rongen
Thomas Rongen
Thomas Rongen is a Dutch soccer coach, formerly the head coach of D.C. United, the Sporting Director of Major League Soccer club Chivas USA, and the coach of the American Samoa national association football team...
as head coach of D.C. United
D.C. United
D.C. United is an American professional soccer club based in Washington, D.C. 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 since its inception, in 1996.Over the...
on January 8, 2002. He continued to regale fans and journalists with his wit, stories, and quotes. He once famously said, "There’s a lot of talent on this team, and I’m talking Anna Nicole Smith
Anna Nicole Smith
In 1992 Smith was chosen by Hugh Hefner to appear on the cover of the March issue of Playboy, where she was listed as Vickie Smith, wearing a low-cut evening gown. The centerfold was photographed by Stephen Wayda. Smith said she planned to be "the next Marilyn Monroe". Becoming one of Playboys...
type of talent!" upon taking control of the team in 2002. He worked for ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
's World Cup coverage in 2002, and came up with a memorable quote after the American team drew 1-1 with South Korea in group play. Expounding upon whether U.S. goalkeeper Brad Friedel
Brad Friedel
Bradley Howard Friedel is an American soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper for Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League....
should be thanking his defenders for their works, he said, "I'll be kissing their bums in the showers."
Despite his personality and love for the home fans, United finished at the bottom of the table in the East in 2002 with a record of 9-14-5, and were ousted in the first round by Chicago Fire by a 4-0 aggregate score in the two-game series in 2003. "Someone get me a blindfold and a cigarette!" he said during the post-game news conference. He was replaced by Piotr Nowak
Piotr Nowak
Piotr Nowak is a Polish former professional soccer player. He is currently the head coach of the Philadelphia Union in Major League Soccer.Nowak enjoyed a successful playing career in Europe, playing for Polish clubs such as Zawisza Bydgoszcz and Widzew Łódź, before going on to play in Turkey,...
in 2004. Hudson's cumulative record as an MLS head coach stands at 46-44-20.
Commentating
Beginning with the 2004-2005 season, Hudson began TV commentating for GolTV. He is a co-commentator for European league matches and was a co-host of American Soccer until his final (to date) appearance on the show on August 29, 2007. During the 2006 World Cup, he was a co-host for the English-language segment of the nightly Gol TV En Alemania wrap-up show.Hudson has begun to develop a cult following because of his commentating style, which consists of highly elaborate metaphors and excited, romanticized descriptions of players and goals. One such example came in the 2007 La Liga Championship, when after Real Madrid scored a game-clinching goal, Hudson called Real Madrid coach Fabio Capello "braver than a matador in high heels and a pink tutu!" Shortly before the goal, Hudson claimed that the players were giving off "teardrops the size of pineapple chunks!" A weblog has been established to record Hudson's finest quotations http://hudsonia.blogspot.com/ http://newhudsonia.blogspot.com/. In particular, Hudson is a great admirer of the game's most skilled and technically gifted players. The likes of Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi
Lionel Andrés "Leo" Messi is an Argentine footballer who plays for FC Barcelona and captains the Argentina national team, mainly as a striker. Messi received several Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year nominations by the age of 21, and won in 2009 and 2010...
, Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, OIH, , commonly known as Cristiano Ronaldo, is a Portuguese footballer who plays as a winger or striker for Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and is the captain of the Portuguese national team...
(who Hudson coined the term "gunslinger pose" for, referring to Ronaldo's trademark free kick stance), Xavi
Xavi
Xavier Hernández i Creus , commonly known as Xavi Hernández or simply Xavi , is a Spanish footballer who plays as a central midfielder for La Liga club FC Barcelona, where he has spent his entire 14-year career....
, and his newest favorite, "Avatar eyes" Mesut Ӧzil have drawn particular praise from Hudson. Though usually known for his excitement and love for the game and the style of his favourite teams, most notably Real Madrid
Real Madrid
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
and FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
, Hudson has been very critical of both England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
's 2010 World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
campaign and Fulham F.C.
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...
's new crest.