Timbers Keeper Gets MLS Call up
Cronin's Fine Season Recognised by DC United
Steve Cronin played 28 matches for the Portland Timbers during the 2009 USL First Division season and was named the league’s Goalkeeper of the Year and an All-League First-Team selection. This week the Portland Timbers agreed to loan goalkeeper Steve Cronin to MLS DC United for the remainder of the 2009 MLS season.
Timbers head coach Gavin Wilkinson said, “This is a great opportunity for Steve and well deserved. Additionally, this allows him to possibly get a few extra games in before taking a well-deserved break.”
With 15 wins and ten shutouts in those 28 games, record, Cronin equaled the Timbers’ modern franchise record for wins in a single season. He also helped anchor Portland’s formidable back line which shared the USL First Division lead in fewest goals allowed (19) in 2009.
Cronin played five seasons in MLS with the San Jose Earthquakes (2004) and Los Angeles Galaxy (2005-08) prior to joining the Timbers this season.
United have Columbus Crew at home and Kansas City Wizards away in MLS, as well as a trip to Toluca in the CONCACAF remaining this season. First choice keeper Josh Wicks has been ruled out of the rest of the season dislocated shoulder and MCL sprain in suffered in a 2-1 loss to the San Jose Earthquakes in late September. The injury to Wicks left United with one active goalkeeper in Milos Kocic. Recently-signed 18-year old Bill Hamid is not eligible for MLS matches, but can play in Champions League games. The club was forced to call up MLS pool goalkeeper Chris Sharpe of Denver for last weekend’s match against Chivas USA.
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Cronin was the one encouraging Portland supporters to throw bottles at a fallen Sounder (I think Riley) during our match with Portland in the US Open Cup. Bush league move. Thought Riley was stalling, but Riley was genuinely hurt. One supporter threw a bottle, and Cronin applauded him.
Stay classy, DC. Keep flushing your legacy with bush league Portland Cinders players. The DC / Portland Keeper connection continues. First Wicks who played for the Timbers now Cronin. Keep it up DC.
Interesting. Cronin was horrific last year for LA. The porous defense didn’t help, but some goalkeepers step up to the task. (Vaguely remembering Brad Guzan for early Chivas as an example.) Cronin wasn’t one of those goalkeepers. LA didn’t start to gel again until Arena brought in Donovan Ricketts. His calm competence was exactly what LA was missing.
I always liked him, though, and hope he’s been able to use his time with the Timbers to settle his nerves and step up his game.