THORRINGTON GETTING A CHANCE TO PROVE HIMSELF
by Kent McDill, Daily Herald Sports Writer
Chicago Daily Herald
September 4, 2005 Sunday
John Thorrington consulted the road map in his mind as he discussed
the story of his personal heritage and world travels.
It’s a story that begins in South Africa, and he’s now reached a
point where he feels settled in Major League Soccer as a member of
the Chicago Fire.
Thorrington, 25, is available to start at midfield tonight when
the Fire plays the Los Angeles Galaxy at the Home Depot Center in
Carson, Calif. It is the second of five consecutive road MLS games
for the Fire, which does not play at home again until the first week
of October.
Thorrington has only recently been able to contribute after a spring
filled with injury problems. But Thorrington had the game- winner in
the Aug. 13 match against the Galaxy at Soldier Field.
For Thorrington, that felt like his first real contribution to the
team he joined in the spring.
“My whole goal now is to repay the faith Dave (coach Sarachan) and
the staff had in bringing me here,” Thorrington said. “It felt so
good to contribute and help the team get a win.”
Thorrington has played in only five games this season (three starts)
after battling a back problem and a hip-alignment issue through the
first four months of the season.
Thorrington is an American citizen, but he was born in South Africa
to an English father and an Armenian mother. His family moved to
California when he was 2, he applied for American citizenship in
1997 at the age of 18, and he was able to play for the U.S. Under-20
national team in 1999.
Thorrington eventually made an appearance for the U.S. national team
in a friendly match against Ecuador in June 2001.
Professionally, Thorrington began his career in England in 1997, when
he became the youngest American to sign with a team from the English
Premiership by joining Manchester United. He spent three years training
with Man U and then played with the reserve team before moving on.
A stop in Germany to play with Landon Donovan on the reserve team
of Bayer Leverkusen was followed by seasons with English second-
and third-division teams before coming “home” to the states for
this season.
Considering his background, Thorrington was prepared to compare MLS
play to the competition that exists in the EPL.
“It’s a different style of play,’ Thorrington said. “There is more
of a Latin influence here. We play an aggressive style.
“I don’t think European leagues should look down on MLS. We have
players competing in their leagues. The overall standard of play in
MLS has come on.”