Conor Patrick Casey (born July 25, 1981) is an American former soccer player. He played for 16 seasons as a forward, finishing his career with Columbus Crew SC, before turning to coaching with his former club Colorado Rapids.

Conor Casey
Casey playing for the Philadelphia Union
Personal information
Full name Conor Patrick Casey
Date of birth (1981-07-25) July 25, 1981 (age 43)
Place of birth Dover, New Hampshire, U.S.
Height 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Position(s) Forward
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1999–2000 Portland Pilots 28 (31)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2000–2001 Borussia Dortmund II 23 (14)
2001–2004 Borussia Dortmund 4 (1)
2001–2002Hannover 96 (loan) 19 (7)
2003–2004Karlsruher SC (loan) 30 (14)
2004–2006 Mainz 05 40 (3)
2006 Mainz 05 II 2 (1)
2007 Toronto FC 2 (0)
2007–2012 Colorado Rapids 119 (50)
2013–2015 Philadelphia Union 70 (21)
2016 Columbus Crew SC 4 (0)
Total 313 (111)
International career
2001 United States U20 3 (0)
2000 United States U23 9 (0)
2004–2010 United States 19 (2)
Managerial career
2017–2019 Colorado Rapids (assistant)
2019 Colorado Rapids (interim)
2022 Charleston Battery
Medal record
Representing  United States
FIFA Confederations Cup
Runner-up 2009 South Africa Team
CONCACAF Gold Cup
Winner CONCACAF Gold Cup 2005
Men's Soccer
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Playing career

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Youth and college

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Casey was born in New Hampshire, but moved to Colorado at age five, and considers Denver his hometown. He played soccer at Denver's South High School and went on to play two years of college soccer for the University of Portland from 1999 to 2000. In his first year at the University of Portland, Casey was named best player of the year. In 2000, he led the NCAA in scoring with twenty-three goals and seven assists.[1]

Professional

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After playing well in the 2000 Summer Olympics Casey signed a four-year contract with German club Borussia Dortmund. After finishing a year of playing with the club, Casey was loaned out in the 2001–02 season to Hannover 96, where he scored seven goals in nineteen games. The subsequent year, Casey stayed with Dortmund, but only saw action in four games, scoring one goal. In 2003–04, he was again loaned to a second division club, Karlsruher SC, scoring fourteen goals in thirty games. In 2004, Casey signed with Bundesliga club Mainz 05, but scored only two goals and struggled with injuries during two and a half seasons with the club.

After being released by Mainz, Casey returned to America and signed with Major League Soccer. Casey was originally allocated to Toronto FC[2] and after two games with no goals and no assists, he was traded to his hometown club, Colorado Rapids, on April 19, 2007, in exchange for Riley O'Neill and an undisclosed amount of allocation money.[3]

He played 15 games with the Rapids in 2007, scoring two goals and three assists. In 2008, he scored 11 goals and two assists in 21 games. Casey ended the 2009 MLS season, with 16 goals, just one less than leader Jeff Cunningham to go along with one assist in 24 games. He was named in the MLS Best XI in 2009.[4] In 2010, Casey became the All Time goal scorer for the Colorado Rapids as he scored 13 goals and 6 assists in 27 games. Likewise in 2010, Casey was selected as the MVP for the 2010 MLS Cup championship[5] though the representative of the award sponsor announced "Casey Conor" when awarding it. In 2011, Casey suffered a season-ending Achilles tendon injury [6] in a July 16 game against the Seattle Sounders FC as he finished that season with six goals and one assist in 14 games. In 2012, Casey scored two goals and three assists in 18 games. On November 16, 2012, Casey was released by the Colorado Rapids.[7]

On December 14, 2012, Casey was selected by Philadelphia Union in the first round of the 2012 MLS Re-Entry Draft, Stage 2.[8] On January 23, 2015, it was announced that Casey had signed a new contract with the club for the 2015 season.[9]

After three seasons in Philadelphia, Casey signed with Columbus Crew SC on January 26, 2016.[10]

International

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Casey played at the 2001 World Youth Championship in Argentina and then graduated to the senior United States national team, getting his first cap on March 31, 2004, against Poland. On July 7, 2005, Casey suffered a tear to his ACL while playing against Cuba in the U.S.'s opening game of the Gold Cup.[11] He served as a late sub for the United States during several matches in the 2009 Confederations Cup. Casey scored twice (his first ever Senior team goals) against Honduras in a critical world cup qualifier at San Pedro Sula, Honduras, on October 10, 2009. The unanimous Man of the Match, Casey scored the U.S.'s first two goals,[12] and was fouled to set up the game-winning free-kick goal by Landon Donovan. The win put the United States through to the 2010 World Cup.

Managerial career

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On January 26, 2017, Casey was hired by Colorado Rapids as an assistant coach. On May 1, 2019, head coach Anthony Hudson was fired and Casey was promoted to interim head coach.[13]

In December 2021, Casey was announced as the new head coach of the Charleston Battery in the USL Championship, becoming the sixth head coach in the club's history.[14] Charleston and Casey mutually agreed to part ways on October 12, 2022, before the final match of the season after a dismal year of only six wins in 33 contests.[15]

Career statistics

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Club

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Sources:[16][17][18]

Club Season League Cup[a] Continental Other[b] Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Borussia Dortmund II 2000–01 Regionalliga Nord 10 2 10 2
2001–02 Oberliga Westfalen 13 12 13 12
Total 23 14 0 0 0 0 0 0 23 14
Borussia Dortmund 2001–02 Bundesliga 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2002–03 Bundesliga 4 1 0 0 0 0 4 1
2003–04 Bundesliga 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 1
Hannover 96 (loan) 2001–02 2. Bundesliga 19 7 1 0 20 7
Karlsruher SC (loan) 2003–04 2. Bundesliga 30 14 2 0 32 14
Mainz 05 2004–05 Bundesliga 28 2 2 2 30 4
2005–06 Bundesliga 10 1 0 0 0 0 10 1
2006–07 Bundesliga 2 0 0 0 2 0
Total 40 3 2 2 0 0 0 0 42 5
Mainz 05 II 2006–07 Oberliga Südwest 2 1 2 1
Toronto FC 2007 MLS 2 0 2 0
Colorado Rapids 2007 MLS 15 2 2 0 17 2
2008 21 11 1 1 22 12
2009 24 16 0 0 24 16
2010 27 13 0 0 4 2 31 15
2011 14 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 14 6
2012 18 2 0 0 18 2
Total 119 50 3 1 0 0 4 2 126 53
Philadelphia Union 2013 MLS 31 10 2 0 33 10
2014 25 8 3 1 28 9
2015 14 3 2 0 16 3
Total 70 21 7 1 0 0 0 0 77 22
Columbus Crew SC 2016 MLS 4 0 0 0 4 0
Career total 313 111 15 4 0 0 4 2 332 117
  1. ^ Includes the DFB-Pokal and U.S. Open Cup
  2. ^ All appearances in the MLS Cup Playoffs

International

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Source:[19]

United States
Year Apps Goals
2004 6 0
2005 2 0
2006 0 0
2007 0 0
2008 1 0
2009 8 2
2010 2 0
Total 19 2
International goals
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. October 10, 2009 Estadio Olímpico Metropolitano, San Pedro Sula, Honduras   Honduras
1–1
3–2 2010 FIFA World Cup Qualifying
2.
2–1

Managerial

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As of December 20, 2021
Team From To Record
G W D L GF GA GD Win %
Colorado Rapids (interim) May 1, 2019 August 25, 2019 19 7 5 7 33 32 +1 036.84
Charleston Battery December 20, 2021 October 9, 2022 33 6 6 21 40 76 −36 018.18
Total 42 10 9 23 60 84 −24 023.81

Honors

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Colorado Rapids

United States

Individual

References

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  1. ^ "Conor Casey". ESPN FC. Archived from the original on December 25, 2012. Retrieved January 27, 2013.
  2. ^ "Casey to play in MLS for Toronto". ESPN FC. March 5, 2007. Archived from the original on March 16, 2007. Retrieved January 27, 2013.
  3. ^ "Rapids Acquire Denver South High Grad Conor Casey". OurSports Central. April 20, 2007. Retrieved January 27, 2013.
  4. ^ "Rapids Forward Conor Casey Named To 2009 MLS Best XI". OurSports Central. November 16, 2009. Retrieved January 27, 2013.
  5. ^ Lalas, Greg (November 22, 2010). "Colorado's Casey named MLS Cup MVP". Colorado Rapids. Retrieved January 27, 2013.
  6. ^ "Casey out for the year with torn Achilles". Colorado Rapids. July 19, 2011. Retrieved January 27, 2013.
  7. ^ "Rapids to part ways with eight players". Colorado Rapids. November 16, 2012. Retrieved January 27, 2013.
  8. ^ "Union selects Conor Casey in Stage 2 of MLS Re-entry draft". Philadelphia Union. December 14, 2012. Archived from the original on December 18, 2012. Retrieved January 27, 2013.
  9. ^ "Trio of veterans set to return to Philadelphia Union for 2015 Major League Soccer season". Philadelphia Union. January 23, 2015. Retrieved January 23, 2015.
  10. ^ "Crew SC signs free agent forward Conor Casey". columbuscrewsc.com. January 26, 2016. Retrieved January 27, 2016.
  11. ^ "Conor Casey Suffers ACL Tear". ussoccer.com. July 9, 2005. Archived from the original on August 7, 2011. Retrieved October 13, 2011.
  12. ^ "Kick Started". Outside Online May 2010 Issue. Archived from the original on June 1, 2010. Retrieved May 2, 2010.
  13. ^ "Anthony Hudson relieved of duties, Conor Casey named interim head coach". Colorado Rapids. May 1, 2019. Retrieved May 1, 2019.
  14. ^ "Battery Name Conor Casey Head Coach". charlestonbattery.com. December 20, 2021. Archived from the original on December 20, 2021. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  15. ^ "Charleston Battery and Conor Casey Mutually Agree to Part Ways". USLChampionship.com. October 12, 2022. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
  16. ^ Conor Casey at Soccerway
  17. ^ Conor Casey at Major League Soccer
  18. ^ "Conor Casey at WorldFootball.net". WorldFootball.net. HEIM:SPIEL Medien GmbH & Co. KG. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  19. ^ Conor Casey at National-Football-Teams.com
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