FC Dallas announced Tuesday that defender Alex Yi is retiring. Signed by FCD in January 2005 after a weighted lottery, Yi finished his MLS career having played in 27 games, 21 of those starts. But more than anything, his three-plus years in the league were defined by injuries.
"No, I wasn't (surprised)," FCD head coach Steve Morrow said Wednesday. "I spoke to Alex many times and we had many meetings through the offseason and preseason. I'm very frustrated for him. He's a great kid and a good player. It's been a very frustrating time for him.
"I knew he was thinking that way and I tried hard to talk him out of it in the last few weeks. He doesn't feel like he can go through another situation like that where he doesn't know what's going to happen with his hamstring next. So, it's a decision that I understand. I want to give him my support for what he's going to move onto next."
Last year, Yi played in a career-high 15 games for FCD, 14 of those starts, but he suffered a left hamstring injury in a 1-0 win at Colorado on June 23, 2007 that forced him to miss the next seven games.
For the most part, the UCLA product put that injury behind him, but in the late stages of this year's preseason his hamstring woes resurfaced and that was when retirement became an option.
Yi's last action came on March 22 when the Hoops defeated Brazilian side Clube Atletico Paranaense 2-1 to capture the USA/Brazil Challenge at Pizza Hut Park, the final match of FCD's preseason. Yi started at right back and played all 90 minutes but it would prove to be his last action for the Hoops.
Several of his fellow teammates are disappointed about his retirement but wish him all the best.
"It's kind of a tough situation," Hoops defender Drew Moor said. "Alex and I were good friends and still will be. I want to support any decision he makes and will back him. I know the entire team will back him as well. He was a great player and most importantly, a fantastic guy. It's tough to see him go but his heart is elsewhere and that's what he needs to follow. I wish him the best. By no means, will he go away and not be back."
Added defender Aaron Pitchkolan: "It's disappointing. I know that he's been going through a lot of injuries and stuff. I haven't really spoken to him recently. But I wish him the best. He's a great guy, great teammate and great friend."
Both Moor and Pitchkolan agree that it has been tough to watch Yi struggle with such chronic injuries because both players know what incredible potential the 6-foot-3 defender has.
"It's been tough," Moor said. "He and I lived together for a year. He's a big guy with big muscles and guys like that tend to get injured. He took care of his body as well as he could but had some bad luck here and there with injuries. But when he was on the field, he was one of the best defenders we had, which is a positive for him. He was probably the most athletic defender that I've seen and played with. It's tough that he was never able to stay 100 percent healthy because if he would have been, he could have been a special player."
Said Pitchkolan: "Being a friend of mine on the team, it's been hard to see him go through highs and lows like that. It's disappointing but hopefully, he can find something he likes to do and do well with it."
Yi's retirement isn't yet official as the necessary paperwork has yet to be filed with the league. But once it becomes official, FCD could add Sheldon Emmanuel to the roster. He is a speedy, left-sided defender from St. Lucia in the Caribbean whom Morrow got a good look at during the Hoops' trip to Trinidad and Tobago last fall. He is currently in for a trial and the FCD boss has liked what he has seen thus far.
He played all 90 minutes on the left of the back three in a Monday afternoon scrimmage against Midwestern State, which the Hoops reserves won 4-0, but Morrow wants to see him against better competition, which he hopes to do this weekend.
"I think he's done quite well so far," Morrow said. "That's why we've kept him here for a few more days, because we want to get a good look at him. We've got another game on Sunday against SMU and would like to keep him here through that game and see what he can do in a more competitive game. I don't think he was tested enough the other day and we want to see him against higher-quality competition."
Steve Hunt is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
