After honing his skills for eight years in European soccer circles, midfielder John Thorrington returned stateside in the winter of 2005 to join the ranks of Major League Soccer with the Chicago Fire. Thorrington expected to make an immediate impact in the Fire's midfield in his first season with the "Men in Red," but the year would ultimately be graded as an incomplete as he struggled to overcome injuries throughout the 2005 and 2006 seasons. After taking a few months to rehabilitate and rest, Thorrington was re-signed by the Fire on Sept. 15, 2007. Thorrington has yet to appear in a MLS first team game since his 2007 return, but has been tearing it up in the Reserve Division; scoring a goal in three-straight appearances. His pace up and down the right flank will offer the coaching staff depth with the outside midfield position. Fire Insider had the opportunity to catch up with the worldly Thorrington prior to the Fire's match against the New England Revolution, this Saturday, Oct. 6 (TOYOTA PARK, Comcast SportsNet) at 7:30 p.m. CT.
Fire Insider: When did you start playing soccer?
John Thorrington: When I was four. I was born in South Africa, but moved to Los Angeles when I was two. At 17 I moved to Manchester (England) to play for United for two years after which I went to Leverkusen, Germany. Eventually making it to the Fire for the 2005 season.
FI: You were born in South Africa, lived in England and the United States, what is your citizenship?
JT: American, with a dual British citizenship because my Dad was born in Britain. I became an American citizen to play for the American National team. I had to renounce my South African citizenship because you're only allowed to keep two.
FI: What made you start playing soccer?
JT: Obviously it's the thing every kid does when they are young. Some of my friends decided to go and play American football, which was the choice: football or soccer. My parent's being foreigners saw football as barbarianism and wouldn't let me play football, so I stuck with soccer.
FI: What other sports did you play growing up?
JT: I played baseball, basketball, and I surfed from when I was 12 or so on.
FI: How did you get the opportunity to play for Manchester United?
JT: I was playing for my club team Pateadores in Mission Viejo, California and got spotted by a scout who invited me over to England after my Junior year in High School. They offered me a contract for two years and I went into the youth team for the first year and the reserves in the next.
FI: Was it hard to leave your parents and everything behind?
JT: Yeah, looking back now I don't know how I did it as a 17 year old, but at that point in my life soccer was my priority and was worth moving to England for.
FI: How did you make the jump to Leverkusen?
JT: They saw me in the U-20 World Cup playing for the U.S. in 1999 and gave me an offer I guess I couldn't refuse. It only lasted for one season because I think off the field I was a little too young to face the culture shock of going from America and England to Germany.
FI: I can imagine that must have been tough. Well, we're glad to have you back in Chicago, John. Thanks for talking to us!
