COLUMBUS, Ohio - Columbus Crew Head Coach Greg Andrulis and Crew General Manager Mark McCullers today announced The Crew's second recent significant player personnel move when the team acquired forward Ante Razov from the Chicago Fire in exchange for defender/midfielder Tony Sanneh.
Razov is the Fire's all-time leading scorer with 77 goals and 38 assists for 192 points. His 77 goals rank fifth all-time in MLS history and his 192 points is eighth all-time in league annals. He is also the second all-time leading scorer in MLS playoff history with 10 goals and 10 assists for 30 points. The U.S. National Team veteran has appeared 24 times for the U.S. and has scored six times.
"I am very excited and happy to be joining Columbus," said Razov. "It's a tremendous opportunity for me to resume my career with a team that has a great chance to win. In the end, winning is the only thing that matters. Leaving Chicago was not an easy decision, and I want to thank everyone for all their support in my time in Chicago. It was just time for a change and Columbus really made me feel wanted. Hopefully I am the missing link to complete the puzzle and can help Columbus win some championships."
Razov finished the 2004 season with four goals and two assists for 10 points in 13 games. Razov had minor ankle surgery last August to remove bone spurs and debris. The former UCLA star tallied the game-winning assist in Chicago's 1998 MLS Cup win vs. D.C. United and he is a two-time MLS All-Star.
"We are extremely excited to be able to have a player of Ante's ability join our team," said Andrulis. "Ante is a proven goal scorer in our league and has been successful at every step of his career. We expect Ante to be a leader both on and off the field. He is a terrific addition to the Columbus Crew team."
Razov led the Fire in scoring in five of his seven years with the club. He is the Fire's all-time leader in game-winning goals (23), game-winning assists (15) and hat tricks (2). His 23 game-winning goals ranks second in MLS history behind Jason Kreis' 28. The Los Angeles native is the all-time MLS leader in multiple-goal games with 16. He had a career high 42 points in 2000, with 18 goals and six assists.
"Ante Razov is a passionate player who we expect will enhance our team in a variety of way," said McCullers. "His work ethic is unparalleled and his veteran leadership will be welcome in the clubhouse.
The 30-year-old Razov spent part of the 2000-2001 season in Spain's second division with Racing de Ferrol, scoring six goals in 19 games.
Sanneh appeared in six games for The Crew after returning to MLS after a six-year stint in Germany. He scored two goals and an assist in six regular season games and played in both Crew playoff matches.
ANTE RAZOV
Position: Forward
Height: 6'1" (1.86 m)
Weight: 175 lbs. (80 kg)
Born: March 2, 1974 in Whittier, CA
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Citizenship: USA (24 caps/6 goals)
College: UCLA
How Acquired: In a trade from Chicago on Jan. 30, 2005, in exchange for Tony Sanneh.
