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Jonathan Michael Paul Spector (born March 1, 1986) is an American soccer player who plays for English Premier League club West Ham United as a defender. He went started his professional career in England when he was signed by Manchester United as a teenager. Although he began playing as a striker during his younger days, he was switched to a defensive position when he was a teenager. His natural position is right back as he is right-footed but he can play across the defensive line and in central midfield.
Early life
Spector grew up the Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights, Illinois (also the hometown of former Fulham and U.S. national team player Brian McBride). He played high school soccer at St. Viator High School and started his club soccer career with Schwaben AC in Buffalo Grove, Illinois, before joining national power Chicago Sockers. He graduated from the United States Soccer Federation's Bradenton Academy in 2003 and as his ancestry (his grandparents on the mother's side came from Siegen, Germany) allowed him to acquire a German passport,[1] he elected to go to Europe.
Spector's grandfather is former NBA basketball player Art Spector, who was the first player to be signed by the Boston Celtics in 1946.[2]
Club career
Manchester United
Spector was discovered by Manchester United scout Jimmy Ryan while playing for the American Under-17 squad at the Milk Cup in 2003. Originally a striker, Spector was lined up in defense due to injuries for a game Ryan had attended to scout other players. Highly impressed by Spector's natural defensive instincts, Ryan alerted the club.[3]
Spector joined United in summer 2003,[1] he made his first appearance for the first team in the FA Community Shield match against Arsenal in August 2004.[4] In December 2004, United manager Sir Alex Ferguson announced that Spector would be loaned out to fellow Premiership side Blackburn Rovers for the remainder of the season.[5] However, Ferguson was soon forced to postpone the deal due to an injury crisis in the United defence.[6] The injury crisis continued and Spector was not able to make his loan move on time due to the transfer window closing on January 31, 2005. Before the start of the 2005-06 season, Spector went on a season-long loan to Charlton Athletic to obtain more first team experience.[7] He finished the season making sixteen starts and eight substitute appearances.
West Ham United
Spector moved to London side West Ham United in a deal initially worth £500,000 in June 2006 thereby ending his association with Manchester United after eight appearances.[8] He made his debut for the club in the first round defeat of the UEFA Cup against Palermo in Sicily on September 28, 2006[9] going on to make twenty-eight appearances in all competitions in the 2006-07 season.[10] Spector had initially been brought as backup to the West Ham defence, but he had an extended run of games due to injury problems and his ability to play anywhere in the back four with equal ease. On November 11, 2007, it was believed that Spector had scored his first professional goal, in the 5–0 away win at Derby County.[11] However, this has since been credited as an own goal by Derby County and fellow American international Eddie Lewis.[12][13]
Spector missed most of the 2008-09 season due to injuries. With the departure of Lucas Neill in the summer of 2009, Spector has seen more playing time as manager Gianfranco Zola did not bring in a replacement for Neill.
International career
In 2003, Spector played for the United States national team at the World Under-17 Championship in Finland and earned his first cap for the senior team on November 17, 2004, in a World Cup qualifier against Jamaica.
In 2005, Spector was part of the U.S. Under-20 team at the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship in the Netherlands and as the 2005-06 Premier League season approached its conclusion, was considered a long shot to be included in the United States World Cup squad. However, a shoulder injury sustained on April 17 in a game against Portsmouth,[14] ended his chances of playing at the World Cup.
Spector was a member of the U.S. team that beat Mexico 2–1 in the CONCACAF Gold Cup Final in Chicago in June 2007. However, during the final, Frankie Simek had to come on for Spector as he collided heads with Andres Guardado, Mexico's goal scorer that day. Immediately after the substitution Benny Feilhaber struck the winning volley.[15]
Following injuries to Steve Cherundolo and Frankie Hejduk, Spector was included in the United States roster for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup and took the chance to cement his place in the national team, starting at right back for the entire tournament. He assisted Clint Dempsey to score a vital goal against Egypt in the last group stage match as the US scraped through to the semifinals on goal difference. In the final against Brazil, Spector once again assisted Dempsey in scoring the opening goal with a similar long cross from the right flank.
Having returned from a long injury lay-off, Spector was ever present for the remaining 2010 World Cup fourth round qualifers in 2009. He was rested for the USA's last qualifying match against Costa Rica on 14 October as qualification had already been secured. In November, he was called up for the upcoming friendlies against Slovakia and Denmark. He was mostly played at right back but has been partnering captain Carlos Bocanegra at center back to great effect as Bocanegra's regular partner Oguchi Onyewu is out with a long-term injury.[16]
Career statistics
1Including FA Community Shield
As of 20 February 2010
Honors
United States
References
- ^ a b "Spector aims to boost World Cup credentials", ESPNsoccernet, 19 September 2005. Retrieved 24 June 2007.
- ^ Jonathan Spector bio, ESPNsoccernet, http://soccernet.espn.go.com/players/profile?id=40267&cc=5901, retrieved 2009-12-20
- ^ http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=343072&cc=5901
- ^ Soccerbase: Jonathan Spector, Racing Post. Retrieved 24 June 2007.
- ^ "Spector to join Blackburn on loan", BBC Sport, 23 December 2004. Retrieved 24 June 2007
- ^ "Man Utd put Spector loan on hold", BBC Sport, 1 January 2005. Retrieved 24 June 2007.
- ^ "Charlton clinch Spector loan deal", BBC Sport, 11 July 2005. Retrieved 21 June 2007.
- ^ "West Ham sign Man Utd's Spector", BBC Sport, 15 June 2006. Retrieved 24 June 2007.
- ^ "Spector staying positive after debut frustration", West Ham United Official Site, 29 September 2006. Retrieved 24 July 2007.
- ^ Squad Profiles: Jonathan Spector, BBC Sport. Retrieved 24 June 2007.
- ^ Spector is happy just to be playing
- ^ West Ham player profile
- ^ The Wonderful World of West Ham United statistics Jonathan Spector
- ^ "Spector dislocates shoulder in Charlton victory over Portsmouth", SoccerTimes, 17 April 2006. Retrieved 29 June 2007.
- ^ "Spector enjoys Gold Cup glory with USA", West Ham United Official Site, 25 June 2007.
- ^ "Spector revels in new role". whufc.com. 17 November 2009. http://www.whufc.com/articles/spector-revels-in-new-role-20091117_2236884_1877235.
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