Gordon Kljestan Explained

Gordon Kljestan
Fullname:Gordon Zdravko Kljestan
Birth Date:30 November 1983
Birth Place:Huntington Beach, California, United States
Position:Midfielder
Collegeyears1:2003
College1:Fullerton Titans
Collegecaps1:19
Collegegoals1:1
Collegeyears2:2004–2006
College2:Seton Hall Pirates
Years1:2004–2006
Clubs1:Orange County Blue Star
Caps1:22
Goals1:0
Years2:2007
Clubs2:Los Angeles Galaxy
Caps2:0
Goals2:0
Years3:2007–2008
Clubs3:New Jersey Ironmen (indoor)
Caps3:32
Goals3:2
Years4:2008
Clubs4:Newark Ironbound Express
Caps4:1
Goals4:0
Years5:2008
Clubs5:New York Red Bulls
Caps5:0
Goals5:0
Years6:2009
Clubs6:Cleveland City Stars
Caps6:22
Goals6:0
Years7:2010
Clubs7:FC Tampa Bay
Caps7:12
Goals7:2
Pcupdate:September 22, 2010

Gordon Zdravko Kljestan (born November 30, 1983, in Huntington Beach, California) is a retired American soccer player.

Career

College and amateur

Kljestan played one year of college soccer for Cal State Fullerton, prior to transferring to Seton Hall University where he played from 2004 to 2006. Kljestan was a three-year starter for the Pirates and was named as a 2006 All-Big East preseason selection and 2005 All-Big East honorable mention.

During his college years, Kljestan also played three seasons for Orange County Blue Star of the USL Premier Development League.[1]

Professional

Kljestan was drafted by the Los Angeles Galaxy with the 10th overall pick in the first round of the 2007 MLS Supplemental Draft. He started in six games for the Galaxy reserve team, logging 513 minutes, but was waived at the end of the season without making a senior start.

In 2007, Kljestan signed with the New Jersey Ironmen of the Major Indoor Soccer League. He played thirty-two games, scoring two goals.[2] In 2008, he played in one game for his second USL Premier Development League team, Newark Ironbound Express.[3] On June 7, 2008, he started in a 1–1 draw against the Long Island Rough Riders. He started and played for 68 minutes until the game was called off due to weather.

Kljestan signed with the New York Red Bulls on June 25, 2008, after training with the team for weeks.[4] He played in his first match for the New York the following day in a friendly against Chivas Guadalajara,[5] and made his full professional debut for the Red Bulls on 1 July 2008, in a US Open Cup third-round game against Crystal Palace Baltimore.[6] He was waived on November 26, 2008.[7]

He signed with Cleveland City Stars in April 2009 and he played in 22 games.[8]

Kljestan signed with FC Tampa Bay of the USSF Division 2 in April 2010. Appeared in 12 matches, scoring 2 goals as a defender.

Retired from professional soccer in January 2011 and currently works in the Los Angeles Galaxy front office.

Personal

Gordon is the brother of former Chivas USA and current LA Galaxy and former United States national soccer team midfielder Sacha Kljestan. Kljestan's father Slavko Klještan, a Bosnian Serb from Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, was a professional player playing for Željezničar Sarajevo.[9] [10]

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://www.uslsoccer.com/teams/2006/roster/22364.html United Soccer Leagues (USL)
  2. http://www.howesportsdata.com/howesportsdata/stats/soccer/nisl/nisl08.txt 2007-08 FINAL UNOFFICIAL MAJOR INDOOR SOCCER LEAGUE DAILY REPORT
  3. Web site: United Soccer Leagues (USL) . 2008-06-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080623031458/http://www.uslsoccer.com/stats/2008/657412.html . 2008-06-23 . dead .
  4. http://metrofanatic.com/story.jsp?ID=4878 Gordon Kljestan signed, Kevin Mesa cut - MetroStars / Red Bull New York - Major League Soccer
  5. http://metrofanatic.com/story.jsp?ID=4879 Metro tops uninspired Guadalajara, 1:0 - MetroStars / Red Bull New York - Major League Soccer
  6. http://web.mlsnet.com/scoreboard/game.jsp?match=07012008_ZZZNY Major League Soccer: Match Tracker: Main
  7. Web site: Gabriel Cichero, two others cut - MetroStars / Red Bull New York - Major League Soccer.
  8. Web site: Cleveland Adds Gordon Kljestan From MLS New York Red Bulls . 2009-03-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090402043512/http://www.clevelandcitystars.com/slides/453-cleveland-city-stars-add-gordon-kljestan-from-mls-new-york-red-bulls . 2009-04-02 . dead .
  9. News: Jones . Grahame L. . Chivas USA's Sacha Kljestan looks beyond Olympics . https://archive.today/20090131204655/http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-spw-olymensoc6-2008aug06,0,2375413.story . dead . 31 January 2009 . . 6 August 2008 . 12 August 2008.
  10. Web site: Sachin otac je igrao za Želju, a on danas igra za SAD.