Michael Thomas (American soccer)

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Michael Thomas

| image = MichaelThomas 07JUL2012.jpg

| image_size = 200

| caption = Thomas warming up at Livestrong Sporting Park

| fullname = Michael Thomas

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1988|3|8}}

| birth_place = Olathe, Kansas, United States

| height = {{height|ft=5|in=10}}

| position = Midfielder

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| collegeyears1 = 2006–2009

| college1 = Notre Dame Fighting Irish

| years1 = 2006–2009

| clubs1 = Kansas City Brass

| caps1 = 13

| goals1 = 2

| years2 = 2010

| clubs2 = Halmstads BK

| caps2 = 5

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 2010–2011

| clubs3 = Ljungskile SK

| caps3 = 42

| goals3 = 8

| years4 = 2012–2013

| clubs4 = Sporting Kansas City

| caps4 = 7

| goals4 = 0

| years5 = 2013

| clubs5 = Toronto FC

| caps5 = 1

| goals5 = 0

| years6 = 2014–2016

| clubs6 = Oklahoma City Energy

| caps6 = 82

| goals6 = 11

| nationalyears1 =

| nationalteam1 =

| nationalcaps1 =

| nationalgoals1 =

| medaltemplates =

| pcupdate = October 3, 2016

| ntupdate =

}}

Michael Thomas (born March 8, 1988, in Olathe, Kansas) is a former American soccer player.

Career

=College and amateur=

Thomas attended University of Notre Dame where he played in midfield for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Thomas was selected to play with Region II (Midwest) 88 ODP Regional Team in events at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California as well as international events in Italy and Spain. Listed on CollegeSoccerNews.com 100 Freshmen To Keep An Eye On In 2006.

During his college years Thomas also played for Kansas City Brass in the USL Premier Development League.{{cite web|url=http://www.uslsoccer.com/teams/2007/roster/22339.html|title=Kansas City Brass Premier Development League|accessdate=June 29, 2010|publisher=uslsoccer.com|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110610060947/http://www.uslsoccer.com/teams/2007/roster/22339.html|archivedate=June 10, 2011|df=mdy-all}}

=Professional=

Thomas was drafted in the second round (19th overall) of the 2010 MLS SuperDraft by San Jose Earthquakes.[http://web.mlsnet.com/mls/events/superdraft/2010/draft_tracker.jsp 2010 MLS SuperDraft] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100117173019/http://web.mlsnet.com/mls/events/superdraft/2010/draft_tracker.jsp |date=January 17, 2010 }} Shortly after the draft Thomas left the United States to go on trial with Halmstads BK in Allsvenskan{{cite web|url=http://www.yanks-abroad.com/get.php?mode=content&id=5836|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100217183236/http://yanks-abroad.com/get.php?mode=content&id=5836|url-status=usurped|archive-date=February 17, 2010|title=THOMAS HOPING FOR HAMLSTADS OFFER|date=February 15, 2010|accessdate=February 22, 2010|publisher=yanks-abroad.com}} and following the club's failure to loan wished players from its partner club RCD Espanyol, Thomas was offered a short-term contract, 4 month with an option for the rest of the year,{{cite web|url=http://hallandsposten.se/sport/fotboll/1.741371-thomas-fick-korttidsavtal|title=Thomas fick korttidsavtal|date=February 21, 2010|accessdate=February 22, 2010|publisher=hallandsposten.se|language=Swedish|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727172428/http://hallandsposten.se/sport/fotboll/1.741371-thomas-fick-korttidsavtal|archive-date=July 27, 2011|url-status=dead}} which he signed on February 21, 2010,{{cite web|url=http://www.hbk.se/extra/news/?module_instance=1&id=6010 |title=Lämnar vintern för värme |date=February 22, 2010 |accessdate=February 22, 2010 |publisher=hbk.se |language=Swedish |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100813132918/http://www.hbk.se/extra/news/?module_instance=1&id=6010 |archivedate=August 13, 2010 }} however due to uncertainties what rules applied, Swedish or American, and Thomas' previous club affiliation, it took some time and the help of both the American and Swedish FA before Thomas was completely signed by Halmstads BK on March 20.{{cite web|url=http://hallandsposten.se/sport/fotboll/hbk/1.767072-thomas-helt-klar-for-hbk|title=Thomas helt klar för HBK|date=March 20, 2010|accessdate=March 22, 2010|publisher=hallandsposten.se|language=Swedish}}

On July 3 Halmstads BK reported that they would not use the clause to extend Thomas' contract until the end of the season and that Joakim Wrele from the youth squad would take his place.{{cite web|url=http://www.hbk.se/extra/news/?module_instance=1&id=6645 |title=Wrele får A-kontrakt |date=June 3, 2010 |accessdate=June 5, 2010 |publisher=hbk.se |language=Swedish |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100822111009/http://www.hbk.se/extra/news/?module_instance=1&id=6645 |archivedate=August 22, 2010 }}

Shortly after his departure from Halmstads BK, he went on trial with Superettan club Ljungskile SK and following a successful trial the club decided to sign him for the rest of the 2010 season. Thomas was a starter for the club appearing in 47 league matches and scoring 8 goals.

On January 18, 2012, Thomas signed a contract with Major League Soccer club Sporting Kansas City making his return to his native Kansas.{{cite web|author=Josh Whisenhunt |url=http://www.sportingkc.com/news/2012/01/sporting-kc-signs-midfielder-michael-thomas |title=Sporting KC signs midfielder Michael Thomas | Sporting Kansas City |publisher=Sportingkc.com |date=January 18, 2012 |accessdate=May 19, 2013}} The previous day Sporting Kansas City had acquired Thomas' MLS rights from San Jose in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2012 MLS Supplemental Draft.{{cite web|author=Kurt Austin |url=http://www.sportingkc.com/news/2012/01/skc-acquires-right-first-refusal-mf-michael-thomas |title=SKC acquires right of first refusal for MF Michael Thomas | Sporting Kansas City |publisher=Sportingkc.com |date=January 17, 2012 |accessdate=May 19, 2013}}

Thomas was traded to Toronto FC on July 2, 2013, in exchange for a second-round 2015 MLS SuperDraft pick.{{Cite web | url=https://www.torontofc.ca/news/toronto-trades-michael-thomas | title=Toronto Trades for Michael Thomas| date=July 2, 2013}} He was not retained following the 2013 season{{Cite web | url=http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2013/11/25/major-league-soccer-confirms-selection-order-ahead-annual-waiver-draft |title = Major League Soccer issues player list and selection order ahead of annual Waiver Draft|date = November 25, 2013}}

Michael Thomas became the first player to sign with Oklahoma City Energy FC ahead of its 2014 inaugural season.{{cite web|url=http://uslpro.uslsoccer.com/home/783877.html |title=United Soccer Leagues (USL) |accessdate=2014-02-19 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140203182758/http://uslpro.uslsoccer.com/home/783877.html |archivedate=February 3, 2014 }}

References

External links

https://web.archive.org/web/20140202094052/http://www.energyfc.com/en/news-node-10.html
{{MLS player|michael-thomas}}
[http://www.und.com/sports/m-soccer/mtt/thomas_michael00.html UND bio]
{{Svenskfotboll|pid=6620}}

Category:1988 births

Category:Living people

Category:Sportspeople from Olathe, Kansas

Category:Soccer players from Johnson County, Kansas

Category:American men's soccer players

Category:American expatriate men's soccer players

Category:Men's association football midfielders

Category:Allsvenskan players

Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Sweden

Category:Notre Dame Fighting Irish men's soccer players

Category:University of Notre Dame alumni

Category:San Jose Earthquakes draft picks