Jovan Kirovski

Football player infobox| playername= Jovan Kirovski
fullname = Jovan Kirovski
nickname =


dateofbirth = birth date and age|1976|3|18
cityofbirth = Escondido, CA
countryofbirth = United States
height = height|ft=6|in=1
currentclub = San Jose Earthquakes
clubnumber = 77
position = Forward
youthyears = 1992
youthclubs = Manchester United
years = 1993-96 1996-00 1998-99 2000-01 2001-02 2002-04 2004-05 2005-2008
2008-
clubs = Manchester United Borussia Dortmund → SC Fortuna Köln (loan) Sporting Portugal Crystal Palace Birmingham City Los Angeles Galaxy Colorado Rapids
San Jose Earthquakes
caps(goals) = 00 0(0) 20 0(1) 23 0(2) 05 0(0) 36 0(5) 23 0(2) 51 (12) 61 (12)
07 0(0)
nationalyears = 1994-2004
nationalteam = United States
nationalcaps(goals) = 62 (9)
pcupdate = 2 December 2006
ntupdate = 2 December 2006

Jovan Kirovski (born March 18, 1976, in Escondido, California) is an American soccer forward of Macedonian descent [ [http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1007378/index.htm A Foot In The Door with the statment "second son of Macedonian immigrants"] ] [ [http://www.mercurynews.com/earthquakes/ci_9437357?source=rss Kirovski is making up for lost time with Quakes with the statement "Sons of Macedonian immigrants"] ] who currently plays in Major League Soccer for the San Jose Earthquakes.

Kirovski joined Manchester United's youth team in 1992, becoming the first American to sign with the club. He led the reserve team in scoring in 1996, but unfortunately for Jovan, he was not able to break into the first team because of work permit regulations. After that season, he gave up on Manchester, and signed with Bundesliga power Borussia Dortmund. Kirovski spent the next four seasons in Germany, playing sparingly for Dortmund; he did however play and score in Dortmund's 1996-97 Champions League campaign, becoming the first American to win the competition. His only significant playing time in Germany was in the 1998-99 season, when Borussia loaned him out to second division club Fortuna Köln.

In 2000, Kirovski signed with Portuguese club Sporting Portugal, but once again could not get much playing time. After a season there, he came back to England, signing with Football League First Division club Crystal Palace. In 2002, Jovan finally made it to Premiership when he signed with Birmingham City. But after two seasons and not much first-team action there, and his chances with the U.S. national team waning, he finally decided to play club soccer in the U.S., signing with the Los Angeles Galaxy. In his first season in MLS, Kirovski scored eight goals. In 2005 the Galaxy traded him to the Colorado Rapids for a first round pick in the 2007 MLS SuperDraft.

Kirovski's career with the U.S. national team has been erratic at best. After making his debut at the age of 18 on October 19, 1994 against Saudi Arabia, Jovan has sandwiched games of individual brilliance with long periods of indifferent play. Although he has broken the 60-cap barrier, he hasn't made a single FIFA World Cup squad, but he did play at the 1996 Summer Olympics.

ee also

* List of current MLS players

References