Pat Noonan capped off his ninth season in Major League Soccer with his second MLS Cup title and now the veteran forward is evaluating his future.
The 32-year-old's 2012 season was one filled with ups and downs as he rotated in and out of the lineup during the regular season, missing all of June and July due to a right quad strain while making 10 appearances scoring one goal. Noonan's veteran leadership played an important role in all competitions however, as he made three starts in CONCACAF Champions League, six appearances in MLS Reserve League play as well as a single start in the U.S. Open Cup.
“Whether you’re starting, or coming off the bench or not in the 18, it’s still gratifying when you can win a championship,” said Noonan. “It was nice to see everybody contribute from player one to player 30 and stepping in when called upon. It’s nice to see everyone contribute.”
The 32-year-old was placed on the Galaxy's Re-Entry Draft list earlier in the week and will be available for selection in stage one of the Re-Entry Draft which takes place at noon PT on Friday. Noonan came to the Galaxy last season after being selected in stage two of the Re-Entry Draft process.Whether he is selected or not, Noonan is hoping to take time to consider his next step.
“We’ll see. We’ll see how the next few weeks unfold. Over the next couple weeks I’ll decide,” said Noonan. “I’ve played a long time and I’m getting into the years where you start to think about your future outside of soccer, so we’ll see what happens. If playing is the right option, but if not then I’ll think about my family at this point.”
