Former Billiken men’s soccer stars Tim Ream and Vedad Ibisevic are on the move again. The ex-collegiate standouts are both continuing down the ever-winding path of a professional athlete.
Ream, who suited up for Saint Louis University from 2006-09, has shifted continents and will be adjusting to life on the British pound and the gloomy English climate. The defender was transferred to the Bolton Wanderers F.C. of the English Premier League from his former team, the New York Red Bulls of the MLS.
Ibisevic, who spent only the 2003 campaign with the Bills, remains in the German Bundesliga, shifting allegiances from TSG 1899 Hoffenheim to VfB Stuttgart.
Both moves were announced on Thursday, Jan. 26.
These transactions give SLU a presence in two of the top soccer leagues in the world and solidify the program’s reputation of developing professional-caliber talent.
“These moves by Tim and Vedad speak volumes to the type of university and soccer program we have,” Head Coach Mike McGinty said. “I can’t think of any other school in the country that has had moves this big in a one-week span. This is phenomenal.”
McGinty, who was hired in the winter of 2010, did not have the opportunity to coach either of the players, but he recognized their contribution to his program and collegiate soccer landscape. The transfers were monumental on a monetary and symbolic level.
“They have taken different routes to where they are today, but it began with Tim playing all four years at SLU and Vedad playing one,” McGinty said. “These are shining examples that prove college soccer is a great way to develop talent. Whether you are here for a year, two, three or four, you can follow your dreams of getting a high-quality education while preparing for a professional career.”
Ream’s transfer fee of $3.2 million is the highest for an MLS defender and is reportedly the highest ever for a four-year NCAA player.
To put the number into perspective, the amount paid for the rights to Ream would be enough to bankroll an entire MLS team’s salary cap for a season. This move also makes the defender the first St. Louisan to compete in the Premiership.
“I want to thank @New York RedBulls for giving me the opportunity to play for them,” Ream tweeted from his verified Twitter account after the transaction was made official. “It was a great 2 years and I met a lot of great people.”
“I also want to thank the great fans in New York for all your support over the past two years,” Ream added in an ensuing tweet. “You guys were always great!!! #rbny.”
The news of his transfer arrived at an interesting time for the 24-year-old.
After training with a handful of EPL teams this past December, rumors of a potential trade abroad began to materialize in early January.
Ream was married on Jan. 7 and had a Tahitian honeymoon planned for the days following the ceremony.
“I was married for all of 24 hours when I got the phone call,” Ream said in a conference call. “The manager asked if I’d be willing to cancel the honeymoon and come to Bolton and honeymoon here.”
Ream agreed and spent the next few weeks acquiring the proper paperwork and work permits before the move could be made official.
The newest member of Bolton competed in all but one game during his career as a Billiken. The defender started 68 of 82 matches and tallied 24 points over that span.
The Atlantic 10 Conference awarded him the 2009 Defensive Player of the Year honors for his efforts, and his production also landed him on the third team of the 2009 NSCAA All-American team.
Ream was a member of the MLS All-Star squad last year, and he was a finalist for the league’s Rookie of the Year award in his two-year stint with the Red Bulls. Ream also suited up in the red, white and blue, while making seven appearances with the United States National Team.
Ibisevic, in his only season with SLU, tied for fourth nationally in scoring with 40 points en route to claiming first-team All-American honors and Conference USA Freshman of the Year accolades. He left SLU after his freshman season to sign a deal with Paris St. Germain in France.
With Hoffenheim, Ibisevic was the top scorer in the Bundesliga for a portion of the 2008-09 campaign before an injury forced him to miss the rest of the season. He recorded 48 goals in 123 appearances for Hoffenheim.
Who will be the next hero of Robert R. Hermann Stadium to follow in these footsteps and find himself on grand stage of European soccer? Only time will tell.
