In the latest of our exclusive blogs, we corner a star of the New York Red Bulls soccer team and shoot them a few questions about life in New York and New Jersey and playing in the MLS. Between the sticks today is goalkeeper Alex Horwath.
Name: Alex Horwath
Position: Goalkeeper
Birthplace: Woodbine, Maryland
Date of birth: March 27, 1987
When did you start playing soccer?
Well I played a tons of sports when I was younger but I guess I started playing soccer when I was five or six. I actually played more baseball and basketball at that time and didn’t concentrate on playing soccer until I got a bit older.
Why was that?
Why?! I don’t know… I just kind of liked it but I wasn’t that great on the field. So they stuck me in goal and I guess I was decent at that, so I kind of stuck with it… Plus I wasn’t the fastest, so this was something I was really good at… so I enjoyed it.
So what’s it like to be part of the New York Red Bulls and playing professional soccer in the MLS?
Oh my God, it’s great… You know it is so close to home. I grew up in Maryland so my family and my friends can come easily to watch the games. They love it. The New York Red Bulls is a really great organisation; we have an unbelievable fan base, we have a great group of guys in the locker room, so for me it’s just a dream come true.
So who is your best friend on the team?
My best friend on the team? You’ll really get me in trouble for answering this! (He’s only half kidding) Actually all the young guys that live over in Secaucus are all really close. So me and John (Rooney) and Corey (Hertzog) and Tyler (Lassiter)… we are really pretty close because we all live together.
What do you like to do to relax when you’re not training or you don’t have a game?
I watch a lot TV… way to much. I got a dog a couple of months ago so I love to hang out with her. Oh yeah and we play FIFA pretty much all day long and just hang out at our house.
You said you watch a lot TV. What shows?
I have to admit I watch a lot of garbage like King of Queens and Everybody Loves Raymond. They keep me entertained on afternoons when I don’t have a lot to do.
What is your favourite hotspot in New York/New Jersey?
There’s so much going on...but I really like Brooklyn. I have a couple of friends from home who live in the Williamsburg area… I kind of like the vibe there.
Do you have a favourite restaurant or bar there?
No, I couldn’t pick a favourite. There are so many nice places, it’s too hard to pick just one.
Going back to soccer, where is the MLS at the moment? Is it growing?
Oh… definitely! Just look at the Champions League results recently… teams are winning in Mexico pretty consistently… we are competing with the rest of the CONCAF and we should eventually get to the top of that. We should be dominating that. We are developing a lot good young players and some teams overseas are getting interested. So it’s a good system and hopefully we can build the league from the inside…you know, with local guys.
When you look a bit into future where do you see yourself?
Hopefully on the field somewhere. I mean I’d love to stay in New York… I love it here, I love the club, the fans. I’d love to be the number one here, but the most important thing is that I am playing somewhere. As long as I am playing I am happy.
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