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Kevin Kratz

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Kevin Kratz
Kratz with Eintracht Braunschweig in 2013
Personal information
Date of birth (1987-01-21) 21 January 1987 (age 37)
Place of birth Eschweiler, West Germany
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
1991–1994 SCB Laurenzberg
1994–1997 Germania Dürwiß
1997–2006 Bayer Leverkusen
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2006–2009 Bayer Leverkusen II 89 (12)
2009–2012 Alemannia Aachen 68 (3)
2012–2014 Eintracht Braunschweig 32 (1)
2014–2016 SV Sandhausen 22 (0)
2016 Philadelphia Union 0 (0)
2017–2019 Atlanta United 48 (3)
2018–2019 → Atlanta United 2 (loan) 10 (0)
Total 214 (16)
Managerial career
2019–2023 Atlanta United (academy)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Kevin Kratz (born 21 January 1987) is a German professional football manager and former player who is the current head coach of Atlanta United's Under-16 Team.

Playing career

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Europe

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After spending three seasons with Bayer 04 Leverkusen's reserve team early in his career, Kratz joined Alemannia Aachen in the 2. Bundesliga. After Aachen was relegated from the 2. Bundesliga at the end of the 2011–12 season, he transferred to Eintracht Braunschweig.[1] With his new club, Kratz won promotion to the Bundesliga in 2013. After the 2013–14 Bundesliga season, Kratz transferred to SV Sandhausen.[2]

Philadelphia Union

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In September 2016, Kratz signed with Philadelphia Union of Major League Soccer in the United States. Union Sporting Director Earnie Stewart indicated that Kratz would find a place in the Union midfield, stating "Kevin provides us valuable depth in multiple positions across our midfield."[3] Union coach Jim Curtin likewise indicated that Kratz would fit into a central position in the midfield but suggested that he would be used as a backup for existing Union players.[4] Philadelphia later announced that Kratz would not be returning to the team for the 2017 season.

Atlanta United FC

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Kevin Kratz after playing for Atlanta United on 24 September 2017

On 11 December 2016, Philadelphia announced that it had completed its transaction to send midfielder Kratz to Atlanta United, acquiring the expansion club’s fourth-round pick in the 2020 MLS SuperDraft in exchange for Kratz.[5]

After scoring on two free kicks, one being the game-winning goal, against Montreal Impact on 28 April 2018, Kratz won both MLS Goal of the Week honors and MLS Team of the Week bench honors for Week 9 of the 2018 season.[6][7]

Managerial career

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Atlanta United Academy

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In circa February 2019, Kratz re-joined Atlanta United as a talent scout and was the acting Head of Football Operations and Transfers at a point, and helped during the 2019 MLS SuperDraft with player selection.

In March 2020, Kratz was appointed as the new manager for Atlanta United's Under-16 program due to COVID-19 furloughs. Kratz is praised by his club's front office and is touted by This Week in MLS as one of the "Top 10 Youth Managers for MLS Clubs".

In 2023, Kratz led Atlanta United's Under 16 team to their first ever MLS Next Championship in a dominant tournament run, and was selected as a part of Wayne Rooney's staff in the 2023 MLS All Star Game subsequently.

Roswell Soccer Club

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In September 2023 Kratz was appointed Director of Coaching for Roswell Soccer Club in Roswell, Georgia.

Personal life

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Kratz earned his U.S. green card in July 2017.[8] This status also qualifies him as a domestic player for MLS roster purposes.[citation needed]

Career statistics

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As of matches played on 11 November 2018[9]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Other Total
League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Bayer Leverkusen II 2006–07 Regionalliga Nord 28 2 — — 28 2
2007–08 Oberliga Nordrhein 28 4 1 0 — 29 4
2008–09 Regionalliga West 33 6 — — 33 6
Total 89 12 1 0 — 90 12
Alemannia Aachen 2009–10 2. Bundesliga 18 1 1 0 — 19 1
2010–11 30 2 4 0 — 34 2
2011–12 20 0 1 1 — 21 1
Total 68 3 6 1 — 74 4
Eintracht Braunschweig 2012–13 2. Bundesliga 18 0 1 2 — 19 2
2013–14 Bundesliga 14 1 1 0 — 15 1
Total 32 1 2 2 — 34 3
SV Sandhausen 2014–15 2. Bundesliga 15 0 0 0 — 15 0
2015–16 7 0 1 0 — 8 0
Total 22 0 1 0 — 23 0
Philadelphia Union 2016 MLS 0 0 0 0 — 0 0
Atlanta United 2017 MLS 20 1 2 1 — 22 2
2018 27 2 2 0 1 0 29 2
Total 47 3 4 1 1 0 52 4
Atlanta United 2 2018 USL 2 0 0 0 — 2 0
Career total 260 19 14 4 1 0 275 23

References

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  1. ^ "Eintracht holt Kevin Kratz". eintracht.com (in German). Archived from the original on 13 December 2019. Retrieved 21 May 2012.
  2. ^ "Kratz von Braunschweig nach Sandhausen" [Kratz from Braunschweig to Sandhausen] (in German). DFL. 19 May 2014. Archived from the original on 20 May 2014. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
  3. ^ "Philadelphia Union sign German midfielder Kevin Kratz". philadelphiaunion.com. 15 September 2016.
  4. ^ "Philadelphia Union press conference recap". brotherlygame.com. 22 September 2016.
  5. ^ "Philadelphia Union Officially Completes Transaction With Atlanta United FC". 11 December 2016.
  6. ^ Boehm, Charles (3 May 2018). "Atlanta United's Kevin Kratz wins Week 9 AT&T Goal of the Week honors". MLS Soccer. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  7. ^ Rodriguez, Alicia. "Team of the Week presented by Audi: Almiron is king of the hill in Week 9". MLS Soccer. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  8. ^ J. Sam Jones (27 July 2017). "Tata Martino issues update on Josef Martinez injury; Kevin Kratz receives green card". DirtySouthSoccer.com. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
  9. ^ "Kevin Kratz » Club matches". World Football. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
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