Tab Ramos played seven seasons for the MetroStars, and it was always clear to him. His ultimate goal was always to play for our club during his time in MLS.
“Of course, for me it’s my home, and I had to do everything in my power to defend the team and to guide it forward,” said Ramos. "In MLS, I never intended to play for any other team.”
During his time with the MetroStars, Ramos scored 10 goals and gave 39 assists. Today, he remains the third-best in the all-time assists leaderboard in club history.
His career led him to live in cities like Monterrey, Seville and Figueres, but his love for soccer lived unforgettable chapters in the Harrison Courts. Which leads to the question, what would it have been like to play at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey?
“For me it would have been incredible because my mom worked around that area where they made the stadium,” said Ramos. “There were a lot of factories back then, and my mom used to go there, in that area. When we were little, at first we lived on a street called Sussex, which is practically five blocks from the stadium. For me, it would have been incredible to have that opportunity. How much we would have enjoyed 30 years ago to have a stadium like that, so close that one could walk and go to the stadium.”
Ramos’ career includes three World Cup appearances with the United States national team in 1990, 1994 and 1998. He retired from the national team with 81 games played and eight goals. In addition, he coached the USMNTs Under-20 team in four consecutive World Cups.
What Ramos has accomplished as a coach and player are steps that another former footballer of our club wants to fulfill: Amado Guevara. Ramos shared what he thinks about the steps to become a coach, and what Guevara has been able to achieve in his young managerial career.
“First of all, Amado is a good friend. He’s a great person, and I always followed his career. We’ve become friends since, and I wish him the best,” he said. “The coaching route is a difficult one, and it takes a long time, but I think that Amado is doing it the right way. I think he’s taking the right jobs to get experience, and at times to make mistakes. Slowly you start moving up, I’m sure because of his personality, that he will be a great manager.”
It will be great when Tab Ramos returns to Red Bull Arena, this time as Houston Dynamo’s manager. Our fans look forward to his return.
