Marlboro native Michael Burns leads the way
By Kimberly Dunbar

When Michael Burns graduated from Hartwick College in 1991, the MA native and soccer standout wasn’t sure where his career would take him.

“There were no real options in terms of a professional soccer career,” said Burns, who is in his third year as Director of Soccer for the New England Revolution. “Luckily for me, the timing of the World Cup and the formation of Major League Soccer (MLS) worked out just right.”

With a little luck and a lot of talent, Burns made a splash on the soccer scene. After growing up playing soccer in Marlborough and earning top honors as the Massachusetts High School Player of the Year in 1987, Burns was invited to showcase his soccer skills nationally. He debuted as a member of the 1987 U16 FIFA World Cup and 1989 U20 FIFA World Cup teams, and soon became a regular on the United States national team. Burns was a part of the 1994 World Cup team and started two games for the U.S. during the 1998 FFIA World Cup. When the MLS began to take shape in 1995, Burns hit the jackpot.

“When the league started, the Revolution was the organization I wanted to play for,” said Burns, who served as a Revs defender and captain for five seasons. After a brief stint with the San Jose Earthquakes, Burns finished his career in 2002 with the Kansas City Wizards ~ and didn’t waste any time coming back home.

In 2005, Burns took this job with his former team, where he now works on the business side of the sport. His duties include working closely with team administration, player personnel and with the players and coaching staff. “Nothing can ever replace playing, but this is the next best thing,” said Burns. “I believe my background has helped me in this position. Having played for the Revs and in the MLS, I have a good understanding of how the players think.”

According to Burns, the MLS has undergone a transformation since its start 12 years ago. Burns said that the number of soccer specific stadiums has grown, the roster sizes in the MLS have expanded from 18 to 28 players, and the development and reserve leagues have also expanded. The number of quality players has increased, which has resulted in deeper teams from top to bottom.
While the MLS is making strides stateside, the U.S. soccer culture still seems to be lagging in the World. “We’re not Brazil or Argentina , but we’re getting there,” said Burns. “In the U.S. we have so many athletic options. In other countries, all their top athletes play soccer. Here, there are so many other avenues.”

But this status quo is about to change. When global icon David Beckham crossed the pond in July, the MLS got an instant boost. “Beckham will change the sport for the better in a way we haven’t seen,” said Burns. “He has the whole package in terms of on and off the field popularity. He has the ability to take U.S. soccer to a whole other level.”

Burns said that when he was playing, he and his peers didn’t have great soccer athletes to look up to. But with soccer on the rise and players like Beckham joining the MLS, all that is changing. And with a little luck, Burns will be staying home, right where he belongs.

Beckham and the Los Angeles Galaxy take on the Revolution at Gillette Stadium on August 12th. “It is going to be a tremendous day at Gillette,” said Burns.

Photo: Mike Burns courtesy of Jason Dalrymple for revolutionsoccer.net/mediacenter/