Come to LAFC training any day of the week and you're likely to find Mike Sorber in a variety of places.
A member of Bob Bradley's coaching staff, Sorber's official title with the Club is Director of Soccer Operations. It's a somewhat ambiguous title that suits the former MLS and U.S. Men's National Team player. One minute, he might be discussing tactics on the board with Bradley, then speaking with the grounds crew about the state of the training pitch, before giving a player a bit of one-on-one coaching off to the side after training.
It's a role that draws upon Sorber's wealth of experience as both a player and coach. And one that speaks to his importance in the growth of American soccer.
That importance is being recognized by U.S. Soccer this week. Sorber is one of 14 Veteran Ballot candidates eligible for the 2019 National Soccer Hall of Fame Induction Class.
"Mike Sorber has had an amazing career as a player and now as a coach," Bradley said of his longtime assistant and good friend. "I think people who are in the know realize how important he was as a player to the U.S. team. He didn't always get the accolades but his understanding of the game, his passing, and his thinking were all important parts of those U.S. teams."
As a member of the U.S. Men's National Team, Sorber made 67 appearances and scored two goals. He played in all four of the USMNT's matches at the 1994 World Cup.
After the 1994 World Cup, Sorber joined UNAM Pumas of the Mexican League and became the first American player to be named an all-star in Mexico. He joined MLS in its inaugural season in 1996, playing 22 times that season for the Kansas City Wizards. Sorber would go on to play for the Metrostars and Chicago Fire in his MLS career before retiring in 2000 and joining the coaching ranks.
Sorber initially joined his alma mater St. Louis University as an assistant in 2001. He spent five years there before being called by Bradley to join the USMNT as an assistant in 2007. With the national team, Sorber went to a second World Cup. This time as an assistant in Bradley's staff at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Prior to joining LAFC, Sorber had stints with MLS sides Montreal Impact and the Philadelphia Union as an assistant. Then in 2017, Bradley recruited Sorber once again, this time to join the first coaching staff at LAFC.
"Mike's able to give real perspective to players about what it's like to be on the field, what it's like to be in big games," Bradley said. "He's got a really good ability to summarize situations in clear, simple ways that all players understand.
"For me, I've been really lucky to work with Mike. First, I coached him in Chicago, then together coaching with the U.S. National Team, and now here with LAFC.
