Rowdies Sign Veteran Goalkeeper Michael Langer

The Tampa Bay Rowdies have signed Austrian goalkeeper Michael Langer ahead of the 2016 North American Soccer League season, the club announced Tuesday. 

Langer, 31, is the third goalkeeper under contract for the season ahead, joining Matt Pickens and Chris Glodack in a deep and talented goalkeeping corps under the direction of assistant coach Stuart Dobson.

“It’s always important to have competition for places in your squad,” head coach Stuart Campbell said. “The competition between Michael, Matt, and Chris will be a fun one to watch throughout the season. We now have three excellent goalkeepers on our team and that will benefit us every single day in training.”

Langer has played the majority of his career in the German system, joining VfB Stuttgart’s academy in 2003, before graduating on to VfB Stuttgart II in 2004 and eventually VfB Stuttgart’s first team in 2006. Langer made two Bundesliga appearances for the first team before moving on to SC Freiburg in the 2.Bundesliga.

From Freiburg, Langer secured a transfer to FSV Frankfurt in the 2.Bundesliga in 2010, where he remained for two seasons before joining SV Sandhausen, again in the German second division, for two years beginning in 2012.

Langer moved to Norwegian side Vålerengens IF in 2014, making 42 appearances for the Oslo-based club before joining the Rowdies.

“Michael brings a lot of valuable experience to our club,” Dobson said. “Playing at the top levels in Germany and Norway is an achievement and he’s now ready to try a new challenge. We now have three great goalkeepers that can push each other during every training session.”