MLS

• Ralston heading into uncharted waters

  
  

  By Pat Martin, MLS Editor (Sports Network) - Major League Soccer original Steve Ralston is entering unknown territory.

  The 35-year-old signed with AC St. Louis to be a player/coach earlier this week, becoming the first player to be inked by the new North American Soccer League club, and ending his 14-year run as one of MLS's most productive players.

  "It is a little bit of an unknown for me," Ralston told The Sports Network. "It makes it exciting. I really don't know what to expect, it's a bit of a transition but it's a challenge I'm looking forward to." Ralston, who is MLS's all-time career leader with 135 assists, while also scoring 76 goals in 378 appearances, said that the move to the NASL came on becauseof an impasse in contract negotiations with the New England Revolution, where he's played for the last eight seasons.

  "I felt like my negotiations with New England were kind of stalled a little bit then my agent got in contact with St. Louis and things kind of happened pretty quickly," he said.

  "St. Louis is my hometown and having all my family and friends there played a big part in my decision. But I also felt like it was an opportunity for me to play and also get some coaching experience." Ralston feels the opportunity to be a player/coach will help him be better equipped to move into the coaching ranks when his playing days are over.

  "What I've always wanted to do when I retire is coach," he said. "I still think I can play for a couple years. I think this is a great transition for me, to still be able to play and then get some coaching experience." One of the reasons for New England's reluctance to pony up for one of the league's all-time greats was his injury history the past couple seasons. The midfielder has only played 41 games since the 2007 season and is currently recovering from an ACL injury he suffered last September. He is expected to be back on the field sometime this spring.

  Despite not being able to work out a contract with the Revs, Ralston insists he is leaving MLS and New England on good terms.

  "I enjoyed my eight years there. I have great memories, I feel like I'm leaving on pretty good terms. I've gone and said goodbye to everyone in the front office and the staff and everything. I have a good relationship moving forward. For me it was a wonderful experience." While Ralston accomplished a lot in MLS, he has one major regret about what he never was able to do, which was hoist an MLS Cup trophy in his storied Revolution career.

  "That's probably my one regret about leaving MLS," he said. "I was really close on a number of occasions, the team we had in New England was a pretty good team.

  We won the U.S.

  Open Cup, we won the SuperLiga, we went to four finals and a couple of semifinals. I felt like we had a great group of guys and a great team, it was just unfortunate that we never won an MLS Cup." And it's unfortunate to fans of MLS that one of its best and classiest players is leaving the league for the uncharted waters of the NASL.

  02/03 16:54:39 ET