New England Soccer Today

Ex-Rev McCarthy Lands in Finland

Photo credit: Kari Heistad/capturedimages.biz

Photo credit: Kari Heistad/capturedimages.biz

The 2012 New England Revolution Defender of the Year has a new home.

Two months after the club declined to extend a bona fide offer, center back Stephen McCarthy signed with Finland first division side Kuopion Palloseura on Friday.

McCarthy, 26, spent four years in Foxborough after the Revolution drafted him in the second round (24th overall) of the 2011 SuperDraft. After playing in 21 games as a central midfielder during rookie year, he made a positional switch to center back in 2012.

He took to the role immediately, played in 28 games alongside A.J. Soares, and by season’s end, was voted the team’s defender of the year by the media. McCarthy was invited for a trial by a German second division side before the end of the year, but a pair of late-season concussions kept him from pursuing the opportunity.

The following season, he and Soares platooned at the spot opposite of Jose Goncalves, who went on to win MLS Defender of the Year. But in 2014, Soares locked down the spot, and McCarthy was limited to only one league appearance.

McCarthy started 63 of 69 games in New England, scoring two goals and adding two assists in MLS play. He also scored in the Revolution’s 3-2 U.S. Open Cup win against the Richmond Kickers on Jun. 18, 2014.

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