Daniel O'Brien (born April 5, 1986, in

Shoreview, Minnesota Shoreview is a city in Ramsey County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 26,921 at the time of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is part of the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area. Geography According to the United ...

) is an American

soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 Football player, players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a Ball (association football), ball around a rectangular f ...

player who plays as a

midfielder In the sport of association football, a midfielder takes an Glossary of association football terms#O, outfield position primarily in the middle of the pitch. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in t ...

for Minneapolis City SC in the NPSL.

Career

Youth and College

O’Brien attended

Mounds View High School Mounds View High School is a public high school located in Arden Hills, Minnesota, United States. A part of the Mounds View Public Schools district, the high school is located in a suburban area approximately nine miles north of downtown Minne ...

Arden Hills, Minnesota Arden Hills ( ) is a city in Ramsey County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 9,939 at the 2020 census. Bethel University and its seminary is located in the city. Also, the campus of University of Northwestern – St. Paul straddl ...

where he was a two time All State soccer player. O’Brien began his collegiate soccer career in 2004 with

Coastal Carolina University Coastal Carolina University (CCU or Coastal) is a public university in Conway, South Carolina, United States. Founded in 1954 as Coastal Carolina Junior College, and later joining the University of South Carolina System as USC Coastal Carolina, ...

. He transferred to the

University of Wisconsin–Green Bay The University of Wisconsin–Green Bay (UW–Green Bay, UWGB, or Green Bay) is a public university in Green Bay, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1965, it is part of the University of Wisconsin System. As of fall 2024, student enrollment h ...

in 2006, finishing his college career with them in 2007. In the summer of 2007, he played for the

Des Moines Menace Des Moines Menace is an American soccer team based in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1994, the team plays in USL League Two, the fourth tier of the United States soccer league system. The Menace have had sustained success in USL Lea ...

of the

Premier Development League USL League Two (USL2), formerly the Premier Development League (PDL), is a semi-professional soccer league sponsored by United Soccer Leagues in the United States, forming part of the United States soccer league system. The league will featu ...

Professional

On May 1, 2008, he signed with the

Minnesota Thunder Minnesota Thunder was an American professional association football, soccer team based in Minnesota, United States. Founded in 1990, the team played in the USL First Division (USL-1), the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, until 2009. T ...

of the

USL First Division The USL First Division (USL-1) was a professional men's soccer league in the second tier of the United States league system. It was organized by the United Soccer League as its premier league for men from 1996 to 2010, above the USL Second ...

. After the fall of the

side due to financial problems O'Brien in January 2010 took the chance to move to

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

and join

Western Suburbs FC Western Suburbs Football Club is an association football club in Porirua, New Zealand. They play their home matches at Endeavour Park in the Porirua suburb of Whitby and compete in the Central Premier League. Western Suburbs is in partnership ...

working with Dutch coach John Kila. After a season of hard work with

he joined

Hawke's Bay United Hawke's Bay United was a professional Association football club based in Napier, New Zealand, Napier, New Zealand. HB United most recently played in the New Zealand Football Championship, ISPS Handa Premiership – a semi-professional franc ...

before departing the club after a short stint and signing with the

Tampa Bay Rowdies The Tampa Bay Rowdies are an American professional soccer team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The club was founded in 2008 and first took the pitch in 2010. Since 2017, the Rowdies have been members of the USL Championship in the second tie ...

on March 30, 2012. On November 20, 2012, the Rowdies declined the 2013 option.http://nasl.com/index.php?id=3&newsid=3527, Offseason Roster Moves Underway

References

External links

Minnesota Thunder bio

Rowdies sign Midfielder Dan O'Brien
{{DEFAULTSORT:Obrien, Dan 1986 births Living people People from Shoreview, Minnesota Sportspeople from Ramsey County, Minnesota Soccer players from Minnesota American men's soccer players USL First Division players USL League Two players North American Soccer League (2011–2017) players Des Moines Menace players Minnesota Thunder players Hawke's Bay United FC players Tampa Bay Rowdies players Men's association football midfielders