Shortly before retiring from Major League Soccer last fall, Eddie Pope admitted he was interested in getting involved with the business side of soccer, whether it was for a team or the league. It turns out he'll be involved with a little bit of both.

Pope, who spent the last three years of his career with Real Salt Lake, was introduced on Tuesday by the MLS Players Union as its new Director of Player Relations.

According to a press release sent out Tuesday morning, Pope will serve in an executive level role and will oversee all player communications and relations. The MLS Players Union release reiterated that Eddie is joining at a critical time, as the Union is preparing for negotiations on a new collective bargaining agreement, which expires at the end of the 2009 season.

"Eddie Pope is a soccer icon," said D.C. United's Ben Olsen, also a Union board member in a pre-released statement. "He is respected by every player in the league and he will command respect in his new role with the Union. We are thrilled to have him working with us."

The MLS Players Union is based in Bethesda, Maryland.

Pope played in MLS for 12 years, spending time with D.C. United, New York and Real Salt Lake. He also appeared in three World Cups (1996, 2002 and 2006).

"I am very excited to be joining the MLS Players Union," said Pope in the press release. "The players in MLS have worked very hard and sacrificed a great to build the league. I look forward to working for the players to help them achieve a better life for themselves and their families."