Dale Mitchell (soccer)

Dale Mitchell
Personal information
Full nameDale William Mitchell
Date of birthApril 21, 1958
Place of birthVancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Height1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing positionStriker (retired)
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
1977–1978Vancouver Whitecaps5(0)
1979–1982Portland Timbers101(35)
1983Montreal Manic24(8)
1984–1985Tacoma Stars (indoor)96(96)
1986–1987Kansas City Comets (indoor)99(99)
1988–1990Vancouver 86ers213(211)
1991Baltimore Blast (indoor)51(42)
1992–1994Tacoma Stars (indoor)40(45)
National team‡
1976Canada U-203(1)
1983–1987Canada U-239(4)
1980–1993Canada55(19)
Teams managed
1995–1999Vancouver 86ers reserves
2000–2001Vancouver Whitecaps
2002–2007Canada U-20
2007–2009Canada
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 19 September 2009.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 19 September 2009

Dale William Mitchell (born April 21, 1958) is a former top-level professional soccer striker who played for several North American teams in the 1980s and 1990s.

He made 55 appearances for the Canadian national team and scored a national record 19 goals.[1] He is also former head coach of the Canadian national team, having held the post from May 2007 until March 27, 2009. In 2012 as part of the Canadian Soccer Association's centennial celebration, he was named to the on the all-time Canada XI men's team.[2] He was inducted into the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame in 2002. In March 2014 it was announced that he would also be a 2014 inductee into the Indoor Soccer Hall of Fame.[3]

Club career

Mitchell played in the former North American Soccer League, beginning his pro career with the Vancouver Whitecaps (1977, 1978), playing with Portland Timbers (1979 to 1982), and for the Montreal Manic (1983). He was then an inaugural signee with the Vancouver 86ers of the Canadian Soccer League and American Professional Soccer League for whom he scored 37 goals during seasons from 1988 to 1990 and 1992 to 1994. He was with the Toronto Blizzard for the 1991 season.

Mitchell also played nine indoor soccer seasons in the old Major Indoor Soccer League with the Tacoma Stars, Kansas City Comets, and the Baltimore Blast. Mitchell finished as the league's third all-time goal scorer and fourth all-time points getting with 406 goals and 280 assists for 686 points.

International career

Mitchell played every minute of Canada's matches at the 1984 Summer Olympics, scoring three goals including the equalizer that took Brazil to extra-time and eventually penalty kicks in the quarterfinals.[4]

He made his senior debut for Canada in a September 1980 friendly match against New Zealand and played his final international in August 1993 against Australia. He represented Canada in 22 World Cup qualifiers[5] and also played in the 1986 FIFA World Cup finals in Canada's third group stage match against Hungary.[6]

International goals

Scores and results list Canada's goal tally first.
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 15 September 1980 Vancouver, Canada  New Zealand 4-0 Friendly
2 15 September 1980 Vancouver, Canada  New Zealand 4-0 Friendly
3 11 November 1980 Guatemala City, Guatemala  Guatemala 1-0 1-0 Friendly
4 12 October 1981 Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago  Trinidad and Tobago 4-2 Friendly
5 12 October 1981 Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago  Trinidad and Tobago 4-2 Friendly
6 20 April 1985 Victoria, Canada  Guatemala 2-1 1986 FIFA World Cup qualification
7 20 April 1985 Victoria, Canada  Guatemala 2-1 1986 FIFA World Cup qualification
8 5 May 1985 Guatemala City, Guatemala  Guatemala 2-1 1986 FIFA World Cup qualification
9 8 May 1985 Port-au-Prince, Haiti  Haiti 1-0 2-0 1986 FIFA World Cup qualification
10 2 June 1985 Seoul, South Korea  Ghana 2-1 Presidents Cup
11 2 October 1988 Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago  Trinidad and Tobago 2-1 Friendly
12 15 October 1988 Swangard Stadium, Burnaby, Canada  Guatemala 1-2 3-2 1990 FIFA World Cup qualification
13 15 October 1988 Swangard Stadium, Burnaby, Canada  Guatemala 2-2 3-2 1990 FIFA World Cup qualification
14 28 June 1991 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, U.S.  Honduras 1-4 2-4 1991 CONCACAF Gold Cup
15 28 June 1991 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, U.S.  Honduras 2-4 2-4 1991 CONCACAF Gold Cup
16 3 July 1991 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, U.S.  Jamaica 1-0 3-2 1991 CONCACAF Gold Cup
17 18 October 1992 National Stadium, Kingston, Jamaica  Jamaica 1-1 1-1 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification
18 1 November 1992 Varsity Stadium, Toronto, Canada  Jamaica 1-0 1-0 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification
19 8 November 1992 Swangard Stadium, Burnaby, Canada  El Salvador 2-2 2-3 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification

Managerial career

Following his retirement as a player, Mitchell coached the 86ers reserves squad and was first-team assistant coach from 1995 to 1999, when he succeeded Carl Valentine as the club's head coach (as the club changed their name to the Vancouver Whitecaps). From 2001 to 2007, Mitchell served as Canada's Under-20 national team head coach. In 2004, he served as an assistant coach to Frank Yallop with the senior national team during FIFA World Cup Qualifiers. In May 2007, he was appointed head coach of the Canadian men's senior team. In 2008, he failed to guide Canada beyond CONCACAF Stage III of the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, falling in the so-called CONCACAF Group of Death while higher-ranked nations Mexico and Honduras advanced to the final stage. He was relieved of his duties on 27 March 2009.[7]

References

  1. ↑ Goalscoring for Canada National Team - RSSSF
  2. ↑ Association announces All Time Canada Mens XI Canadasoccer.com
  3. ↑ http://www.indoorsoccerhall.com/
  4. ↑ "Previous Tournaments". FIFA.com. Retrieved 2013-12-29.
  5. ↑ Record at FIFA Tournaments - FIFA
  6. ↑ "1986 FIFA World Cup Mexico ™". FIFA.com. Retrieved 2013-12-29.
  7. ↑ "Mitchell given the boot," The Canadian Press, Friday, March 27, 2009.

External links