American coaches of foreign national soccer teams

Several Americans have served as the head coach of a foreign national soccer team.[1] Americans coaching foreign national teams is seen as an important step in improving the perceptions of American soccer.[2]

During the 1900s, Americans coaching foreign national teams were rare. The first American to coach a foreign national soccer team was Mark Scott Thompson, who was appointed El Salavador's first ever head coach in 1930.[3] Alkis Panagoulias led the U.S. team in the 1980s including the 1984 Summer Olympics, before soccer had become fully established in the U.S.,[4] in between stints with the Greece national team. When Panagoulias led Greece to the 1994 World Cup, he was the only American head coach in the tournament.[5]

Since the 1990s and the establishment of Major League Soccer, Americans coaching foreign national teams has become more frequent. Bill Moravek was the first American-born head coach of a foreign national team.[6]

Alkis Panagoulias, Steve Sampson and Bob Bradley all led the United States national team before later becoming head coach of a foreign national team;[7] Afshin Ghotbi served as a U.S. national team assistant coach before taking over the Iran national side.[8]

Egypt's hiring of Bradley in 2011 was seen as a milestone in the growth of American soccer — an American coach taking over a team with a history of success.[9] Bradley's hiring was seen as an important step that would help other American coaches land oversees coaching jobs.[10] Bradley was also the first American head coach of a Major League Soccer team to become the head coach of a foreign national side.[11]

Two American coaches faced each other in the 2003 Gold Cup when the Steve Sampson coached Costa Rica faced the United States, coached by Sampson's successor Bruce Arena.[12] Ian Mork had the distinction of coaching Belize against his native United States in the 2013 Gold Cup.[13][14] Another occasion where two national sides played where both teams were coached by Americans was the 3–0 victory by Thomas Dooley's Philippines over Jack Stefanowski's Nepal in a 2014 friendly match.[15] Jack Stefanowski was not a well-known American coach until he took the reins of the Nepal national team, where his highlight was leading Nepal to victory over rival India in the South Asian Football Federation championships.[16]

The only American currently coaching a foreign national team is Thomas Dooley, former captain of the U.S. national team, who was hired by the Philippines in 2014.[17][18][19] Dooley is also the first person who has played for the U.S. national team to coach a foreign national team.[20]

Coach National team Years
Mark Scott Thompson[21] El Salvador 1930–1935
Alkis Panagoulias[22] Greece 1973–76, 1977–81, 1992–94
Bill Moravek[23] British Virgin Islands 2000–2001
Steve Sampson[24] Costa Rica 2002–2004
Afshin Ghotbi[25] Iran 2009–2011
Ian Mork[26] Belize 2009, 2012, 2013–2014
Bob Bradley[27] Egypt 2011–2013
Jack Stefanowski[28] Nepal 2013–2015
Thomas Dooley[29] Philippines 2014–

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Dooley seventh American to coach foreign national team", Soccer America, February 8, 2014.
  2. ↑ "Jack Stefanowski Hopes to Elevate Nepal National Side", American Soccer Now, Brian Sciaretta, November 4, 2014. ("I think the more American coaches we can get abroad, [the] more respect,” Stefanowski said. “I hope that this matchup between two American head coaches gives our coaches back home more hope and opportunities to work abroad."
  3. ↑ "Bradley's job a boost for U.S. credibility", ESPN, Jeff Carlisle, September 28, 2011. ("Mark Scott Thompson became the first U.S. coach to head up another country's national team when he took over El Salvador.")
  4. ↑ "Team America Is Taking Shape", New York Times, February 23, 1983.
  5. ↑ "World Cup '94 : WORLD CUP USA '94 / GROUP D PREVIEW : Modern Greek Heroes : Former U.S. Coach Panagoulias at the Helm of Nation's Rise to Prominence", LA Times, William Montalbano, June 12, 1994.
  6. ↑ "For Soccer Coach, Life's an Island Paradise", Washington Post, Brian Strauss, August 6, 2000. ("Moravek is the first American-born coach to lead a foreign national team.")
  7. ↑ "Bob Bradley And Egypt Can Make History Together", Empire of Soccer, Dave Martinez, September 16, 2011.
  8. ↑ "Afshin Ghotbi's improbable journey", ESPN, Mark Young, December 23, 2010.
  9. ↑ "Bob Bradley And Egypt Can Make History Together", Empire of Soccer, Dave Martinez, September 16, 2011.
  10. ↑ "Bradley's job a boost for U.S. credibility", ESPN, Jeff Carlisle, September 28, 2011. ("it's an important step in gaining credibility for American soccer, not just American coaches, not just Bob Bradley, but the entire American soccer community . . . If he's successful, it may well open the door for other American coaches to get opportunities abroad.")
  11. ↑ "Bob Bradley And Egypt Can Make History Together", Empire of Soccer, Dave Martinez, September 16, 2011. ("former U.S. Men’s National Team and M.L.S. product Bob Bradley has become a trailblazer.")
  12. ↑ "GOLD CUP: Sampson vs. Arena for third-place", Soccer America, July 25, 2003.
  13. ↑ "American Ian Mork to coach Belize against his home country", Sports Illustrated, RJ Rico, July 8, 2013.
  14. ↑ "Gold Cup: Belize's American coach says his players will show USMNT they can make it in MLS", MLSsoccer.com, Jonah Freedman, July 8, 2013. ("Mork (at right) is on a very short list of Americans who have coached foreign national teams, believed to be around a half-dozen.")
  15. ↑ "Jack Stefanowski Hopes to Elevate Nepal National Side", American Soccer Now, Brian Sciaretta, November 4, 2014. (“the perception of an American coach coming in, I don’t think people were too sure ... It’s definitely a challenge perception-wise for an American coach to come out to Asia or even Nepal.")
  16. ↑ "From Queens to Kathmandu: a New Yorker's two-year stint as Nepal's coach", The Guardian, Les Carpenter, October 22, 2015.
  17. ↑ "Philippines coach Thomas Dooley confident heading into World Cup qualifier against Uzbekistan", Sydney Morning Herald, Jason Dasey, September 2, 2015.
  18. ↑ "Former U.S. captain to coach Philippines soccer team", Baltimore Sun, Kevin Baxter, February 7, 2014. ("The German-born Dooley, the son of a U.S. serviceman, joins former coaches Steve Sampson (Costa Rica), Bob Bradley (Egypt), Thomas Rongen (American Samoa) and current coaches Ian Mork (Belize) and Jack Stefanowski (Nepal) as Americans coaching national teams overseas.")
  19. ↑ "Dooley to coach Philippines soccer team", Yahoo! Sports, February 7, 2014. ("Other Americans currently in charge of national teams are Ian Mork (Belize) and Jack Stefanowski (Nepal).")
  20. ↑ "Dooley seventh American to coach foreign national team", Soccer America, February 8, 2014.
  21. ↑ El Salvador-Guatemala: Una vieja rivalidad at elsalvador.com (in Spanish)
  22. ↑ "Greek Coach A `Modern Hero'", Chicago Tribune, Robert Markus, December 20, 1993.
  23. ↑ "Ex-U.S. national coach Bob Bradley up for job in Egypt", Sporting News, Brian Strauss, August 8, 2011.
  24. ↑ "SOCCER: NOTEBOOK; Former U.S. Coach Winning in Costa Rica", New York Times, Jack Bell, June 10, 2003. ("there have been a lot of doubters, people asking how can an American come down here and show us how to play soccer?")
  25. ↑ "Afshin Ghotbi's improbable journey", ESPN, Mark Young, December 23, 2010.
  26. ↑ "American Ian Mork to coach Belize against his home country", Sports Illustrated, R.J. Rico, July 8, 2013.
  27. ↑ "Soccer in the Storm", ESPN, Wayne Drehs.
  28. ↑ "Jack Stefanowski, American coach of Nepali national soccer team, recounts earthquake aftermath", Washington Post, Adam Kilgore, May 4, 2015.
  29. ↑ "Soccer in the Philippines Scrambles for a Toehold, With an American Leading the Way", New York Times, John Duerden, November 23, 2016.
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