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U.S. Soccer appoints Ramos as youth technical director

Soccer - International Soccer - FIFA U-20 World Cup Turkey 2013 - Group stage - Group A - Ghana v USA

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By DAN KARELL

U.S. Soccer has decided to promote from within to replace Claudio Reyna as the U.S. National Team youth technical director.

President Sunil Gulati announced on Tuesday evening that current U.S. Under-20 head coach Tab Ramos has been appointed to the position and will balance those duties along with his U-20 job. In his new position, Ramos “will oversee the long-term strategies for development of both coaches and players at the youth level in the United States” and will “work closely with U.S. Men’s National Team head coach Jurgen Klinsmann and the other youth national team head coaches.”

“Tab’s combined knowledge and experience with youth players and the National Team program made him an ideal candidate for this position,” Gulati said in a statement to U.S. Soccer. “Along with an impressive playing career, Tab has built a notable reputation as a coach, starting at the youth club level and now with the Under-20 Men’s National Team. We’re extremely pleased to have him oversee our Youth National Team programs as we continue our goal of improving the development of our young players.”

Ramos is currently with the U-20s in Italy as they embark on an eleven-day camp. It’s the first camp for the next cycle of players, and Ramos has them set to play three friendly matches while they are in Italy, against the Hellas Verona U20s, the Iranian U-20 squad, and another opponent to be named later. The New Jersey-raised former USMNT star took the U-20 head coaching job in 2011, and has a USSF “A” level coaching license.

“Tab is the ideal person to fulfill this very important role,” Klinsmann said. “He’s been with the Senior National Team on a regular basis in order to understand our holistic approach and be able to spread the messages through our Youth National Teams as well the U.S. Soccer Development Academy. Bringing Tab on as Youth Technical Director is an important step to continue connecting the dots between all areas of player development, including coaching education, parent education, the college game and our grass roots.”

The position of youth technical director opened when Reyna became MLS expansion side New York City FC’s first hire as the director of football.

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What do you think of this news? Like the appointment of Ramos to Youth Technical Director? How do you see him influencing the national team program?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. I will be getting my USSF ‘E’ license after New Year. Taking that first step. Most of the states classes are after New Year. I think they will be using the same material for the course. It’s basically a model of Ajax and a few other youth academies. Primary formation being 4-3-3. It is full of good information.

    Reply
    • Way to go. We need more trained, youth coaches. Dont get to hung up on formations though. Formations are more about your team strengths or the opposing teams weaknesses. Most kids are used to playing a 4-4-2 no matter what the books say. I am still a firm believer that, with the right players, that it is the best/most balanced formation. I was basically handed my National D when I got out of college soccer and while the information is great, play as much as you can and watch european games. The game is ALWAYS the best teacher.

      Reply
  2. No real experience. A weak acadamy team in NJ. No real coaching cops that prove he can teach. A nat team without cohesion throughout his tenure that looked amatuerish…

    …and he gets promoted. Same as it ever was in the USSF.

    Great politician and former player who says the right things, a d kisses the right bitts, and has proven nothing. There isn’t a single person who knows Tab’s resume and who knows the game who can comprehend this.

    Every word I have said is factual but it will be deleted because Ives is friends with Tab. Very USSF like and sad.

    Reply
    • Flamed out where?

      Our group was Spain, France, and Ghana. One of the most deathiest groups of death in the history of soccer. France won the entire tournament, Ghana finished 3rd, and Spain is Spain.

      We played up to them and were NEVER getting anywhere close to out of that group.

      Reply
      • To which I would add that the US played Mexico evenly in the CONCACAF finals held in Mexico and was unlucky to lose in extra time. It was really one of the best showings for a US men’s team at any level playing in Mexico.

      • Im not just talking about the WC in which they were defeated in two games and tied one by a combined score of 9-3. Pretty crappy showing if you ask me. More so is the record since 2012 where they went on to win three games, tie one and lose 6. One of those losses was to rival Canada. In 2013 they were less than inspiring in their conference games and they were slaughtered by Mexico and France. In the Toulon tournament they lost 3 of 4. In a two year span I would say they were less than stellar even with injured players. This is not the guy I want now training our youth and still training the u-20. Even when that was his only job, he put out a team that was far from technical and far from good.

      • The Toulon tournament is also not fair to look at.

        We brought a depleted U20 squad. The rest of the teams brought U-23 squads.

        The France team that killed us? The guys that scored against us start for Marseille, Lyon, St. Mirren and Granada –on loan from Udienses.

        They’re all playing top flight football with big clubs. We never stood a chance.

        Is it fair? No, but that’s how those big tournaments work because the European countries don’t really have U-20 teams normally.

        I also believe we played against Paul Pogba–starter at Juventus.

      • So your reasoning for our poor showings is because other countries have developed their players into professionals for top teams? Isnt that what a good coach and now technical trainer would do? He has a poor track record as a coach and its not going to get better.

    • Tab made some questionable personnel moves and played players out of position. He was also beset by some terrible injuries to key players. That being said, his team tried to keep the ball on the ground and play football. In Tab we trust.

      Reply
      • Injuried and players not committing to the team severely weakened the defense. Pelosi, Packwood, Brooks, & Zimmerman would have improved the defense drastically and given us more of a fighting chance.
        Alas they were out injured or weren’t committed to the US then. Otherwise we could have had a defense comprised of:

        ——————————Stanko——————————
        —Pelosi——-Brooks——–Packwood——Yedlin—
        Would have been interesting to see how they would have faired…..

    • the U20’s run through CONCACAF was very entertaining; amazing offense, good enough defense..

      their WC was about what you would expect going up against Spain, France and Ghana (praying that we don’t get that draw for WC Brazil!!!!!!)

      Certainly excited about Tab’s future teams, especially a shot a Olympic redemption in Rio 2016.

      Reply
    • Hahaha! And as a regard I noticed you were the 4th official for the United vs Arsenal game. Still had that “deer in headlights” look on your face.

      Reply
      • *Hahaha! And as a reward I noticed you were the 4th official for the United vs Arsenal game. Still had that “deer in headlights” look on your face.

      • Wherever there is a major team that needs help, I’ll be there.

        Whenever a small, poor team thinks it can have a piece of the pie, I’ll be there.

        Whenever the check clears, I’ll be there.

  3. Is it weird that none of the great USNMT players go on to become coaches at the professional level? I would’ve thought Reyna or Ramos would’ve at least tried their hand in MLS or elsewhere before becoming administrators.

    Jason Kreis was a very good MLS player and a very good MLS coach. But not much of a story for the Nats so I exclude him.

    Reply
    • true, you got Berhalter, Vermes, Preki and Oslen but calling them USMNT greats might be a stretch..

      years from now I can see Bradley, Howard, Fridel, Renya, Ramos, Keller, Bocanegra, Gomez, Beasley, Holden, Wynalda? and who knows else going into coaching.

      interesting out of the top 10 most caps and 10 most goals we have 11 retired players:
      – (6) Jones, Balboa, Wynalda, Agoos, McBride and Keller in the press box
      – (2) Murray and Caligiurri involved in youth soccer
      – (2) and only Renya and Steward involved in pro soccer management..
      – no idea what Joe Max Moore is doing these days..

      Reply
      • Could be mistaken but I thought that Balboa was involved in the youth teams with the Rapids. As for some of the other players in your list of “Years from Now” I can’t really see Beasley, Wynalda, or Gomez as coaches…
        Boca, Holden, and Bradley I think would make very good coaches after their playing days are done.

    • I think it is more interesting that people think grat player equals great coach. In few sports is that true ( see Maradona, Ruud Gullit, Michael Jordan, etc.). Usually the mid level players become great coaches.

      I think that is because the greats have a harder time relating to average players. The average players had to work twice as hard to be as good as the guys with God given ability and know what it takes to get the most out of their players when they become coaches.

      Reply
      • This isn’t to say that Great players cannot become great players, I just don’t think you see it as often because of what I said above.

      • It’s not just a ‘relating’ issue, it’s a structural one. When you’re the star, the team adjusts to you, when you’re a middle rank player, you adjust to the team. Stars don’t need to learn different ways to play, different tactics, different thinking, and they certainly don’t learn how to express that to others. (Go ahead, ask Messi how he does it. While he may have some platitude, the real answer is ‘because he can’ sure, he works hard, prepares, etc, but at the point of the matter, he doesn’t plan, he simply does. That X factor is unteachable, he doesn’t know anything about tactics, Messi doesn’t use them, other people use tactics to try and stop him. What did Michael Jordan ever need to know about offensive strategy? What does Crosby?)

        Also frankly, there’s more money and stability in television. If you don’t have a burning desire to coach, why would you start?

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