U.S. Soccer has its new Under-20 Men’s National Team head coach.
Former Colorado Rapids head coach Anthony Hudson has been named the new U.S. Under-20 head coach. Hudson, 38, has been out of coaching since being fired by the Rapids last May.
U.S. Soccer has been in search of a new U-20 head coach after Tab Ramos left for the Houston Dynamo coaching vacancy in October. Ramos led the U-20’s to three consecutive quarterfinal appearances in World Cup play, with the latest coming in Poland last June.
Hudson totaled an 8-26-9 record in regular-season play with the Rapids. Prior to his short MLS stint, Hudson was the manager of both the New Zealand and Bahrain Men’s National Teams, totaling a 12-13-14 combined record for both countries.
He also coached Tottenham Hotspur’s reserve side back in 2010, as well as English Conference Premier club Newport County in 2011.
The U.S. Under-20s are kicking off training camp in Bradenton, Florida this week, and will play a pair of friendlies against Mexico.
Here is the roster for the U-20 camp:
GOALKEEPERS (4): David Ochoa (Real Salt Lake), Chituru Odunze (Leicester City), John Pulskamp (Sporting Kansas City), Patrick Schulte (St. Louis University)
DEFENDERS (10): Jacob Akanyirige (San Jose Earthquakes), Nico Benalcazar (Wake Forest), Kevin Bonilla (FC Dallas), Nathan Harriel (Philadelphia Union), Ian Hoffmann (Karlsruher), Blake Malone (North Carolina), Kurowskybob Pierre (Real Salt Lake), Andre Reynolds II (Chicago Fire), Stuart Ritchie (Hannover 96), Leonardo Sepulveda (Salamanca)
MIDFIELDERS (5): Cole Bassett (Colorado Rapids), Leon Flach (St. Pauli), Aidan Morris (Columbus Crew), Marcelo Palomino (Houston Dynamo), Thomas Roberts (FC Dallas)
FORWARDS (5): Gianluca Busio (Sporting Kansas City), Cameron Harper (Celtic), Matko Miljevic (Argentinos Juniors), Dante Sealy (FC Dallas), Marlon Vargas (Seattle Sounders)
My goodness, If we are going to fail, at least do it with an American coach so at least he gets some experience and not with another Brit failure. This is on Stewart, who was poor in Phila. regarding hiring and evaluations and arrogance, and looks to be just as bad for the USA. He certainly likes European type coaches. Not so much the Latino coaches or players, it seems. That organization seems to be a shockingly bad place to work. Can’t wait for the other Berhalter to be appointed to something or other. Maybe they will let him stay in Columbus instead of moving to Chicago. We have analog leaders of USA soccer in a digital world.
I like Roberts’ game a lot…anxious to see Miljevic up top.
We’re talking youth coaches, and everybody’s freaking out because he struggled at the pro level. Were we expecting hot commodities? An underwhelming hire, but geez the mental state of U.S. Soccer fans is worrisome
There are times where I’m not actually sure what’s worse, the USSF or every arrogant know-it-all around-the-country who has a better idea on how things should be run, The 343 guys might be the worst, even though I’m a fan of what they do.
Measured. Well done.
Who is “everybody’s freaking out” comment directed towards? Way to generalize 3 commenters into “everybody freaking out!” Projecting your feelings is pretty hypocritical. You called the fan base know-it-all but you assume to know that “everybody’s freaking out!” If you do, your do diligence you will find in American soccer history, USA didn’t win a major youth tournament until Tab in 2017. Nike & Adidas tourneys don’t count. He started managing the U20s on 2011, with no manager experience. (Sargent, Dest, Durkin, Weah, EPB, Miazga, Morris, Steffen, to name a few I like watching). If the youth don’t develop, the senior players don’t get pushed, then the program doesn’t qualify for Olympics or WCs. Some of us, watch U17 & U20 players, and hope the future is better than the present. It takes talented players but it also takes good coaching! I think, he’s a scapegoat hire because Stewart’s 1st choice turned down the job. If the U20s don’t do well, now, they have some one to blame.
Gotta agree DB (though it was not my initial reaction, having watched Hudson disappoint and make excuses until ultimately going out with a tantrum here in Colorado). Basically the pool of coaches we have to choose from at the youth level isn’t some big sexy bunch. If it wasn’t “that guy who I’m familiar with who failed at the top level”, it would be “that guy I’ve never heard of” or “that former USMNT player with zero coaching experience”. People will complain under any scenario. Let’s see how he does. Ramos ended up being a great asset, but guys like him don’t grow on trees and even he did plenty of learning on the job.
It’s OK 2 Think,
My comment was sparked a lot more by place beyond SBI (which is still *usually* pretty measured).
Have you ever been on Twitter or read replies to any announcement/tweet the U.S. Soccer account makes? They were literally killing the fed and this man personally. It’s all gotten so nauseating. Adults behaving like children. *shudders*
The USSF is so unbelievably out of touch and continues to reward failure and abysmal results with new opportunities. What a terrible hire, and Earnier Stewart, Jay Berhalter, and the rest of that cabal of idiocy need to GTFO now
I smell a scapegoat!!
Sexy hire! NOT!!! Lol
Whaaaaaaaa? Am I being punk’d?