[USL HIRING] Abe Thompson, who recently retired after an eight-year pro career, has joined United Soccer Leaguesmanagement team to oversee its youth initiative, the Next Generation Series. Thompson will serve as NGS director, overseeing all matters related to NGS administration, operations and competition.
“Abe Thompson is the perfect choice for NGS director as he has the experience and understanding of the national soccer landscape necessary to manage the unique philosophy NGS represents,”USL CEO Alec Papadakis said. “NGS will focus on developing and educating not only players, but coaches and parents as well, and Abe’s background and therelationships he has developed at all levels of the game will be of great benefit as NGS gets underway and grows.”
Thompson spent time in MLS with FC Dallas, Kansas City and Houston andplayed the past three seasons with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers.
“I am excited for this opportunity,” said Thompson, who served as director of coaching for the Hollywood Wildcats SoccerClub for the past year,. “There is an abundance of talented players in this country, and I am looking forward to helping develop and nurture their potential. By working with the nation’s mostprogressive youth soccer clubs, NGS will provide a vehicle for these players to identify the aspects of their game that require attention, as well as expose them to elite levels of training,competition and evaluation.”
Thompson is perhaps best known as a member of the 1999 U.S. U-17 World Cup team finished fourth in New Zealand and produced such stars as