By Mike Woitalla
Shaun Tsakiris, previously U.S. Soccer Development Academy coach at Northern California club De Anza Force, has been named head coach of the U.S.U-16 boys national team.
Tsakiris, the 2014 USSDA Coach of the Year for the West region, has coached at De Anza since finishing his playing career with the USL A-League Rochester Rhinos adecade ago. Tsakiris won the 1997 NCAA Division I title with UCLA and played for the USA in the 1999 U-20 World Cup, where his teammates included Tim Howard, Taylor Twellman andCarlos Bocanegra.
U.S. Soccer youth national team head coaches (men)
U-23: Andi Herzog (appointed: 2015). U-20: Tab Ramos (2011). U-19: Brad Friedel (2016). U-18: Omid Namazi (2016). U-17: John Hackworth (December, 2015).U-16: Shaun Tsakiris (2016). U-15: TBA. U-14: Brian Johnson (2014).
Tsakiris’ first taskwith the U.S. U-16s will be a training camp in England in early February at which they will play two games against England’s youth national team.
Brad Friedel names 23-player roster for U.S. men’s U-19 trip to Spain
U.S. U-19 men’s national team coach Brad Friedel has named the first roster sincetaking the helm earlier this month. The 23-player squad will face Spain, France and host Canary Islands at Copa de Atlantico four nations tournament Jan. 27-Feb. 6. The squad includes 10 playersearning their first U.S. national team program call-ups.
All players on the roster were born in 1998 and could earn a spot on the U.S. U-20 squad that will play in the 2017 Concacaf U-20Championship in Nicaragua with the aim of gaining a berth for the South Korea-hosted 2017 U-20 World Cup, for players born on or after Jan. 1, 1997.
U-19 Copa deAtlantico Tournament
(Las Palmas, Spain)
Feb. 2: USA-Spain. Feb. 3: USA-France. Feb. 5: USA-Canary Islands
GOALKEEPERS (3): Benjamin Hale* (FC Dallas academy), William Pulisic (Richmond United), Kevin Silva (PDA).
DEFENDERS (8): Reginald Cannon (FC Dallas academy), Tanner Dieterich (RSL Arizona), David Longo* (Weston FC), Hector Montalvo* (FC Dallas academy), Edwin Munjoma* (FC Dallas academy), John Nelson(Internationals SC), Grant Robinson* (D.C. United academy), Auston Trusty (Philadelphia Union academy).
MIDFIELDERS (9): Eric Calvillo (Real SoCal), Pierre Da Silva (OrlandoCity SC academy), John Denis* (Beachside SC), McKinze Gaines II (Lonestar SC), David Loera (Orlando City SC academy), Terrell Lowe (Portland Timbers academy), Weston McKinnie (FC Dallas academy),Djordje Mihailovic* (Chicago Fire academy), Paxton Pomykal* (FC Dallas academy).
FORWARDS (3): Simon Lekressner* (Crossfire Premier academy), Brian Saramago (New York Red Bullsacademy), Ethan Zubak* (LA Galaxy academy).
* Players earning first national team program call-up.
USA finishes secondat Aegean Cup
The USA lost to host Turkey, 3-1, in the final of the Mercedes-Benz Aegean Cup for under-16 men’s national teams on Saturday. The Turks scored all three goals beforesub Adrian Villegas had a consolation goal for the USA, which fielded the team that recently entered residency in Bradenton, Florida.
The USA, coached byJohn Hackworth, beat Belgium and Greece and lost to Romania in the group stage. It edged Greece for first place based on head-to-head. Georgia United’s AndrewCarleton led the USA with two goals and an assist.
The USA won the tournament in 2014 but took only one of three games in 2015.
Jan. 23 inIzmir, Turkey
Turkey 3 USA 1. Goals: Karaahmet 19 Islam Ilkin (Babacan) 24, Gul 50; Villegas 76.
USA lineup — Garces; Cornfield-Saunders (Vaughn,56), Arteaga, Durkin (McGann, 64), Vasquez (Lindsey, 56); Sands (Akinola, 41), Ferri (Goslin, 64), Acosta; Carleton (Villegas, 56), Sargent, Garcia-Morillo (Temple, 51).
Jan. 21 in Izmir, Turkey
USA 2 Belgium 0. Goals: Carleton (Ferri) 23, Sargent (Carleton) 73.
USA lineup — Garces; Cornfield-Saunders,Arteaga, Durkin, Vasquez (Goslin, 80); Sands, Ferri (Shaver, 69), Acosta (Villegas, 60); Carleton, Akinola (Garcia-Morillo, 69), Temple (Sargent, 30).
Jan.19 in Izmir, Turkey
USA 2 Greece 1. Goals: Carleton (Acosta) 46, Temple (Akinola) 66; Gkargkalatzidis 67.
USA lineup — Garces; Vaughn, Arteaga,Durkin, Vasquez; Sands, Ferri (Cornfield-Sounders, 76), Acosta (McGann,80); Carleton (Akinola, 60),Garcia-Morillo, Temple (Sargent, 70).
Jan. 18 in Izmir,Turkey
USA 0 Romania 1. Goal: Sefer 2.
USA lineup — Budnik; Cornfield-Sounders (Garcia-Morillo, 70), McGann, Shaver, Lindsey (Vasquez, 52);Durkin, Goslin, Villegas (Ferri, 52); Carleton, Sargent, Akinola (Temple, 62).
U-15: Brian Kleiban?
Cookie cutter coaches should be forbidden as we move forward.
I am just curious as to why now that US Soccer has all but ruined high school soccer why don’t they go after some of these very successful HS coaches across the country? These are coaches who have been providing colleges in all divisions top players for years. These are coaches who have competed and won state championships for many years. Its evident they can relate to the youngsters because of the success they have had over the years. I am very well aware that HS soccer in some parts of the country leave a lot to be desired but there have been hot beds of excellent soccer in many areas of this country for years. Just curious what others think.