Austin FC, the 27th club in Major League Soccer (MLS) and the first major league team in Austin, announced today that it has reached a multiyear agreement with Josh Wolff to become the Club’s first ever Head Coach, with an effective start date that is expected to be shortly after the conclusion of the November 2019 FIFA window.
“Josh Wolff is a rising star in the coaching ranks of our league, and on behalf of Austin FC we are thrilled to have secured a Head Coach with Josh’s exceptional character and soccer acumen to lead our Club,” explained Anthony Precourt, Chairman and CEO of Two Oak Ventures, the entity which owns the rights to operate Austin FC and its stadium, and Chairman and CEO of Austin FC. “Josh’s track record as a player and coach have prepared him for this day. When we previously worked closely together, his teams qualified for the playoffs four out of five years, played in two of the past four Eastern Conference Finals and won an Eastern Conference Championship in 2015 with an attractive, attacking, possession-oriented playing style. This makes Josh the right individual to lead Austin FC to even greater success. With his player-first mentality, deep understanding of MLS, along with his extensive scouting of CONCACAF teams and players, and experience at both the club and USMNT level, Josh was in high demand and we are delighted to have secured his services as Austin FC’s first ever Head Coach.”
“It is a tremendous honor to join Austin FC and begin the process of building Austin’s team into a world class club for all of Austin to enjoy. My family and I want to thank Anthony Precourt for granting us this amazing opportunity to be a part of this incredible city and this extraordinary undertaking,” said Wolff just before he was unveiled at an official event in Austin, Texas at Austin’s legendary Continental Club on July 23, 2019.
Wolff continued, “I know that Austin has a true love of soccer, and it is the opportunity of a lifetime to be part of the first ever major league team of any kind in the Capital of Texas. Our stated ambition is to establish ourselves quickly within MLS as a vibrant, attacking side and we want to reflect the diverse, competitive, and passionate makeup of our Club’s home, both on and off the field. We look forward to integrating within Austin at the completion of my current US Men’s National Team duties, to begin the process of building our team in advance of the 2021 season.”
Adding his congratulations was U.S. Men’s National Team head coach Gregg Berhalter who said, “I’m thrilled for both Josh and Austin FC. His continual development as a coach, hard work, and dedication to his craft has certainly earned him this opportunity. His attention to detail and meticulous preparation are qualities that will help him be successful on and off the field. He will be a great asset to Austin FC and their soccer community, and we all wish him the best of luck.”
Wolff, who twice represented the United States as a player in both the 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cup competitions, will join Austin FC at the end of the 2019 FIFA window, upon completion of his current role as Assistant Coach for the US Men’s National Team (USMNT). Wolff previously served on the staff of current USMNT Head Coach Gregg Berhalter for five (5) seasons while at Columbus Crew SC (MLS) prior to re-joining Berhalter on the USMNT staff where he assisted in the team’s recent run to the final of the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Wolff started his MLS coaching career in 2012 with D.C. United where he was an Assistant Coach through 2013. In 2014, he joined Columbus Crew SC as an Assistant Coach, where the team qualified for the playoffs in four of five seasons, winning the Eastern Conference in 2015 and competing in the MLS Cup that year.
Before becoming a coach at the highest level in the United States, Wolff’s stellar playing career spanned from 1998 to 2012, in which time he featured as a goal-scoring forward in both MLS and Germany’s 2. Bundesliga. In total, Wolff made 367 combined appearances for his club sides while tallying 106 goals and was named to the MLS All Star team in 2002 in 2006. Additionally, he received MLS and Club honors as a player, claiming the MLS Cup in 1998, winning three US Open Cup championships, in 1998, 2000, 2004 and adding one as an Assistant Coach with D.C. United, in 2013. Wolff was most recently inducted into Sporting Kansas City’s (MLS) Sporting Legends Hall of Honor after registering 46 goals in 164 competitive appearances for the Club.
A native of Stone Mountain, GA, Wolff regularly featured for the USMNT from 1998 through 2008 including two appearances in FIFA World Cup competitions, in 2002 and 2006. Across the entirety of his national team career with the USMNT, Wolff registered 52 caps and scored nine goals while wearing the Stars and Stripes. Wolff ultimately became synonymous with the legend of “Dos a Cero” after scoring an important goal for the U.S. in the historic World Cup qualifying win over Mexico in 2001 and recording an important assist in the legendary U.S. win over Mexico in the 2002 FIFA World Cup round of 16. He was also a CONCACAF Gold Cup Champion in 2002 and 2005, scoring the game-winner against Costa Rica in the 2002 final. Wolff was also named U.S. Soccer’s Young Male Athlete of the Year in 1998 and was a US Olympic team athlete in 2000, joining Team USA at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.
In Wolff’s current capacity with the USMNT, his role is to assist the head coach, Gregg Berhalter, in teaching and executing the team’s style of play, as well as analyzing and assessing training sessions and matches. His role off the field includes evaluating the US player pool both domestically and internationally, as well as working alongside the staff in detailing and defining the team’s game model. He is also responsible for leading the USMNT’s scouting efforts in the CONCACAF region, preparing scouting reports on up-coming opponents. As a result, Wolff has extensive game preparation and regional scouting experience.
Wolff’s standout MLS career, which included stints with Chicago Fire (1998 – 2002), Kansas City Wizards (2003 – 2006 and 2008 – 2010) and D.C. United (2011 – 2012), bookended two years with TSV 1860 Munchen in 2. Bundesliga (2006 – 2008.) Throughout his career Wolff has played alongside and been coached by many recognizable and influential names including Bob Bradley, Bruce Arena, Gregg Berhalter, Peter Vermes, Jesse Marsch and Ben Olsen.
(Photo:Austin FC)
