Omid Namazi

{{Infobox football biography

| name= Omid Namazi

| fullname = Omid Hamid Namazi Zadeh{{Cite web |title=Team profile: Islamic Republic of Iran |url=http://stats.the-afc.com/tournament/140/teams/30/profile |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20201126075757/http://stats.the-afc.com/tournament/140/teams/30/profile |archive-date=November 26, 2020 |access-date=November 26, 2020 |website=Asian Football Confederation }}{{Cite web |title=Omid Namazi – Player Info |url=https://globalsportsarchive.com/people/soccer/omid-namazi/267545/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201126080239/https://globalsportsarchive.com/people/soccer/omid-namazi/267545/ |archive-date=November 26, 2020 |access-date=November 26, 2020 |website=GlobalSportsArchive.com}}

| image = Omid Namazi training Zob Ahan.jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Namazi in Zob Ahan training in 2018

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1964|12|8}}{{Cite web |title=Omid Namazi |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/omid-namazi |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201126081219/https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/omid-namazi |archive-date=November 26, 2020 |access-date=November 26, 2020 |website=Major League Soccer}}

| birth_place = Provo, Utah, U.S.

| height = 5ft 10in

| position = Defender

| currentclub =

| collegeyears1 = 1984–1987

| college1 = West Virginia Mountaineers

| years1 = 1988–1989

| years2 = 1990

| years3 = 1990–1991

| years4 = 1992

| years5 = 1992–1993

| years6 = 1993–1994

| years7 = 1994–1996

| years8 = 1996

| years9 = 1996

| years10 = 1996–2002

| years11 = 1997

| years12 = 1997

| years13 = 1998

| years14 = 2001

| years15 = 2003–2005

| years16 = 2005–2006

| years17 = 2007–2008

| clubs1 = Washington Diplomats

| clubs2 = Deportes Iquique

| clubs3 = Maryland Bays

| clubs4 = Ft. Lauderdale Strikers

| clubs5 = Reading

| clubs6 = Los Angeles Salsa

| clubs7 = Baltimore Spirit (indoor)

| clubs8 = Delaware Wizards

| clubs9 = → MetroStars (loan)

| clubs10 = Philadelphia KiXX (indoor)

| clubs11 = New Jersey Stallions

| clubs12 = Carolina Dynamo

| clubs13 = Staten Island Vipers

| clubs14 = South Jersey Barons

| clubs15 = Cleveland Force (indoor)

| clubs16 = St. Louis Steamers (indoor)

| clubs17 = New Jersey Ironmen (indoor)

| caps1 =

| caps2 =

| caps3 =

| caps4 = 14

| caps5 =

| caps6 =

| caps7 = 65

| caps8 =

| caps9 = 1

| caps10 = 180

| caps11 =

| caps12 =

| caps13 =

| caps14 = 4

| caps15 = 18

| caps16 = 2

| caps17 = 4

| goals1 =

| goals2 =

| goals3 =

| goals4 = 1

| goals5 =

| goals6 =

| goals7 = 10

| goals8 =

| goals9 = 0

| goals10 = 72

| goals11 =

| goals12 =

| goals13 =

| goals14 = 0

| goals15 = 2

| goals16 = 0

| goals17 = 0

| nationalyears1 = 2002–2003

| nationalteam1 = United States futsal

| nationalcaps1 =

| nationalgoals1 =

| manageryears1 = 1999–2002

| manageryears2 = 2002–2003

| manageryears3 = 2004–2005

| manageryears4 = 2005–2006

| manageryears5 = 2007–2009

| manageryears6 = 2009

| manageryears7 = 2010

| manageryears8 = 2010–2011

| manageryears9 = 2011–2014

| manageryears10= 2014

| manageryears11= 2014–2017

| manageryears12= 2016–2018

| manageryears13= 2018

| manageryears14= 2019

| manageryears15= 2019

| manageryears16= 2019

| manageryears17= 2019–2021

| manageryears18= 2022–2023

| manageryears19= 2023

| managerclubs1 = Philadelphia KiXX

| managerclubs2 = San Diego Spirit

| managerclubs3 = Cleveland Force

| managerclubs4 = St. Louis Steamers

| managerclubs5 = New Jersey Ironmen

| managerclubs6 = Ironbound SC (assistant)

| managerclubs7 = Chicago Red Stars

| managerclubs8 = Steel Azin (assistant)

| managerclubs9 = Iran (assistant)

| managerclubs10= United States women (assistant)

| managerclubs11= United States U20 (assistant)

| managerclubs12= United States U18

| managerclubs13= Zob Ahan

| managerclubs14= United States U20 (assistant)

| managerclubs15= FC Helsingør

| managerclubs16= Iran U23 (assistant)

| managerclubs17= Houston Dynamo (assistant)

| managerclubs18= Hartford Athletic (assistant)

| managerclubs19= Hartford Athletic

}}

Omid Namazi ({{langx|fa|امید نمازی}}; born December 8, 1964) is an Iranian-American former professional soccer player and coach. Namazi is a USSF “Pro” coaching license holder. Namazi played professionally as a defender in the American Soccer League, American Professional Soccer League, Major League Soccer, USISL and National Professional Soccer League where he was the 2001 Defender of the Year and he played for United States national futsal team. He is a two-time Coach of the Year in the Major Indoor Soccer League and coached in the Women's United Soccer Association. As assistant coach of Iran, he led the team to qualification to the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2015 AFC Asian Cup.

Early life

Namazi was born in Provo, Utah, when his father, Mehdi Namazi, was attending Brigham Young University to study for a master's degree. The family returned to Iran where Namazi grew up in Tehran. When he was eighteen, his father moved the family back to the United States after the Iranian Revolution. They settled in Washington, D.C. metro area of Herndon, Virginia. Namazi attended West Virginia University where he played on the men's soccer team from 1984 to 1987. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in exercise philosophy.STRIKERS' NAMAZI LIVED THROUGH HISTORIC ORDEAL Sun-Sentinel – Saturday, May 2, 1992

Playing career

In 1988, Namazi turned professional with the Washington Diplomats of the American Soccer League. He spent two seasons with the Dips.{{Cite web |date=January 25, 2007 |title=1988 Washington Diplomats |url=http://a-leaguearchive.tripod.com/1988/statsasl88.htm#WD |access-date=January 16, 2012 |publisher=A-Leaguearchive.tripod.com}}{{Cite web |date=January 27, 2007 |title=1989 Washington Diplomats |url=http://a-leaguearchive.tripod.com/1989/statsasl89.htm#WD |access-date=January 16, 2012 |publisher=A-Leaguearchive.tripod.com}} Namazi played a handful of games with the Hershey Impact of the American Indoor Soccer Association during the 1989–1990 season before being released on January 13, 1990.DEALS THE SEATTLE TIMES – Saturday, January 13, 1990 In 1990, he moved to the Maryland Bays of the American Professional Soccer League.{{Cite web |date=January 27, 2007 |title=1990 Maryland Bays |url=http://a-leaguearchive.tripod.com/1990/statsasl90.htm#WD |access-date=January 16, 2012 |publisher=A-Leaguearchive.tripod.com}} The Bays won the league championships that season.{{Cite web |title=The Year in American Soccer – 1990 |url=http://homepages.sover.net/~spectrum/year/1990.html#APSL |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130713135008/http://homepages.sover.net/~spectrum/year/1990.html#APSL |archive-date=July 13, 2013 |access-date=January 16, 2012 |publisher=Homepages.sover.net}} He played the 1991 season in Maryland{{Cite web |date=January 27, 2007 |title=1991 Maryland Bays |url=http://a-leaguearchive.tripod.com/1991/stats91.htm#Maryland |access-date=January 16, 2012 |publisher=A-Leaguearchive.tripod.com}} before moving to the Fort Lauderdale Strikers for the 1992 season.{{Cite web |date=January 27, 2007 |title=1992 Fort Lauderdale Strikers |url=http://a-leaguearchive.tripod.com/1992/stats92.htm#Ft.L |access-date=January 16, 2012 |publisher=A-Leaguearchive.tripod.com}} Namazi played for Reading F.C. during the winter of 1992–1993.STRIKERS REVIVE YOUTH SOCCER CAMPS The Miami Herald (FL) – Sunday, December 6, 1992 In April 1993, he signed with the Los Angeles Salsa of the APSL and played two seasons with them. In December 1994, he signed with the Baltimore Spirit of the National Professional Soccer League.{{Cite web |date=December 3, 1994 |title=Spirit's 4th-period rush tames Wave, 17–14 |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/1994/12/03/spirits-4th-period-rush-tames-wave-17-14/ |access-date=January 16, 2012 |work=The Baltimore Sun}} In 1995, he was selected as Second Team All Rookie. In April 1995, the Seattle SeaDogs selected Namadi in the Continental Indoor Soccer League draft, but he declined to sign with them. In 1996, he moved outdoors with the Delaware Wizards of the USISL. He played with the MetroStars of Major League Soccer on loan from the Spirit on July 4, 1996.{{Cite web |date=March 8, 2007 |title=Obscure Metro Files: One-game wonders |url=http://metrofanatic.com/story.jsp?ID=4248 |access-date=January 16, 2012 |publisher=Metrofanatic.com}} In June 1996, the Philadelphia KiXX selected Namazi in the NPSL expansion draft.NOT HOUSEHOLD NAMES: KIXX HOPING PLAYERS CHOSEN IN DRAFT WILL CATCH ON Philadelphia Daily News (PA) – Wednesday, June 5, 1996 In 1997, he was the USISL Defender of the Year with the New Jersey Stallions.{{Cite web |title=The Year in American Soccer – 1997 |url=http://homepages.sover.net/~spectrum/year/1997.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101218145254/http://homepages.sover.net/~spectrum/year/1997.html |archive-date=December 18, 2010 |access-date=January 16, 2012 |publisher=Homepages.sover.net}} In August 1997, he joined the Carolina Dynamo late in the season.DATE FOR MUTINY GAME SHOULD BE FINALIZED TODAY Greensboro News & Record – Tuesday, August 12, 1997 In 1998, he played for the Staten Island Vipers. Namazi continued to play for the KiXX until he left four games into the 2002–2003 season. He was the 2001 NPSL Defender of the Year and won the 2002 MISL championship with the KiXX. In 2001, he played four games for the South Jersey Barons of the USISL.{{Cite web |title=Barons All Time Roster |url=http://www.oceancityfc.com/docs/oceancityfcpdl/OceanCityFC-AllTimeStats.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304101616/http://www.oceancityfc.com/docs/oceancityfcpdl/OceanCityFC-AllTimeStats.pdf |archive-date=March 4, 2012 |access-date=January 16, 2012}} In December 2003, the Cleveland Force traded Steve Klein to the KiXX in exchange for the rights to Namazi. He played for the Force until 2005. In 2002 and 2003, Namazi played for the United States national futsal team.

Managerial career

In March 1999, the Philadelphia KiXX fired Dave MacWilliams. Namazi, on injured reserve after knee surgery, served as interim head coach.Kixx's Namazi doesn't want to play, coach Milwaukee Journal Sentinel – Tuesday, April 6, 1999 His success led to a permanent contract in July 1999. In 2001, Namazi took the KiXX to the MISL championship series where the team fell to the Milwaukee Wave. In 2002, the KiXX won the championship, defeating the Wave. Four games into the 2002–2003 season, Namazi left the KiXX to become head coach of the San Diego Spirit of Women's United Soccer Association."MISL's Namazi reported set as coach of Spirit" The San Diego Union-Tribune – Thursday, October 24, 2002 He took the Spirit to the semifinals of the WUSA playoffs, the only season the Spirit made the playoffs. The WUSA collapsed at the end of the season and Namazi returned to playing for the Cleveland Force in October 2003. In March 2004, the Force named Namazi as interim head coach, making him the permanent head coach a month later. He took the Force to the 2005 MISL championship series, losing to the Milwaukee Wave. The Force collapsed during the off season. On September 21, 2005, Namazi became the head coach of the St. Louis Steamers."Namazi replaces Doran as coach" St. Louis Post-Dispatch – Thursday, September 22, 2005 He took the Steamers to the championship series where they lost to the Baltimore Spirit. The Steamers folded during the off-season and Namazi moved to California to coach youth soccer for a year. He returned to coaching indoor soccer in September 2007 with the New Jersey Ironmen."Arrival of Ironmen, MISL made official" Star-Ledger (Newark, New Jersey) – Friday, June 22, 2007 On June 3, 2010, Namazi was named head coach of the Chicago Red Stars in the Women's Professional Soccer, replacing Emma Hayes.{{Cite web |date=June 3, 2010 |title=Chicago Red Stars Name Omid Namazi Head Coach |url=http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/1698/womens-soccer/2010/06/03/1957476/chicago-red-stars-name-omid-namazi-head-coach |access-date=January 16, 2012 |publisher=Goal.com}}

In December 2010, Namazi was named as an assistant coach to the Iran Pro League club Steel Azin F.C. On April 28, 2011, he became assistant coach of the Iranian national team alongside Carlos Queiroz and goalkeeping coach Dan Gaspar.{{Cite web |date=May 13, 2011 |title=JOINING QUERIOZ: Namazi named to Iranian staff |url=http://bigapplesoccer.com/article.php?article_id=27219 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120325052201/http://bigapplesoccer.com/article.php?article_id=27219 |archive-date=March 25, 2012 |access-date=January 16, 2012 |publisher=Bigapplesoccer.com}} On June 18, 2013, Iran qualified for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, before qualifying for the 2015 AFC Asian Cup months later.{{Cite web |date=November 20, 2013 |title=Asian Cup 2015 (Qs) MD5: Lebanon 1-4 Iran |url=http://www.the-afc.com/en/tournaments/men/afc-asian-cup-qualifiers/27245-lib-irn-md5-201113.html |publisher=AFC}} On March 26, 2014, Namazi became the assistant coach of the United States women's national soccer team.{{Cite web|url=http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2014/04/04/12/28/140326-omid-namazi-named-asst-coach|title=News & Stories | U.S. Soccer Official Website}} Later in the year, he became the assistant coach to Tab Ramos with the United States men's national under-20 soccer team.{{Cite web |title=U-20 Men's National Team | U.S. Soccer Official Website |url=https://www.ussoccer.com/teams/u-20-mens-national-team |website=ussoccer.com}}

In January 2016, Namazi was appointed as the new head coach for the United States men's national under-18 soccer team.{{Cite web|url=http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2016/01/04/20/24/160104-u18mnt-u19mnt-us-soccer-names-omid-namazi-brad-friedel-youth-national-team-coaches|title=News & Stories | U.S. Soccer Official Website}} He won the 2017 CONCACAF U-20 Championship as assistant coach of the US team with Tab Ramos and Brad Friedel.{{Cite web|url=http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2017/03/04/00/21/20170303-recap-u20mnt-clinches-place-at-2017-fifa-u20-world-cup-with-2-1-win-against-el-salvador|title = News & Stories | U.S. Soccer Official Website}}

In May 2018, Namazi became head coach of Persian Gulf Pro League side Zob Ahan with signing a one-year deal. However, he and the club agreed to part ways only six months into the appointment.

Namazi then joined the technical staff of the United States U20 national team under manager Tab Ramos. In the beginning of April 2019, Namazi was also hired at the Danish club FC Helsingør. He was responsible for all scouting in North America.[https://www.bold.dk/fodbold/nyheder/fch-hyrer-tidligere-amerikansk-u-landstraener/ FCH hyrer tidligere amerikansk U-landstræner], bold.dk, April 9, 2019 On April 22, FC Helsingør sacked their manager, and the club announced that Namazi would take charge as a caretaker for the rest of the season.[https://fchelsingor.dk/2019/04/22/cheftraener-peter-feher-stopper-i-fc-helsingoer/ CHEFTRÆNER PETER FEHER STOPPER I FC HELSINGØR], fchelsingor.dk, April 22, 2019 On June 8, 2019, he agreed to continue as manager for the club for the upcoming season.[https://www.bold.dk/fodbold/nyheder/amerikansk-fc-helsingoer-vikar-faar-fast-aftale/ Amerikansk FC Helsingør-vikar får fast aftale], bold.dk, June 8, 2019 However, Namazi expressed regret two weeks later and announced that he would not continue with the Danish club and would move back to the United States.[https://www.bold.dk/fodbold/nyheder/cheftraener-fortsaetter-alligevel-ikke-i-helsingoer/ Cheftræner fortsætter alligevel ikke i Helsingør], bold.dk, June 23, 2019

On September 2, 2022, Namazi joined Hartford Athletic of the USL Championship as an assistant coach and director of scouting. The move reunites Namazi with recently appointed manager Tab Ramos, who Namazi had previously coached with while on the staff of the United States men's national under-20 soccer team and the Houston Dynamo.{{cite web |last1=Leduc |first1=M. |title=Hartford Athletic Name Omid Namazi Assistant Coach and Director of Scouting |url=https://www.hartfordathletic.com/news/2022/09/02/hartford-athletic-name-omid-namazi-assistant-coach-and-director-of-scouting/ |website=HartfordAthletic.com |access-date=2 September 2022}} After a 2-10-4 start to the 2023 season, Ramos was relieved of his coaching duties and Namazi was named head coach.{{cite web |last1=Leduc |first1=M. |title=Tab Ramos Relieved of Head Coaching Duties |url=https://www.hartfordathletic.com/news/2023/06/26/tab-ramos-relieved-of-head-coaching-duties/ |website=HartfordAthletic.com |publisher=Hartford Athletic |access-date=26 June 2023}}

=Managerial statistics=

rowspan="2"\|Team !rowspan="2"\|From !rowspan="2"\|To !colspan="8"\|Record
class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
G	W	D	L	GF	GA	+/-	Win %
Zob Ahan \|align="left"\| June 2018 \|align="left"\| November 2018 {{WDL\|11\|2\|5\|4\|for=11\|against=13\|diff=yes}}
colspan="3"\|Total {{WDLtot\|11\|2\|5\|4\|for=11\|against=13\|diff=yes}}

References

External links

[http://www.ussoccer.com/us-under20-mens-national-team/coaching-staff US men's U-20 coaching staff]
[http://metrofanatic.com/team/player.jsp?ID=31 MetroStars profile]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20081216083116/http://www.baltimoreblast.com/statistics/alltimeroster/ Baltimore Spirit/Blast stats]
[https://instagram.com/omidnamazi3?igshid=pbuoq471phgl Omid Namazi] on Instagram

Category:1964 births

Category:Living people

Category:American soccer coaches

Category:American men's soccer players

Category:American Professional Soccer League players

Category:American Soccer League (1988–89) players

Category:Baltimore Spirit players

Category:North Carolina Fusion U23 players

Category:Reading F.C. players

Category:American people of Iranian descent

Category:Cleveland Force (2002–2005 MISL) players

Category:Delaware Wizards players