A pair of seemingly contradictory truisms exist about MLS coaching candidates: that a foreign coach from outside the traditional candidate pool would be desirable, and that the many quirks of the league (salary cap, college draft, discovery claims, and the like) make it very difficult to come from a foreign background and succeed as a coach. Certainly the experiences of failed hirings such as those discussed by Goal.com's Allen Ramsey following John Carver's resignation from Toronto FC provide a cautionary tale.
But a group of foreign born coaches are already exposed to the league: they played in it. Of the 565 foreign born players to play at one game in MLS since 1996, sixteen have experience coaching professionally at the second division or higher, or with national teams. Whether or not they stayed in MLS long enough to grasp every nuance, and whether their tenure in the league is recent enough that it helps them navigate the current structure, at one time they were exposed to our oddities. Theoretically at least, this makes them "transcendental" candidates who have a desirable foreign pedigree and familiarity with the league. Three others - Jason Bent, Oscar Pareja, and Mark Watson - have some combination of playing and coaching experience that merits their inclusion here. The candidates, in alphabetical order:
Khodadad Azizi (Iran, San Jose 2000) coached Iranian club side Abu Moslem for part of the season in 2007, a tenure marked by a reported fight with a club official following a decision to pull one of his players with whom he was upset towards the end of a game, despite not having any subs remaining.
Jason Bent (Canada, Colorado 1998-2000) was appointed director of Toronto FC's Academy Senior Team in 2008, a post he continues to hold. While he lacks first team coaching experience, this exposure to the league is notable.
Mauricio Cienfuegos (El Salvador, Los Angeles 1996-2003) took the helm of Salvadoran First Division club Nejapa FC in 2008, leading it for parts of two seasons before stepping down. He is reportedly interested in coaching in MLS.
Jorge Dely Valdes (Panama, Colorado 1999-2000) has worked with various levels of his native Panamanian National Team since 2006, including stints as interim managed of the senior team, assitanships with both the U-17 and U-20 squads, and his current post as head coach of the U-17s.
Richard Gough (Scotland, Kansas City and San Jose, 1997-99) seemed like a player destined for a coaching career following retirement, and three years after his retirement in 2001 he took the helm of Livingston FC for one season, 2004-05. He has not coached professionally since.
Daniel Guzman (Mexico, San Jose 1997) played only three games in MLS, but boasts one of the most extensive coaching careers of any former MLSer. Beginning in 2002, he has helmed Guadalajara, Tecos, Veracruz, Atlas, and Santos Laguna prior to assuming his current post with Tigres, all of the Mexican First Division.
Brian Haynes (Trinidad & Tobago, Dallas 1996-2000) has one of the more intriguing coaching careers of the former MLS internationals. He served as an assistant with Dallas following his retirement (2001-06), then took charge of the Real Colorado Cougars of the W-League; he holds a USSF 'A' coaching license.
Marcelo Herrera (Argentina, Miami 1998) took the helm of LD Alajuelense of the Costa Rican First Division in 2008, leading the team to a runners-up finish in the Winter Tournament. This Spring, however, the club suffered through one of its worst seasons ever, and Herrera will step down on 30 June.
Lubos Kubik (Czech Republic, Chicago and Dallas 1998-2001) coached in both Poland (with Slask Wroclaw) and England (with Torquay United) with equally dismal results. In fact, Kubik's fifteen game tenure as Torquay manager in 2006-07 produced only two wins, saw the hiring of a "consultant" co-manager, and the eventual relgation of the squad out of League 2.
Lothar Matthaus (Germany, New York 2000) seems a long shot as an MLS coach, because of his apparent disdain for the league while he was with the MetroStars, his having abruptly quit as manager of Brazilian side Atletico Paranaense to be closer to his family, his having quit in frustration with the finances of Israeli side Maccabi Netanya, and stated desire to coach in the Bundesliga next. But his bona fides are strong otherwise, with stints at Rapid Vienna, Partizan Belgrade, Red Bull Salzburg, and the Hungarian National Team also on his resume since 2001.
Hong Myung-Bo (South Korea, Los Angeles 2003-04) boasts a coaching career similar to Dely Valdes, with a variety of jobs with the ROK National Team since 2005: assistant NT coach (05-07), assistant U-23 coach (07-08), and head U-20 coach (current). Also like Dely Valdes, he is one of the highest profile former players his country produced.
Oscar Pareja (Colombia, Dallas 1998-2005) differs from many other candidates in the length of time he spent with MLS. His coaching career is also less accomplished, as his only position to date is with the US U-17 program, as an assistant coach since 2007. His engagement with a "new" player base in the USNT pool is intriguing.
Hugo Sanchez (Mexico, Dallas 1996) is, like Matthaus, one of the highest profile players ever to suit up for an MLS club. He has also led a national team (his native Mexico) and clubs in more than one country (UNAM and Nexaca in Mexico and UD Almeria in Spain). Apparently committed to Almeria for another year, and likely with a high salary demand, his name has nonetheless come up in MLS discussions before, and may again.
Igor Simutenkov (Russia, Kansas City 2002-04) led Moscow-based Second Division Russian side FC Torpedo RG (alternately named Torpedo-ZIL and FC Torpedo-ZIL since its founding in 2003).
Hristo Stoichkov (Bulgaria, Chicago and DC United 2000-03) hasn't met with much success in his first two coaching stops, thought that hasn't prevented being hired for a third. Two Bulgarian NT captains quit during his 2004-07 tenure, and Celta Vigo floundered to the bottom of the Spanish segunda before he was let go. His next post: Abu Moslem, the same Iranian club which Azizi led a few years ago.
Istvan Urbanyi (Hungary, San Jose 1997-98) has one of the stranger national team coaching duties in the world: he coaches the Maldives NT, best known for being thrashed by Iran in World Cup qualifying. Or does he (note the coach at the top right of the page)? He also coached Hungarian side Ujpest FC from 2006-08.
Mark Watson (Canada, Columbus and New England 1996, DC 2001) served as an assistant with the Canadian NT from 2004-08, as well as overlapping assistantships with the Charleston Battery (2006-present) and the Canadian U-20 squad (2007-present).
Mauricio Wright (Costa Rica, San Jose and New England 1999-2001) became the second-ever manager of Costa Rica's Brujas FC in 2007, and continues to lead the squad. Brujas FC is a newly established club (founded in 2004), so Wright may have interesting insight into working with a "young" club and fanbase, as found in many MLS markets.
Walter Zenga (Italy, New England 1998-99) already spent an interesting year as goalkeeper/head coach of the Revoution in 1999. Since then, he has helmed a whopping eight first division clubs in Romania (three), Turkey (one), Serbia (one) UAE (one), and Italy (two). Currently with Serie A side Palermo, he would be fun to have in MLS if nothing else.
There you have it - nineteen more or less qualified candidates who are both foreign and familiar, people who can transcend those two MLS truisms. They aren't guaranteed to succeed, and don't represent a definitive list of who might be a good foreign hire. But it's a starting point for discussion if nothing else.
