Matt Crocker

Last updated

Matt Crocker is a Welsh soccer administrator who is the technical director for the United States Soccer Federation. [1] [2] [3] [4] He was named to the role on April 25, 2023, and will begin working for U.S. Soccer full-time beginning August 2, 2023. [5] Crocker replaced Earnie Stewart, who served in the role from 2019 until taking the same position at PSV Eindhoven in January 2023.

Background

Prior to joining U.S. Soccer, Crocker was the director of football operations at English Premier League club Southampton F.C., where he was regarded as being instrumental in keeping the Saints in the top flight of English football despite them having the league's smallest budget. He also led the club's academy from 2006 to 2013, with players such as Gareth Bale and James Ward-Prowse present during his tenure. Following his first stint with the Saints, he joined The Football Association, where he was its head of development teams before returning to Southampton in February 2020.

A graduate of Cardiff Metropolitan University, Crocker began his career in 1999, where he was the academy manager at Cardiff City F.C. He then joined the English Football League as its youth development monitor before his initial stint with Southampton. [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Claudio Reyna</span> American soccer player

Claudio Alejandro Reyna is an American former professional soccer player and former executive. He most recently served as sporting director of Austin FC.

Lawrence McMenemy MBE is an English retired football coach, best known for his spell as manager of Southampton. He is rated in the Guinness Book of Records as one of the twenty most successful managers in post-war English football.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stern John</span> Trinidadian footballer (born 1976)

Stern JohnCM is a Trinidadian football manager and former player who is currently managing Saint Lucia. He managed Anguilla from 2020 to 2022. He previously played for a number of American and English football clubs that included Columbus Crew, Nottingham Forest, Birmingham City, Coventry City, Derby County, Sunderland, Southampton, Bristol City, Crystal Palace and Ipswich Town.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nick Dasovic</span> Canadian soccer player (born 1968)

Nick Robert Dasovic is a Canadian former professional soccer player who played as a midfielder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grégory Vignal</span> French footballer (born 1981)

Grégory Vignal is a French football coach and former professional player.

James Gabriel was a Scottish football defensive midfielder and defender who earned two caps with the Scotland national football team. Chiefly associated with English clubs Everton and Southampton, Gabriel played extensively in Scotland and England before ending his career with the Seattle Sounders of the North American Soccer League. He then became a coach in both England and the United States.

Southampton F.C. Under-21s and Academy or Saints U21s and Academy is the youth organisation run by Southampton F.C. to encourage and develop young footballers in the south of England. Renowned players including Gareth Bale, Theo Walcott, and Alan Shearer began their careers at this academy. The team is made up of under-21 and academy players, is effectively Southampton's second-string side, but is limited to three outfield players and one goalkeeper over the age of 21 per game following the introduction of new regulations from the 2012–13 season. They play in Premier League 2, Division 2. The team also competes in the EFL Trophy, Premier League International Cup, Premier League Cup and the Hampshire Senior Cup. The under-18 players among other younger age groups make up the Academy team and play in the Premier League U18 First Division, South, Premier League U18 Cup and the FA Youth Cup.

Edwin Charles May was an English football player and manager. May was born in Epping, and played for Dagenham, Southend United, Wrexham and Swansea City.

Paul Darren Williams is an English professional football coach and former player who was until August 2022 academy director at Birmingham City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Les Reed (football manager)</span> English association football player and manager (born 1952)

Leslie Arnold Reed is an English football coach and was the manager of Charlton Athletic between 14 November and 24 December 2006. He was technical director of the Football Association between 2002 and 2004. Between April 2010 and November 2018, Reed was Head of Football Development and the Vice-Chairman of Football at Southampton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Emenalo</span> Nigerian footballer

Michael Emenalo is a Nigerian former professional footballer who played as a left-back. He is the former director of football of Chelsea F.C and AS Monaco FC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Wotte</span> Dutch football manager (born 1960)

Mark Christian Wotte is a Dutch football manager and former player. Wotte has managed teams in the Netherlands, Egypt, Qatar, England and Romania, and has also worked for the Scottish Football Association.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Shaw (footballer)</span> English footballer and coach

Paul Shaw is an English retired footballer who played as an attacking midfielder. He has also worked as a coach at F.C. New York and with Orlando City U-23.

Wilfred Grant was an English professional footballer who played as a forward for Southampton, Cardiff City and Ipswich Town.

Richard Bate was an English football player and coach.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matt Weston</span> English football manager

Matt Weston is an English football coach/manager. He was the former head coach of FC New York and VSI Tampa Bay FC in the USL Professional League and technical director of Premier Development League team Ocala Stampede. He is now head coach of the Dayton Dutch Lions of the USL Pro.

Gerard Jones is an English professional football coach, having recently worked as Head of Coaching at Bristol Rovers F.C. and as an Elite Coach Educator with the Royal Moroccan Football Federation. Jones is a former youth team player at Halifax Town A.F.C., and award-winning entrepreneur having set up a football coaching business in early 2009, which he later grew into becoming recognized among the Top 100 Best Business Start-ups in the UK in 2010 by Startups.co.uk.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adam Smith (coach)</span> English-born U.S. soccer coach

Adam Smith is currently serving as the Sporting Director for USL League 1 team, Central Valley Fuego FC. Smith has held coaching positions at Portland Timbers in Major League Soccer, Fresno FC and Sacramento Republic. Prior to joining Fuego, Smith took the role of CEO and Director of Football at USL League 2 team Ventura County Fusion. Fusion had previously been on a two-year hiatus from the league due to Covid shutdowns, but returned to win the National Championship in 2022. During the 2021 season, Smith took an interim position as First Team Coach at Detroit City FC. This was to provide short-term help to the Head Coach and General manager, Trevor James. Detroit went onto win the NISA Legends tournament that same season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tommy Wheeldon Jr.</span> Association football player (1979-)

Thomas Wheeldon Jr. is an English former professional footballer and current head coach of Cavalry FC in the Canadian Premier League.

Vanni Sartini is an Italian professional football coach, who is the head coach of Major League Soccer club Vancouver Whitecaps FC.

References

  1. "Who is Matt Crocker? From Southampton academy manager to US Soccer's new sporting director". theathletic.com (Archived).
  2. "Who is Matt Crocker?". sportingnews.com.
  3. "Matt Crocker strong fit at helm of U.S. Soccer". osdbsports.com.
  4. "ASN takeaways from Matt Crocker's introduction as the U.S. Soccer Sporting Director". americansoccernow.com (Archived).
  5. "U.S. Soccer Federation Appoints Matt Crocker To Role Of Sporting Director | U.S. Soccer Official Website". www.ussoccer.com.
  6. "www.linkedin.com/in/matt-crocker-938872188". linkedin.com. Retrieved 2023-04-26. [self-published]