Ian Bridge
Encyclopedia
Ian Christopher Bridge is a former member of the Canada men's national soccer team
and last head coach of the national women's Under-17 national team.
with the Seattle Sounders
from 1979 to 1983 and with the Vancouver Whitecaps
in 1984, and MISL
indoor soccer with the Tacoma Stars. Over 6 NASL seasons he played 124 games and scored 13 goals. Following the demise of the NASL Bridge played for Swiss club FC La Chaux-de-Fonds
for two seasons when the club was in the Swiss league first division. Later in the Canadian Soccer League, he played for the Victoria Vistas
(1990), Kitchener Kickers
(1991), and North York Rockets
(1991). Ian played his youth soccer with the Lakehill Soccer Association in Victoria BC, and has an annually awarded Youth Player "Inspirational" trophy named in his honour.
in an October 1981 friendly match against Trinidad & Tobago
and earned 34 caps, scoring 5 goals. He has represented Canada in 12 FIFA World Cup qualification
matches and played all three of Canada's games at the 1986 FIFA World Cup
finals, the country's only appearance at a World Cup finals. Bridge also played for Canada at the 1984 Olympics
and at the 1979 FIFA World Youth Championship
. He scored a goal in the first two 1982 FIFA World Cup
qualifying games that he played in. His final international was a June 1991 CONCACAF Gold Cup
Finals match against Mexico
.
Bridge was inducted into the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame
in 2003.
women's soccer team from 1990 to 2000. He became assistant coach of Canada women's national soccer team
in 1997, a position he still has. He became U-19 national women's coach and chief national team assistant coach in March 2001. (The national youth women's team has since become U-20.)
Bridge is also team chef of the Canada men's national youth soccer teams
. On 10 January 2010, Bridge resigned as head coach of the U-17 Canadian women national team and is now coaching the Victoria Highlanders of the USL (United Soccer league) Premier Development League.
Canada men's national soccer team
The Canada men's national soccer team represents Canada in international soccer competitions at the senior men's level. They are overseen by the Canadian Soccer Association and compete in the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football .Their most significant...
and last head coach of the national women's Under-17 national team.
Club career
Bridge began his pro career in 1977 and played in the NASLNorth American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
with the Seattle Sounders
Seattle Sounders (NASL)
The Seattle Sounders were a U.S. professional soccer team based in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 1974, the team belonged to the North American Soccer League where it played both indoor and outdoor soccer. The team folded after the 1983 NASL outdoor season.-Stadium:The Sounders played at Memorial...
from 1979 to 1983 and with the Vancouver Whitecaps
Vancouver Whitecaps (NASL)
The original Vancouver Whitecaps were founded on December 11, 1973 and during the 1970s and 1980s played in the North American Soccer League . The Whitecaps achieved success, winning the 1979 Soccer Bowl. The Whitecaps of that era included international players such as Alan Ball, but also "home...
in 1984, and MISL
Major Soccer League
The Major Indoor Soccer League, known in its final two seasons as the Major Soccer League, was an indoor soccer league in the USA from 1978 to 1992. After the folding of the North American Soccer League in 1984, the MISL was the Division I soccer league for the United States...
indoor soccer with the Tacoma Stars. Over 6 NASL seasons he played 124 games and scored 13 goals. Following the demise of the NASL Bridge played for Swiss club FC La Chaux-de-Fonds
FC La Chaux-de-Fonds
FC La Chaux-de-Fonds is a Swiss football club based in La Chaux-de-Fonds. It was founded in 1894. They play at the Stade Charrière.-History:F.C...
for two seasons when the club was in the Swiss league first division. Later in the Canadian Soccer League, he played for the Victoria Vistas
Victoria Vistas
The Victoria Vistas were a Canadian soccer club in the original Canadian Soccer League. The Vistas joined the CSL for the 1989 season, and folded after the 1990 season.-1990 Season:...
(1990), Kitchener Kickers
Kitchener Kickers
Kitchener Kickers has been the name of at least two semi-professional soccer teams in Canada:*Kitchener Kickers - of the Canadian National Soccer League*Kitchener Kickers - of the original Canadian Soccer League...
(1991), and North York Rockets
North York Rockets
The North York Rockets were a professional soccer team that competed in the original Canadian Soccer League during its existence from 1987 to 1992...
(1991). Ian played his youth soccer with the Lakehill Soccer Association in Victoria BC, and has an annually awarded Youth Player "Inspirational" trophy named in his honour.
International career
A defender, Bridge made his debut for CanadaCanada men's national soccer team
The Canada men's national soccer team represents Canada in international soccer competitions at the senior men's level. They are overseen by the Canadian Soccer Association and compete in the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football .Their most significant...
in an October 1981 friendly match against Trinidad & Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago national football team
The Trinidad and Tobago national football team, nicknamed The Soca Warriors, is the national team of Trinidad and Tobago and is run by the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation. It reached the first round of the 2006 FIFA World Cup Finals...
and earned 34 caps, scoring 5 goals. He has represented Canada in 12 FIFA World Cup qualification
FIFA World Cup qualification
The FIFA World Cup qualification is the process that a national association football team goes through to qualify for the FIFA World Cup Finals. The FIFA World Cup is a global event, so qualification is required to reduce the large field of participants from about 200 to 32.Qualifying tournaments...
matches and played all three of Canada's games at the 1986 FIFA World Cup
1986 FIFA World Cup
The 1986 FIFA World Cup, the 13th FIFA World Cup, was held in Mexico from 31 May to 29 June. The tournament was the second to feature a 24-team format. Colombia had been originally chosen to host the competition by FIFA but, largely due to economic reasons, was not able to do so and officially...
finals, the country's only appearance at a World Cup finals. Bridge also played for Canada at the 1984 Olympics
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
and at the 1979 FIFA World Youth Championship
1979 FIFA World Youth Championship
The 1979 FIFA World Youth Championship, the second staging of the FIFA World Youth Championship, was held in Japan from August 26 to September 7, 1979. The tournament took place in four venues — Kobe, Omiya, Tokyo and Yokohama — where a total of 32 matches were played, four more than in the...
. He scored a goal in the first two 1982 FIFA World Cup
1982 FIFA World Cup
The 1982 FIFA World Cup, the 12th FIFA World Cup, was held in Spain from 13 June to 11 July. The tournament was won by Italy, after defeating West Germany 3–1 in the final.-Host selection:...
qualifying games that he played in. His final international was a June 1991 CONCACAF Gold Cup
CONCACAF Gold Cup
The CONCACAF Gold Cup is the main association football competition of the men's national football teams governed by CONCACAF, determining the regional champion of North America, Central America, and the Caribbean.The Gold Cup is held every two years and when it does not fall the same year as an...
Finals match against Mexico
Mexico national football team
The Mexican national football team represents Mexico in association football and is governed by the Mexican Football Federation , the governing body for football in Mexico. Mexico's home stadium is the Estadio Azteca and their head coach is José Manuel de la Torre...
.
Bridge was inducted into the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame
Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame
The Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame in Vaughan, Ontario, was founded in 1997. It was incorporated by the Ontario Soccer Association. The Hall aims to celebrate and highlight the achievements of top Canadian Footballers and Builders who have played and developed the game in Canada...
in 2003.
International goals
- Scores and results list Canada's goal tally first.
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition 1 12 November 1981 Estadio Tiburcio Carías Andino Estadio Tiburcio Carias AndinoEstadio Tiburcio Carías Andino is a multi-purpose stadium in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. It is used mostly for Association football matches. The stadium has a capacity of 35,000 and it is the home of football clubs Motagua and Olimpia.- History :...
, TegucigalpaTegucigalpaTegucigalpa , and commonly referred as Tegus , is the capital of Honduras and seat of government of the Republic, along with its twin sister Comayagüela. Founded on September 29, 1578 by the Spanish, it became the country's capital on October 30, 1880 under President Marco Aurelio Soto...
, HondurasHondurasHonduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
1-2 1982 FIFA World Cup qualification 1982 FIFA World Cup qualificationA total of 109 teams entered the 1982 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds, competing for a total of 24 spots in the final tournament, an increase from 16 in the previous World Cups...2 15 November 1981 Estadio Tiburcio Carías Andino Estadio Tiburcio Carias AndinoEstadio Tiburcio Carías Andino is a multi-purpose stadium in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. It is used mostly for Association football matches. The stadium has a capacity of 35,000 and it is the home of football clubs Motagua and Olimpia.- History :...
, TegucigalpaTegucigalpaTegucigalpa , and commonly referred as Tegus , is the capital of Honduras and seat of government of the Republic, along with its twin sister Comayagüela. Founded on September 29, 1578 by the Spanish, it became the country's capital on October 30, 1880 under President Marco Aurelio Soto...
, HondurasHondurasHonduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
1-1 1982 FIFA World Cup qualification 1982 FIFA World Cup qualificationA total of 109 teams entered the 1982 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds, competing for a total of 24 spots in the final tournament, an increase from 16 in the previous World Cups...3 28 March 1984 Port-au-Prince Port-au-PrincePort-au-Prince is the capital and largest city of the Caribbean nation of Haiti. The city's population was 704,776 as of the 2003 census, and was officially estimated to have reached 897,859 in 2009....
, HaitiHaitiHaiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
1-0 1-0 Friendly match 4 25 May 1988 Toronto TorontoToronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
1-0 1-0 Matthews Cup 5 15 October 1988 Swangard Stadium Swangard StadiumSwangard Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Central Park in Burnaby, British Columbia. Primarily used for soccer, football, and athletics, the stadium is home to the Simon Fraser Clan football team. The stadium was home to the Vancouver Whitecaps of the NASL...
, Burnaby, CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
3-2 1990 FIFA World Cup qualification 1990 FIFA World Cup qualificationThe qualification competition for the 1990 FIFA World Cup was a series of tournaments organised by the six FIFA confederations. Each confederation — the AFC , CAF , CONCACAF , CONMEBOL , OFC , and UEFA — was allocated a certain number of the 24 places at the tournament...
Managerial career
Bridge was head coach of the University of VictoriaUniversity of Victoria
The University of Victoria, often referred to as UVic, is the second oldest public research university in British Columbia, Canada. It is a research intensive university located in Saanich and Oak Bay, about northeast of downtown Victoria. The University's annual enrollment is about 20,000 students...
women's soccer team from 1990 to 2000. He became assistant coach of Canada women's national soccer team
Canada women's national soccer team
The Canada women's national soccer team is overseen by the Canadian Soccer Association. The team reached its all-time high of 6th in the March 2011 rankings. The team reached international prominence finishing in 4th place at the FIFA Women's World Cup 2003, losing to their archrival American team...
in 1997, a position he still has. He became U-19 national women's coach and chief national team assistant coach in March 2001. (The national youth women's team has since become U-20.)
Bridge is also team chef of the Canada men's national youth soccer teams
Canada men's national youth soccer teams
Canada's men's national soccer teams compete at various age levels, including under-23 , under-20, and under-17. Many of Canada's current internationals have played at one or more of these age levels early in their career, often working with the same coaches and teammates throughout their...
. On 10 January 2010, Bridge resigned as head coach of the U-17 Canadian women national team and is now coaching the Victoria Highlanders of the USL (United Soccer league) Premier Development League.
External links
- Player profile - Canadian Soccer Association
- Player profile - Seattle Sounders fansite
- Soundercentral.com with 1983 article on Bridge
- Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame inductee page
- Greater Victoria Sports Hall of Fame inductee page for Bridge
- Career stats - National Football Teams