Omid Namazi
Encyclopedia
Omid Namazi is a retired Iranian-American
soccer defender
and the current Assistant Coach to Carlos Queiroz
with Iran national football team
. Namazi played professionally 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. He is a two-time Coach of the Year in the Major Indoor Soccer League and coached in the Women's United Soccer Association
. He is the Assistant Coach of Iran national football team
.
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 Tehren. When he was eighteen, his father moved the family back to the United States after the fall of the Shah. They settled in Washington, D.C. 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.
. He spent two seasons with the Dips. 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. In 1990, he moved to the Maryland Bays
of the American Professional Soccer League
. The Bays won the league championships that season. He played the 1991 season in Maryland before moving to the Fort Lauderdale Strikers for the 1992 season. Namazi played for Reading F.C.
during the winter of 1992-1993. 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. 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. In June 1996, the Philadelphia KiXX
selected Namazi in the NPSL expansion draft. In 1997, he was the USISL Defender of the Year with the New Jersey Stallions
. In August 1997, he joined the Carolina Dynamo
late in the season. 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. 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
.
fired Dave MacWilliams
. Namazi, on injured reserve after knee surgery, served as interim head coach. 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
. 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. 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
. In 2009, he was an assistant with Ironbound SC of the Super Y-League
. On June 3, 2010, Namazi was named head coach of the Chicago Red Stars
in the Women's Professional Soccer
, replacing Emma Hayes.
Namazi was named an Assistant Coach to the Iran Pro League club Steel Azin F.C.
in December 2010. In 28 April 2011, he became Assistant Coach of Iran national football team
along with coach Carlos Queiroz
.
Iranian-American
Iranian-Americans are Americans of Iranian ancestry or people possessing Iranian and American dual citizenship.Iranian-Americans are amongst the most highly educated groups in the United States...
soccer defender
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
and the current Assistant Coach to Carlos Queiroz
Carlos Queiroz
Carlos Manuel Brito Leal Queiroz ComIH is a Portuguese football manager. He is currently the manager of the Iran national football team. A former manager of Real Madrid, and Portugal national football team, he has also twice been Alex Ferguson's assistant manager at English club Manchester...
with Iran national football team
Iran national football team
The national football team of Iran represents Iran in international football competitions and is controlled by the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran...
. Namazi played professionally in the American Soccer League
American Soccer League
The American Soccer League has been a name used by three different professional soccer leagues in the United States. The first American Soccer League was established in 1921 by the merger of teams from the National Association Football League and the Southern New England Soccer League. For...
, American Professional Soccer League
American Professional Soccer League
The American Professional Soccer League is a former professional men's soccer league which featured teams from both the United States and Canada. It was the first outdoor soccer league to feature teams from throughout the United States since the demise of the original North American Soccer League...
, Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
, USISL and National Professional Soccer League where he was the 2001 Defender of the Year. He is a two-time Coach of the Year in the Major Indoor Soccer League and coached in the Women's United Soccer Association
Women's United Soccer Association
The Women's United Soccer Association, often abbreviated to the WUSA, was the world's first women's soccer league in which all the players were paid as professionals. Founded in February 2000, the league began its first season in April 2001 with eight teams in the United States...
. He is the Assistant Coach of Iran national football team
Iran national football team
The national football team of Iran represents Iran in international football competitions and is controlled by the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran...
.
Youth
Namazi was born in Provo, UtahProvo, Utah
Provo is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Utah, located about south of Salt Lake City along the Wasatch Front. Provo is the county seat of Utah County and lies between the cities of Orem to the north and Springville to the south...
when his father, Mehdi Namazi, was attending Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
to study for a master's degree. The family returned to Iran where Namazi grew up in Tehren. When he was eighteen, his father moved the family back to the United States after the fall of the Shah. They settled in Washington, D.C. Namazi attended West Virginia University
West Virginia University
West Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
where he played on the men's soccer team from 1984 to 1987. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in exercise philosophy.
Player
In 1988, Namazi turned professional with the Washington Diplomats of the American Soccer LeagueAmerican Soccer League
The American Soccer League has been a name used by three different professional soccer leagues in the United States. The first American Soccer League was established in 1921 by the merger of teams from the National Association Football League and the Southern New England Soccer League. For...
. He spent two seasons with the Dips. Namazi played a handful of games with the Hershey Impact
Hershey Impact
The Hershey Impact was an indoor soccer club based in Hershey, Pennsylvania that competed in the National Professional Soccer League.The team played its home games at the Hersheypark Arena for all of its 3 seasons.-Staff & Ownership:...
of the American Indoor Soccer Association during the 1989-1990 season before being released on January 13, 1990. In 1990, he moved to the Maryland Bays
Maryland Bays
The Maryland Bays were an inaugural franchise of the third incarnation of the American Soccer League in 1988.They were based in Catonsville, Maryland, and played their games at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County. The team joined the American Professional Soccer League in 1990 when the ASL...
of the American Professional Soccer League
American Professional Soccer League
The American Professional Soccer League is a former professional men's soccer league which featured teams from both the United States and Canada. It was the first outdoor soccer league to feature teams from throughout the United States since the demise of the original North American Soccer League...
. The Bays won the league championships that season. He played the 1991 season in Maryland before moving to the Fort Lauderdale Strikers for the 1992 season. Namazi played for Reading F.C.
Reading F.C.
Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
during the winter of 1992-1993. In April 1993, he signed with the Los Angeles Salsa
Los Angeles Salsa
The Los Angeles Salsa was an American Professional Soccer League franchise. The club played on the campus of California State University, Fullerton at Titan Stadium in a suburb of Orange County, California...
of the APSL and played two seasons with them. In December 1994, he signed with the Baltimore Spirit of the National Professional Soccer League. In 1995, he was selected as Second Team All Rookie. In April 1995, the Seattle SeaDogs
Seattle SeaDogs
The Seattle SeaDogs are a defunct indoor soccer team that played in the Continental Indoor Soccer League from 1995 to 1997. They won the last CISL championship in 1997.-History:...
selected Namadi in the Continental Indoor Soccer League
Continental Indoor Soccer League
The Continental Indoor Soccer League was an indoor soccer league that played from 1993 to 1997.-History:When the Major Soccer League folded in the summer of 1992, two of its former teams joined a group of hockey and basketball arena owners led by Ron Weinstein who wanted to create a league to...
draft, but he declined to sign with them. In 1996, he moved outdoors with the Delaware Wizards
Delaware Wizards
The Delaware Wizards were soccer club based in Wilmington and New Castle, Delaware. The team played their first game in 1993 and their last in 2000...
of the USISL. He played with the MetroStars
Metrostars
Metrostar may refer to:*New York Red Bulls, formerly called the "MetroStars", a soccer team from New York*Manila Metro Rail Transit System, popularly called "The Metrostar Express", a part of the metropolitan rail system in Manila...
of Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
on loan from the Spirit on July 4, 1996. In June 1996, the Philadelphia KiXX
Philadelphia KiXX
The Philadelphia KiXX were a professional indoor soccer team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Founded in 1995 as an NPSL expansion franchise, they played in the Major Indoor Soccer League.The team colors were red, black, white, and blue...
selected Namazi in the NPSL expansion draft. In 1997, he was the USISL Defender of the Year with the New Jersey Stallions
New Jersey Stallions
The New Jersey Stallions were an American soccer team, founded in 1996, which competed in various divisions of the United Soccer Leagues until 2004, after which the team left the league and the franchise was terminated....
. In August 1997, he joined the Carolina Dynamo
Carolina Dynamo
Carolina Dynamo is an American soccer team based in Greensboro, North Carolina, United States. Founded in 1993, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the South Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference.The team plays its home...
late in the season. In 1998, he played for the Staten Island Vipers
Staten Island Vipers
The Staten Island Vipers were a soccer club that competed in the USL A-League in 1998 and 1999. The club was based on Staten Island, New York City. The team played its games at Tottenville High School and Wagner College...
. 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. In December 2003, the Cleveland Force
Cleveland Crunch
The Cleveland Crunch was formed in 1989 as an expansion team in the Major Soccer League to replace the Cleveland Force, which had folded on July 22, 1988. Akron businessmen George S. Hoffman and Stuart Lichter formed an ownership group, named Al Miller general manager and former Force star Kai...
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
United States national futsal team
The United States national futsal team is the futsal team that represents that United States at international competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and affiliated with CONCACAF. The U.S. Futsal Federation was founded in 1981 and the first international futsal match...
.
Coach
In March 1999, the Philadelphia KiXXPhiladelphia KiXX
The Philadelphia KiXX were a professional indoor soccer team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Founded in 1995 as an NPSL expansion franchise, they played in the Major Indoor Soccer League.The team colors were red, black, white, and blue...
fired Dave MacWilliams
Dave MacWilliams
Dave MacWilliams is a retired American soccer forward and head coach who played professionally in the North American Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League...
. Namazi, on injured reserve after knee surgery, served as interim head coach. 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
Milwaukee Wave
The Milwaukee Wave is an American professional indoor soccer team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. Founded in 1984 they are the oldest continuously operating professional soccer team in North Americaand a member of the Major Indoor Soccer League....
. 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
San Diego Spirit
The San Diego Spirit was a professional soccer team that played in the Women's United Soccer Association. The team played at Torero Stadium on the campus of the University of San Diego in San Diego, California. The team began play in 2001...
of Women's United Soccer Association
Women's United Soccer Association
The Women's United Soccer Association, often abbreviated to the WUSA, was the world's first women's soccer league in which all the players were paid as professionals. Founded in February 2000, the league began its first season in April 2001 with eight teams in the United States...
. 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
Cleveland Crunch
The Cleveland Crunch was formed in 1989 as an expansion team in the Major Soccer League to replace the Cleveland Force, which had folded on July 22, 1988. Akron businessmen George S. Hoffman and Stuart Lichter formed an ownership group, named Al Miller general manager and former Force star Kai...
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. 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
New Jersey Ironmen
The New Jersey Ironmen were an American indoor soccer team. They originally joined the Major Indoor Soccer League for the 2007–08 season. When the MISL ceased operations a year later, they joined the Xtreme Soccer League. The team played at the Prudential Center, sharing the facility with the...
. In 2009, he was an assistant with Ironbound SC of the Super Y-League
Super Y-League
The Super Y-League is the highest form of American and Canadian youth soccer. It consists of over 100 teams, many of which are operated by clubs from MLS to PDL.- Age groups :The Super Y-League has these following age groups:*U-12*U-13*U-14*U-15...
. On June 3, 2010, Namazi was named head coach of the Chicago Red Stars
Chicago Red Stars
The Chicago Red Stars are a American professional soccer club that is based in the Chicago suburb of Lisle, Illinois that participates in the Women's Premier Soccer League. From 2009-2010, the Red Stars played their home games at Toyota Park in the Womens Professional Soccer...
in the Women's Professional Soccer
Women's Professional Soccer
Women's Professional Soccer is the top level professional women's soccer league in the United States. It began play on March 29, 2009. The league was composed of seven teams for its first two seasons and fielded 6 teams for the 2011 season, with continued plans for future expansion...
, replacing Emma Hayes.
Namazi was named an Assistant Coach to the Iran Pro League club Steel Azin F.C.
Steel Azin F.C.
Steel Azin Football Club is an Iranian football club based in Semnan, Iran.The club is owned by Hossein Hedayati, owner of Steel Azin Co.Steel Azin club also had a volleyball team, sponsored by the same Company, which competed in the Iranian Volleyball Super League.-Ekbatan football club:Ekbatan...
in December 2010. In 28 April 2011, he became Assistant Coach of Iran national football team
Iran national football team
The national football team of Iran represents Iran in international football competitions and is controlled by the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran...
along with coach Carlos Queiroz
Carlos Queiroz
Carlos Manuel Brito Leal Queiroz ComIH is a Portuguese football manager. He is currently the manager of the Iran national football team. A former manager of Real Madrid, and Portugal national football team, he has also twice been Alex Ferguson's assistant manager at English club Manchester...
.