Lothar Osiander facts for kids
Osiander in 2015
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | November 8, 1939 | ||
| Place of birth | Munich, Germany | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Years | Team | ||
| 1964–1965 | City College of San Francisco | ||
| 1966–1967 | University of San Francisco | ||
| Managerial career | |||
| California Surf (assistant) | |||
| –1985 | San Francisco Greek-Americans | ||
| 1986–1988 | United States | ||
| 1988–1992 | United States U23 | ||
| –1991 | San Francisco Bay Blackhawks (assistant) | ||
| 1992 | Palo Alto Firebirds | ||
| 1995 | Atlanta Ruckus | ||
| 1996–1997 | Los Angeles Galaxy | ||
| 1998–1999 | Tampa Bay Mutiny (assistant) | ||
| 1999 | Project 40 | ||
| 1999–2000 | San Jose Earthquakes | ||
| –2007 | San Francisco Greek-Americans | ||
Lothar Osiander (born November 8, 1939) is a famous German soccer coach. He has coached many important teams. These include the U.S. national team and the Olympic teams. He also coached professional clubs like the Atlanta Ruckus, Los Angeles Galaxy, and San Jose Clash.
Contents
Lothar Osiander's Journey in Soccer
Early Life and Playing Days
Lothar Osiander moved to the United States in 1958. His family settled in the San Francisco area. He went to Mission High School there. After high school, he attended the City College of San Francisco. Later, he went to the University of San Francisco.
At the University of San Francisco, he played soccer. He was part of the men's soccer team. In 1966, his team, the Dons, won a big championship. It was the NCAA Men's Soccer Championship. Osiander finished college in 1968. He earned degrees in physical education and Spanish. He became a U.S. citizen in 1965.
Starting His Coaching Career
Osiander began his coaching journey as an assistant. He worked with the California Surf team. This team was part of the North American Soccer League (NASL).
Later, Osiander returned to San Francisco. He worked as a waiter at a local restaurant. But he also kept playing and coaching soccer. He coached a semi-professional team called the San Francisco Greek-Americans. In 1985, he led them to win the National Challenge Cup title. This was a major achievement for a semi-pro team.
Coaching the U.S. National Teams
Osiander became well-known in the coaching world. In 1974, the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) hired him. He joined their coaching staff. He traveled with head coach Walter Chyzowych. They held coaching clinics across the country. Osiander became known as a great teacher.
In 1978, the U.S. Olympic committee started a National Sports Festival. They hired Osiander as the West team soccer coach. He kept this role for ten years.
Leading the U.S. National Team
In 1986, Osiander's success led him to a big role. He became the head coach of the U.S. national team. The team was rebuilding after not qualifying for the 1986 FIFA World Cup.
Osiander focused on qualifying for the 1988 Summer Olympics. These Olympics were in Seoul, South Korea. The qualification was tough. The U.S. lost to Canada 2–0 in the first game. This meant they needed a big win in the next game. On May 30, 1987, Osiander's team won 3–0 against Canada. This amazing comeback helped them move forward.
The U.S. team then played very well in the next round. They did not lose any games. They beat Trinidad and El Salvador. This earned them a spot in the Seoul Olympics. In the Olympics, the team had one win, one tie, and one loss. They did not make it to the next round.
Osiander left the senior national team in 1989. He had helped put the team back on track. He also led them through a successful first round of World Cup qualification. His record with the team was 13 wins and 7 losses.
Coaching the U.S. U-23 Team
After the 1988 Olympics, Osiander continued coaching. He coached the U.S. B Team and later the U.S. U-23 national team. The Olympics changed soccer to an under-23 competition.
In 1991, Osiander coached the U.S. U-23 team to a gold medal. This was at the Pan American Games in Cuba. That same year, he prepared the team for the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. The team qualified easily.
However, in Spain, things did not go as planned. Osiander made a controversial decision. He did not start his top scorer, Steve Snow, in the first game. Snow had scored many goals for the team. Without him, the U.S. lost to Italy. Osiander played Snow in the next two games. Snow scored in both, but it was not enough. The U.S. team did not make the second round. After the Olympics, Osiander was fired. This was mainly because of his decision not to play Snow.
Professional Club Coaching
When Osiander was not coaching, he still worked at Graziano's restaurant. He rose to become the maître d'. But in 1992, the restaurant was sold, and he lost his job. He then focused on coaching full-time.
He coached the Palo Alto Firebirds of the USISL. He also continued coaching the San Francisco Greek-Americans. In 1994, he led the Greek-Americans to win their second U.S. Open Cup title. This was a rare achievement for a non-professional team.
Success in the A-League and MLS
In 1995, the new Atlanta Ruckus team hired Osiander. They were part of the A-League. Even though they finished fourth, the Ruckus made it to the championship series. They lost to the Seattle Sounders. For his great work, Osiander was named A-League Coach of the Year.
His success caught the attention of Major League Soccer (MLS). The new Los Angeles Galaxy team hired him as their first coach. The Galaxy started their first MLS season with 12 wins in a row! They finished with a strong record. They reached the championship game but lost in overtime.
In 1997, the Galaxy started the season with a tough record. They won only 3 games and lost 9. So, Osiander was fired on June 10, 1997.
Later Coaching Roles
In 1998, Osiander became an assistant coach for the Tampa Bay Mutiny. In 1999, he left the Mutiny. He was hired as head coach of the MLS Project 40 team. This team helped develop young players.
In September 1999, the San Jose Clash hired Osiander. He coached the Clash for the last three games of the season. They won two of those games. In 2000, he coached the team for a full season. The team had 7 wins, 17 losses, and 8 ties. In January 2001, the Earthquakes (formerly the Clash) fired Osiander.
Recent Years and Awards
After leaving MLS, Osiander returned to coach the San Francisco Greek-Americans. He also coached youth teams in the Bay Area. For example, he coached the U-17 Ballistic Boys. They won the 2003 State Cup as a U-16 team. He also coached San Ramon United, another U-17 team.
In 2007, Osiander received the Walt Chyzowych Award from the NSCAA. This award honors coaches who have made a big impact. He coached the U-16 Tri-Valley Boys in 2009. He also temporarily coached the U-19 Tri-Valley Arsenal. This was his last known coaching position.
See also
In Spanish: Lothar Osiander para niños
