Columbus Crew technical director Brian Bliss will assist head coach Tab Ramos during the US Under-20 national team's camp, US Soccer confirmed on Wednesday. The U-20s are spending a week in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., in preparation for CONCACAF qualifying for the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Turkey.
Bliss hasn't been named to the staff, said a USSF spokesman, but will serve as a guest assistant to Ramos for a few days ahead of the MLS Combine, which starts Friday and runs through Jan. 11. Bliss is still fulfilling his role as Crew TD and will rejoin Columbus' coaching staff at the Combine.
The former Kansas City Wizards assistant coach and interim head coach earned 33 caps with the US national team and was a member of the 1990 World Cup and 1995 Copa América sides. He also represented the US at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul. Bliss was named Columbus' first-ever technical director in January 2008.
“Having played for the national team, it is an honor to be asked to return and contribute in another way,” Bliss said in a statement. “Being involved with the national team program is always exciting and I’m really looking forward to the opportunity.”
Bliss holds a US Soccer Federation "A" Coaching License, and led the Crew Juniors U-20s to back-to-back USL Super-20 National Championships in 2010 and 2011 and the U-19s to a USYS National Championship in 2010.
