COLUMBUS, Ohio - Columbus Crew General Manager Mark McCullers announced today that the organization has named Sigi Schmid its fourth head coach in club history. Schmid signed a multi-year contract with the club.
The Crew relieved former head coach Greg Andrulis of his duties on July 12 and named assistant coach Robert Warzycha interim head coach. Warzycha led the team to a 7-6-3 record, as Columbus ended the year with an 11-16-5 (38 pts.) record, finishing sixth in the Eastern Conference and missing the playoffs for the third time in team history.
The 52-year-old Schmid joins The Crew after spending the last year as the head coach of the United States Under-20 National Team. Prior to leading the U-20's, Schmid was head coach of the Los Angeles Galaxy from 1999 through August 2004. He was relieved of his duties in L.A. while the team was in first place and had the best record in the league.
Schmid is a proven winner and is one of the most successful coaches in Major League Soccer and NCAA Men's Division I history. He led the Galaxy to a 2002 MLS Cup title, a 2001 U.S. Open Cup Championship and a 2000 CONCACAF Champions Cup. Under his guidance, L.A. also advanced to two additional MLS Cup finals (1999 and 2001) and captured three regular season conference championships (1999, 2001 and 2002), while compiling a 79-53-32 regular season record and a 16-7-3 mark in the playoffs. His .579 winning percentage ranks fifth all-time in MLS history and his 79 wins ranks sixth, just four wins behind Thomas Rongen in second. He was the 1999 MLS Coach of the Year.
"I'm very excited about returning to Major League Soccer, and in particular, to coach in Columbus and within the Hunt Family," said Schmid. "I believe very strongly in the potential of the team and am excited to work in a community that supports soccer like Columbus. I am ready to roll up my sleeves and bring trophies to Columbus."
Before joining the Galaxy in 1999, Schmid was head coach at UCLA for 19 years and led the Bruins to three NCAA titles (1985, 1990 and 1997), an overall record of 322-63-33 and 17 consecutive playoff appearances. His .810 winning percentage also ranks fifth all-time in NCAA Men's Division I history. He was the 1997 College Coach of the Year.
"Sigi Schmid is broadly regarded as one of the top soccer minds in the country," said McCullers. "He has demonstrated that he has the formula to win championships and has done so at every level of soccer. I look forward to Sigi joining the Crew team and beginning the work of assembling a championship program for the fans of Columbus."
His coaching experience also includes 13 years as a coach for the U.S. Soccer Federation at various levels, including assistant coach on the 1994 U.S. Men's World Cup team. As U-20 head coach, he led the 2005 squad to an 11th-place finish at the 2005 World Youth Championship in Holland, including a group play win over eventual world champion Argentina. Other U.S. Soccer coaching positions include U-20 head coach from 1998-99 and a 12th-place finish at the 1999 World Youth Championships, assistant coach on the 1995 U.S Pan American Team, U.S. Men's National Team assistant coach (1992-94), assistant coach for the U.S. team at the 1991 World University Games, and assistant coach for the U.S. Men's "B" National Team (1989-91).
Schmid played at UCLA where he received his degree in Economics in 1976. He also obtained his MBA from the University of Southern California in 1978.
