Homegrown

From USL League One to MLS: How Luchi Gonzalez got FC Dallas' coaching job

Luchi Gonzalez - Clapping and walking

Luchi Gonzalez was preparing to become the first head coach of North Texas SC, FC Dallas' new USL League One affiliate team, when something unexpected happened. 


Head coach Oscar Pareja departed the club after five years in charge and the front office informed the then-academy director that he was under consideration for the first-team gig.

Gonzalez had one question: Why?


“I don’t need my ego massaged,” Gonzalez told Zac Crain of D Magazine. “Titles to me are — I believe in actions and attitudes over titles. So, with all due respect, I just asked why. [Dan Hunt] reaffirmed that he had talked to [his brother and co-owner] Clark and together they felt that they wanted an internal candidate, because we’re a development club and they want to look from inside. And we do the same with our academy when we’re hiring. Any type of role or staff, we want to look inside first.”


The early returns on investment are solid, as Gonzalez has led the club to a 3-1-1 start while giving prime minutes to young Homegrown products such as Paxton Pomykal, Reggie Cannon and Jesus Ferreira


Read the rest of Crain's profile of Luchi Gonzalez for D Magazine here.