Huw Williams

Huw John Williams (born 20 November 1960) is a Welsh football coach and former player who was previously the head coach of Kansas City NWSL in the American National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) for their inaugural season.[4]

Huw Williams
Personal information
Full name Huw John Williams[1]
Date of birth (1960-11-20) 20 November 1960[2][3]
Place of birth Porthmadog, Wales
Team information
Current team
 Kansas City Current (technical staff)
Managerial career
Years Team
2013–2016 FC Kansas City (assistant/tech. director)
2021 Kansas City Current

Early life

Born in Porthmadog, Gwynedd, Williams attended Cardiff University where he played football for the British Colleges and the All British Students teams. While at Cardiff, he was selected to play in the World Student Games in Tokyo. At age 14, he joined professional club Blackburn Rovers F.C. where he played for five years.[5]

Coaching career

Early coaching in the US

Williams is a former director of coaching for Kansas Youth Soccer and a member of the Regional II coaching staff of the United States Youth Soccer Association. He was the men's coach at Avila University in Kansas City, Missouri, from 1989 to 1992.

Williams was a founder, assistant coach and general manager of the now-defunct FC Kansas City of the National Women's Soccer League.[6] He was also the sports manager for GSI Sports, a US youth football tournament and league management company.[7]

Kansas City (2021)

On 29 January 2021, Williams was announced as the head coach of the new expansion team Kansas City NWSL.[n 1][8][9] After one season as head coach he moved to a technical-staff scouting and talent identification role. The club went 3-14-7 in his lone year at the helm finishing last in the NWSL with 16 points.[10] Williams transitioned to a front office role with the newly-named Kansas City Current but was relieved of his duties by November 2022 following accusations of disrespectful and inappropriate conduct towards the team's roster.[11]

Personal life

His daughter, Nia Williams, played soccer professionally for FC Kansas City in the NWSL.[12][13]

Notes
  1. The team later adopted the name Kansas City Current for the 2022 season.

References
  1. "Thanks Huw!". Porthmadog F.C. 19 December 2018. Archived from the original on 16 November 2021. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
  2. KC Athletics Soccer Club [@AthleticsKC] (20 November 2018). "Happy birthday to KCAthletics Executive Director, Huw Williams" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 8 January 2022. Retrieved 8 January 2022 – via Twitter.
  3. Goodwin, Shaun (30 May 2021). "Williams on life in Kansas City: 'You become part of the family over here'". The Kansas City Star. Vol. 141, no. 255. Kansas City, Missouri. p. 1B. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
  4. "This team won two straight championships in Kansas City. Expectations haven't changed". The Kansas City Star. 18 December 2020.
  5. "FC Kansas City coaching staff announced". FC Kansas City. 5 December 2012.
  6. "Front Office". FC Kansas City.
  7. "GSI Sports". www.gsisports.com.
  8. Bell, Thad (11 January 2021). "KC NWSL announces staff for inaugural season". The Blue Testament.
  9. "Former GM Becomes Kansas City NWSL Head Coach - KC NWSL". www.kcwoso.com. 29 January 2021.
  10. "Kansas City searching for new head coach; Huw Williams shifts to technical role". The Equalizer.
  11. Palmer, Tod (14 December 2022). "NWSL report: Players allege Current ignored mistreatment by former coach Huw Williams". kshb.com. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
  12. "Nia Williams Player Profile". Missouri State University. Retrieved 8 May 2013.
  13. "Soccer's in her blood". The Leaven. Archived from the original on June 16, 2013. Retrieved May 8, 2013.


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