Josh Wolff

Josh Wolff (born February 25, 1977) is an American soccer coach and former player. He is currently the head coach of Austin FC in Major League Soccer.[2]

For those of a similar name, see Josh Wolf (disambiguation).

Josh Wolff
Wolff playing for D.C. United in 2011
Personal information
Full name Joshua David Wolff[1]
Date of birth (1977-02-25) February 25, 1977
Place of birth Stone Mountain, Georgia, United States
Height 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Austin FC (head coach)
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1995–1997 South Carolina Gamecocks 43 (21)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1998–2002 Chicago Fire 84 (32)
1998 → MLS Pro-40 (loan) 18 (12)
2003–2006 Kansas City Wizards 80 (27)
2007–2008 1860 Munich 34 (2)
2008–2010 Kansas City Wizards 64 (16)
2011–2012 D.C. United 39 (5)
Total 319 (94)
International career
1997 United States U20 4 (0)
2000 United States U23 2 (1)
1999–2008 United States 52 (9)
Managerial career
2012–2013 D.C. United (assistant)
2014–2018 Columbus Crew SC (assistant)
2019 United States (assistant)
2021– Austin FC
Medal record
Representing  United States
WinnerCONCACAF Gold Cup2002
WinnerCONCACAF Gold Cup2005
Men's Soccer
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Playing career

College

Born in Stone Mountain, Georgia, Wolff played three years of college soccer at the University of South Carolina, where he scored 21 goals and eight assists in 43 games. He played at South Carolina with future United States national team star Clint Mathis. In addition, Wolff played and captained varsity soccer at Parkview High School, Lilburn, Georgia.

Professional

After his junior season, Wolff left college and signed with Major League Soccer. MLS assigned Wolff to the Chicago Fire. He set the MLS rookie scoring record (together with Jeff Cunningham, since broken by Damani Ralph) by scoring eight goals, doing so in just 14 games with only four starts. Wolff played the following four seasons for the Fire, scoring 24 goals, but suffered through multiple injuries.[3][4]

Before the 2003 MLS Superdraft, the Fire traded Wolff, in a cost-cutting move, to the Kansas City Wizards in exchange for the third overall pick, which the Fire used to select Nate Jaqua.[5] Wolff missed most of the 2003 season due to injuries. He rebounded in 2004 by scoring ten goals and seven assists during the season. Wolff scored his first career playoff goal on a penalty kick during the MLS Cup 2004. He scored ten goals and ten assists in 2005.

In September 2006, Wolff had a try out with English Championship club Derby County. The team was pleased enough with his performance to offer MLS a $500,000 transfer fee. However, British immigration officials denied Wolff a work permit based on the fact he had failed to play the required 75% of the U.S. national team's games in the previous two years.[6]

From England, Wolff traveled to Germany for a try out with 2. Bundesliga club 1860 Munich. On December 6, 2006, 1860 Munich signed Wolff to a contract through the 2007–2008 season. Munich paid MLS a $191,000 transfer fee. Wolff joined the team during its January 2007 mid-winter training camp but was waived at the end of the 2008 season.

Wolff signed with the Kansas City Wizards on June 30, 2008. At the end of the 2010 MLS season, after two and a half seasons back in Kansas City, Wolff's contract option was declined by the club.[7]

On December 15, 2010, Wolff was selected by D.C. United in Stage 2 of the 2010 MLS Re-Entry Draft and immediately signed a one-year contract with a club option for 2012.[8]

Wolff announced his retirement on November 28, 2012, and became a full-time assistant coach with D.C. United.[9]

International
Wolff during training for the U.S. national team

Wolff has scored nine goals in fifty-two caps since his debut against Jamaica on September 8, 1999. He also starred for the US in the 2000 Summer Olympics, scoring two goals and helping the team to a fourth-place finish. As with his club teams, however, Wolff has had trouble securing a definite spot because of continual injury problems. He did play for the United States in the 2002 World Cup, assisting on the opening goal in the second-round win against Mexico. On May 2, 2006, Wolff was named to the US roster for the FIFA World Cup in Germany. Wolff played his last national team match versus Spain at Estadio El Sardinero on June 4, 2008.[10]

International goals
GoalDateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1October 25, 2000Los Angeles Mexico2–02–0Friendly match
2February 28, 2001Columbus, Ohio Mexico1–02–02002 World Cup qualification
3April 25, 2001Kansas City, Missouri Costa Rica1–01–02002 World Cup qualification
4February 2, 2002Pasadena, California Costa Rica1–02–02002 CONCACAF Gold Cup
5May 16, 2002East Rutherford, New Jersey Jamaica1–05–0Friendly match
63–0
7June 20, 2004St. George's, Grenada Grenada2–13–22006 World Cup qualification
8July 16, 2005Foxborough, Massachusetts Jamaica1–03–12005 CONCACAF Gold Cup
9November 12, 2005Glasgow, Scotland Scotland1–01–1Friendly match

[11]

Coaching career

After a season on the coaching staff at D.C. United, Wolff joined the Columbus Crew in November 2013, and remained an assistant coach until 2018. In 2018, Wolff joined the staff of the United States Men's National Team under Gregg Berhalter.

On July 23, 2019, Wolff was announced to be the first head coach of MLS expansion team Austin FC, who began playing with the 2021 season.[12]

Austin FC had 9 wins, 21 defeats, and 4 draws in their expansion season under Wolff, finishing in 12th in the Western Conference, one point above Houston in last. Austin was eliminated from playoff contention on October 16 after a home defeat to Minnesota, with five matches to spare.[13] Wolff played with a 4-3-3 or a 4-2-3-1 formation in his first season, and his team was characterized as having high possession numbers, and for building out from the back.[14] Despite having the fourth-highest average percent possession per game at 53.9%,[15] Austin scored the fewest goals in the league at 35. The team went into their match on October 30 against Dallas with a chance to win the first MLS Copa Tejas, but a 2–1 defeat meant that they finished in third.[16] In his first season as a head coach, Wolff was questioned by the fans about his tactics and substitutions.[17][18][19]

Coach Wolff's second year was a stark contrast to what his team had endured in 2021. Though their performance in the U.S. Open Cup ended after a single game, which they lost 2–1 to their Texas USL Championship opponent San Antonio FC,[20] the teams performance in the MLS season was a different story. Scoring 30 more goals and giving up 16 less goals than the 2021 season,[21] Wolff's team ended with a 2nd place finish in the Western Conference earning a spot in their first MLS Cup Playoffs.[22] Under Wolff's guidance the team continued to be successful, exciting fans by making their way to the Western Conference Finals,[23] losing 3–0 to LAFC in a lackluster performance to end their season.[24]

Personal life

Wolff's eldest son Tyler plays for Atlanta United, and his younger son Owen plays for him at Austin FC.

Coaching statistics
As of matches played on October 22, 2023.
Coaching record by team and tenure
Team From To Record
PWDLWin %
Austin FC January 1, 2020 present 115 40 22 53 034.8
Total 115 40 22 53 034.8

Honors

Chicago Fire

Kansas City Wizards

United States

References
  1. "2006 FIFA World Cup Germany: List of Players: United States" (PDF). FIFA. March 21, 2014. p. 32. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 10, 2019.
  2. Bogert, Tom (July 23, 2019). "Austin FC name Josh Wolff first head coach". Major League Soccer. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
  3. "Fire's Wolff Sidelined With a Knee Injury". New York Times. August 17, 2002. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
  4. "More knee woes for Wolff". Chicago Tribune. July 9, 2003. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
  5. "Chicago sends Wolff to Wizards to complete salary purge". Soccer Times. January 7, 2003. Archived from the original on December 2, 2008. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
  6. "Derby fails to get work permit for striker Josh Wolff". ESPN. August 30, 2006. Archived from the original on June 30, 2022. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
  7. "Sporting KC declines Wolff's option, re-entry drafts await". Kansas City Star. December 1, 2010. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
  8. "D.C. United selects veteran forward Josh Wolff with first pick in MLS re-entry draft". Washington Post. December 15, 2010. Archived from the original on October 9, 2012. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
  9. "Josh Wolff announces retirement, joins D.C. United's coaching staff". D.C. United. November 28, 2012. Archived from the original on December 1, 2012. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
  10. "U.S. Men Fall to Spain, 1-0, on Late Goal at Estadio El Sardinero". U.S. Soccer. June 4, 2008. Archived from the original on August 19, 2012. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
  11. "USA Men's National Team: All-time Results, 1990-present". Archived from the original on August 11, 2011. Retrieved June 3, 2011.
  12. "Austin FC Announces Josh Wolff as Head Coach". Austin FC. July 23, 2019.
  13. Hunte, Sydney (October 16, 2021). "Recap: Austin FC 0, Minnesota United FC 1". MLS Soccer.
  14. "Analysis: Austin FC Defense Proving to Be One of MLS' Best". Austin FC. June 11, 2021.
  15. Average possession - 2021 MLS stats
  16. Tavarez, Chris (October 30, 2021). "Austin FC loses to FC Dallas in deciding game for Copa Tejas". KXAN.
  17. Partain, Claire (August 17, 2021). "'Wolff Out?' Some fans fed up with Austin FC's head coach". Austonia.
  18. Bils, Chris (September 10, 2021). "The Deep Dive: Josh Wolff defends decisions in Vancouver — 'The structure is good.'". The Striker Texas.
  19. Kamnetz, Taylor (September 7, 2021). "AUSTIN FC FANS SOUND OFF ON THE TEAM'S FALTERING FORM AND THE FATE OF JOSH WOLFF". TAG24.
  20. Goodman, Eric (April 22, 2022). "Austin FC Stunned By USL's San Antonio FC in Open Cup Defeat". AustinChronicle.com. The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
  21. Gates, Billy (October 29, 202). "Austin FC by the numbers: A look at the team's improvement from 2021 to 2022". KXAN.com. CBS. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
  22. "Austin FC clinch Audi 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs spot". MLSSoccer.com. Major League Soccer. September 14, 2022. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
  23. Mass, Jimmy (October 28, 2022). "Austin FC and fans are ready to take on LAFC in the MLS Western Conference Final". KUT.org. NPR. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
  24. Bohls, Kirk (October 31, 2023). "Bohls: Austin FC falters in West final to star-studded Los Angeles FC". Statesman.com. Austin American Statesman. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
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