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Junior Gonzalez (soccer)

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Junior Gonzalez
Personal information
Full name Othoniel "Junior" Gonzalez
Date of birth (1977-09-26) September 26, 1977 (age 47)
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1995–1998 UCLA Bruins
Managerial career
2001–2003 UC Riverside Highlanders (assistant)
2004–2013 UC Riverside Highlanders
2013–2014 Chivas USA (assistant)
2015 United States U15 (assistant)
2016 Seattle Sounders FC 2 (assistant)
2017 Rio Grande Valley FC Toros
2018–2019 LA Galaxy (assistant)
2019 LA Galaxy II (interim)
2019–2021 LA Galaxy II
2022–2023 Chicago Fire (assistant)
2024– Los Angeles FC 2

Othoniel "Junior" Gonzalez (born September 26, 1977) is an American professional soccer coach. He was previously an assistant coach for Chicago Fire FC, and had coaching positions with LA Galaxy II, Seattle Sounders FC, Chivas USA and was head coach with Rio Grande Valley FC Toros. Junior attended UCLA where he played on the Men's NCAA soccer team and won the NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Championship in 1997.

Gonzalez's coaching career began in 2001 as an assistant coach for the University of California, Riverside men's program. Three years later he became the head coach and under his tenure 30 players were named All-Big West Conference – including two Big West Conference Players of the Year – and six players went on to MLS and USL careers. In 2011, Gonzalez was named the Big West Coach of the Year.

As a player, Gonzalez won the 1997 NCAA National Championship with UCLA. His collegiate career included four trips to the NCAA tournament and three Mountain Pacific Conference Championships. Gonzalez continued his playing career with the USL's San Diego Flash and his career continued throughout California before his final stop with the Utah Blitz.

During 2019, Gonzalez was the interim manager for LA Galaxy II.[1]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "LA Galaxy II's Junior Gonzalez to fill in as head coach at U.S. U-17 camp". www.socceramerica.com. 5 November 2019.