Josh Wolff
Josh Wolff joined Austin FC in November, 2019 as the First Ever Head Coach in a multiyear agreement.
Wolff, who twice represented the United States as a player in both the 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cup competitions, will join Austin FC at the end of the 2019 FIFA window, upon completion of his current role as Assistant Coach for the US Men’s National Team (USMNT). Wolff previously served on the staff of current USMNT Head Coach Gregg Berhalter for five (5) seasons while at Columbus Crew SC (MLS) prior to re-joining Berhalter on the USMNT staff where he assisted in the team’s recent run to the final of the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Wolff started his MLS coaching career in 2012 with D.C. United where he was an Assistant Coach through 2013. In 2014, he joined Columbus Crew SC as an Assistant Coach, where the team qualified for the playoffs in four of five seasons, winning the Eastern Conference in 2015 and competing in the MLS Cup that year.
Before becoming a coach at the highest level in the United States, Wolff’s stellar playing career spanned from 1998 to 2012, in which time he featured as a goal-scoring forward in both MLS and Germany’s 2. Bundesliga. In total, Wolff made 367 combined appearances for his club sides while tallying 106 goals and was named to the MLS All Star team in 2002 in 2006. Additionally, he received MLS and Club honors as a player, claiming the MLS Cup in 1998, winning three US Open Cup championships, in 1998, 2000, 2004 and adding one as an Assistant Coach with D.C. United, in 2013. Wolff was most recently inducted into Sporting Kansas City’s (MLS) Sporting Legends Hall of Honor after registering 46 goals in 164 competitive appearances for the Club.
A native of Stone Mountain, GA, Wolff regularly featured for the USMNT from 1998 through 2008 including two appearances in FIFA World Cup competitions, in 2002 and 2006. Across the entirety of his national team career with the USMNT, Wolff registered 52 caps and scored nine goals while wearing the Stars and Stripes. Wolff ultimately became synonymous with the legend of “Dos a Cero” after scoring an important goal for the U.S. in the historic World Cup qualifying win over Mexico in 2001 and recording an important assist in the legendary U.S. win over Mexico in the 2002 FIFA World Cup round of 16. He was also a CONCACAF Gold Cup Champion in 2002 and 2005, scoring the game-winner against Costa Rica in the 2002 final. Wolff was also named U.S. Soccer’s Young Male Athlete of the Year in 1998 and was a US Olympic team athlete in 2000, joining Team USA at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.
In Wolff’s most recent capacity with the USMNT, his role was to assist the head coach, Gregg Berhalter, in teaching and executing the team’s style of play, as well as analyzing and assessing training sessions and matches. His role off the field included evaluating the US player pool both domestically and internationally, as well as working alongside the staff in detailing and defining the team’s game model. He is also responsible for leading the USMNT’s scouting efforts in the CONCACAF region, preparing scouting reports on up-coming opponents. As a result, Wolff has extensive game preparation and regional scouting experience. Wolff’s standout MLS career, which included stints with Chicago Fire (1998 – 2002), Kansas City Wizards (2003 – 2006 and 2008 – 2010) and D.C. United (2011 – 2012), bookended two years with TSV 1860 Munchen in 2. Bundesliga (2006 – 2008.) Throughout his career Wolff played alongside and been coached by many recognizable and influential names including Bob Bradley, Bruce Arena, Gregg Berhalter, Peter Vermes, Jesse Marsch and Ben Olsen.