North Carolina State University Athletics
Tab Ramos Named U.S. Under-20 National Team Coach
10/23/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Oct. 23, 2011
Raleigh, N.C. - Former NC State men's soccer All-American Tab Ramos has been hired by U.S. Soccer to coach the U.S. Under-20 Men's National Team. Ramos starred in the midfield for the Wolfpack from 1984-87, earning All-America honors his final three seasons.
"Tab Ramos has been one of the pioneers of the sport in this country and will bring a wealth of experience in his role as the Under-20 Men's National Team head coach," said U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati. "His addition to our national team program will be a benefit as we continue to concentrate on the development of our youth players at the international level."
The 1990 U.S. Soccer Male Athlete of the Year, Ramos had a storied career with the U.S. National Team. Earning 81 caps, he was a part of three World Cups. He tallied eight career goals, and is the only U.S. player to score at least one goal in World Cup qualifying in three different decades. With experience playing in Spain and Mexico, Ramos became the first player signed to Major League Soccer in 1995, completing seven seasons with the NY/NJ MetroStars.
He was elected to the National Soccer Half of Fame in 1995.
"It is an honor for me to once again be representing the United States," said Ramos. "After ending my playing career, I've been working extremely hard to develop as a coach. I have had the opportunity to work with the youth national teams with some great coaches, and now I look forward to contributing in a much bigger way."
Ramos brings a wealth of professional and international experience to the U.S. National Team programs. He has been a member of the U.S. Soccer Federation Player Development Task Force since 2006, and after receiving his "A" coaching license in 2007, became the U.S. U-20 MNT assistant coach two years later. Ramos served as interim head coach in late 2011, guiding the U-20 Men through training camp and two friendlies in France.
Following interview by Mike Woitalla of Soccer America:
No other coach of a U.S. national team on the men's side had as illustrious career in the U.S. jersey as new U-20 boss Tab Ramos, who played in three World Cups, two Copa Americas, the Olympics and the U-20 World Cup. One of the most skillful players in U.S. history, his dribbling skills have arguably yet to be matched by an American player. Upon retiring in 2002, Ramos founded the New Jersey youth club NJSA 04. In 2008, he coached the NJSA 04 Gunners to the U-14 U.S. Youth Soccer national title. He served as assistant coach to previous U.S. U-20 boss Thomas Rongen.
SOCCER AMERICA: How valuable to your new position is your experience as a coach in grass-roots youth soccer?
TAB RAMOS: I think it's incredibly valuable to learn the game from the beginning. From being on your knees and throwing the ball to 8-year-olds so they can hit a volley to helping Thomas [Rongen] coach the U-20 team. I think I was able to see everything in between. In the end, I think all the experiences will come in handy at different times.
SA: What's your overall impression of the player pool for the U-20s?
TAB RAMOS: Overall we have a good core of players who will be important at the start. Obviously this going to be a process of over a year to select what the main group is going to be that we're going into [U-20 World Cup] qualifying with.
SA: What are some of the general characteristics of this age group? They're adults but also just coming out of youth soccer ...
TAB RAMOS: You have a wide range of experience among the different players. We have guys who have been overseas and have been playing, not necessarily in first division ball, but they have been playing pro for a couple of years.
You have guys who have never done it, who are now freshmen in college.
You can have seniors in high school. So you have wide range of talent to choose from. Obviously in the end you want to choose the most talented players who can play the way you'd like to play. But at the same time experience becomes a very important part of the selection process.
SA: U.S. Soccer Youth Technical Director Claudio Reyna has talked about the national teams at all levels, from Jurgen Klinsmann's senior team on down, playing similar styles and in a similar system. How does that affect your task?
TAB RAMOS: We discussed that a lot. I feel fortunate that I've been able to go with Jurgen [as assistant coach] on the last few trips and I sort of know what he's looking for and the type of player he's looking for.
One of the most important things with this particular team is to win games, to get us to the [U-20] World Cup and to do the best we can.
But at the same time, one of my jobs is to try to develop players so when they get to the senior team they can play the same way we want to play on the senior team.
SA: How would you describe what Klinsmann is looking for?
TAB RAMOS: I'm sure Jurgen would be able to explain that better. But I think it's pretty clear that he likes the teams to play out of the back. He wants people who are confident on the ball and confident to be able to make a difference in the game.
He wants guys up front who are direct, who want to go for goal, who want to make an impact on the game.
Not that other people aren't looking for these things, but I think sometimes we find a lot of coaches who may say that's how they want to play, but when it comes time to play the game -- you find them playing with one forward on top all by himself.
I think this is something Jurgen has been trying to do different. He's been trying get more people forward. He's been trying to give confidence to players to make a difference.
And the youth national teams will try not to be any different.
SA: About half the players who were part of the last three U.S. World Cup squads had played in a U-20 World Cup. How valuable is that U-20 experience?
TAB RAMOS: Very. Basically it's the same thing. Preparation is the same thing. You have the scouting component. You have the fitness component.
The players are a little younger, but particularly the U-20 national team should be able to prepare a player for going into the senior team and not miss a beat.
SA: What memories do you have from playing in the U-20 World Cup in 1983 in Mexico at age 16?
TAB RAMOS: I took an elbow to face and got a broken nose against Ivory Coast [a 1-0 U.S. win].
But I have great memories. We opened against a very good Uruguay and lost 3-2. We lost the last game against Poland [2-0].
It was my first experience of what to me was real soccer. Making it to the youth national team is very special. I hope all the players coming into camp feel the same way I did when I played.
(Tab Ramos, the new U.S. U-20 men's national team coach is also President of New Jersey club NJSA 04, which he founded. He was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2005 after a playing career for the USA that included three World Cups, two Copa Americas and the Olympics. He played club ball in Spain (Figueres & Real Betis) and Mexico (Tigres), in addition to his seven years with the MLS's MetroStars.)
