Richie Williams Information & Richie Williams Links at HealthHaven.com

Richie Williams
Personal information
Full name	Richard Williams
Date of birth	June 3, 1970 (age 39)
Place of birth	Middletown, New Jersey, United States
Height	5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)
Playing position	Midfielder
Club information
Current club	New York Red Bulls (interim head coach)
Youth career
1988–1991	Virginia Cavaliers
Senior career*
National team
Teams managed
2005–2006	University of Virginia (assistant)
2006–	New York Red Bulls (assistant)
2006	New York Red Bulls (interim)
2009–	New York Red Bulls (interim)
	* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.; † Appearances (Goals).;

For other persons named Richard Williams, see Richard Williams.

Richie Williams (born June 3, 1970 in Middletown, New Jersey) is an American former professional soccer player. He is currently the interim head coach of New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer.

Known for his diminutive height and his dogged tackling, Williams spent the vast majority of his playing career in the United States, playing one season in the National Professional Soccer League, two in USISL, two in the USL A-League, and eight in Major League Soccer, most notably for the MetroStars and D.C. United. He also amassed 20 caps for the United States men's national soccer team.

[edit] Playing career

[edit] Club

Williams' career has been closely tied to Bruce Arena, former coach of the United States men's national team. Arena first coached Williams at the University of Virginia. The two parted ways after Williams graduated. In 1992, Williams signed with the Buffalo Blizzard in the National Professional Soccer League.^[1] He played thirty games for the Blizzard during the 1992-1993 winter indoor season. In the spring of 1993, he signed with the Richmond Kickers of the USISL. That fall, he moved to Ayr United in Scottish Football League but then came back to the United States, signing with the Richmond Kickers of the USISL in 1994. Williams played two seasons with the Kickers, helping them to the 1995 U.S. Open Cup and USISL titles.

In February 1996, Williams was drafted by Arena, who then coached DC United, in the fourth round of the 1996 MLS Inaugural Player Draft. Making up for his height with his ferocious shadowing of the opponent's top playmaker, he became an integral member of the early DC teams, helping them to three MLS Cup titles.

Williams was traded to the MetroStars for Mike Ammann in 2001, spent a year there and was sent back to DC for Brian Kamler. His MLS career ended with the Metros in a trade with Eddie Pope and Jaime Moreno for Mike Petke, a draft pick, and an allocation before the 2003 season. Williams tallied just eight goals and added 33 assists in 216 regular season games in MLS (plus two goals and four assists in 26 playoff games).

Williams signed with his original American team Richmond Kickers which now played in the USL A-League, prior to the 2004 season, but left the club in September 2005 after disagreements with the coach Leigh Cowlishaw, and retired from playing shortly thereafter.

[edit] International

Williams earned his first cap for the United States on November 6, 1998, against Australia, and went on to appear 20 times for the national team.

[edit] Coaching career

Williams spent several years as an assistant coach at his alma mater, the University of Virginia, before being named an assistant coach with the MetroStars in January 2006. On June 27, 2006, Williams was named interim head coach of the re-branded New York Red Bulls, and went back as assistant following former United States men's national soccer team head coach Bruce Arena's appointment with the club. He remained as the clubs top assistant coach, until he was once again called on to serve as the clubs interim coach replacing Juan Carlos Osorio for the remaining 8 matches of the 2009 season.

[edit] Honors

[edit] United States

CONCACAF Gold Cup (1): 2002

[edit] D.C. United

MLS Cup Winners (3): 1996, 1997, 1999
MLS Supporters' Shield Winners (2): 1997, 1999
U.S. Open Cup Winners (1): 1996
CONCACAF Champions' Cup Winners (1): 1998
InterAmerican Cup Winners (1): 1998

[edit] Richmond Kickers

USISL Premier League Champions: 1995
US Open Cup Champions: 1995
James River Cup: 2004, 2005

[edit] See also

List of current MLS coaches

[edit] References

^ NATIONAL PROFESSIONAL SOCCER LEAGUE FINAL OFFICIAL STATISTICS -- 1992-1993

[edit] External links

[0] NATIONAL PROFESSIONAL SOCCER LEAGUE FINAL OFFICIAL STATISTICS -- 1992-1993

[1]

Contents