SEATTLE, WASH. – Sounders FC today announced that it has hired Freddy Juarez as an Assistant Coach. Juarez comes to Seattle from Real Salt Lake, where he has served as Head Coach since 2019 and brings over a decade of coaching experience at different levels of the organization. In over two calendar years as Head Coach at RSL, Juarez compiled a 18-23-14 record with one postseason appearance, and departs the Claret and Cobalt above the red line for qualification to the 2021 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs.
“I am very pleased to add a coach of Freddy’s caliber to our staff. I respect the job he did as Head Coach at Real Salt Lake, and his eye for the game will be a tremendous asset for our team,” said Head Coach Brian Schmetzer. “When considering candidates to bring into our coaches room, there were certain characteristics I was looking for: humble, hard-working, honest, loyal to the club. I believe Freddy checks every box and I am looking forward to bringing him on board.”
“Freddy is a talented coach who we think can be a great long-term fit for the club. He brings a diverse set of qualities, including a sharp tactical mind and an extensive background in player development,” said Sounders FC General Manager & President of Soccer Garth Lagerwey. “The fact that a current head coach in this league would embrace an opportunity to join our staff as an assistant is a testament to this club’s consistent success, as well as the respect that Brian and his staff have garnered over the years.”
Juarez was named Interim Head Coach at Real Salt Lake on August 11, 2019 following the dismissal of Mike Petke. He led RSL to a 7-5-2 record down the stretch, resulting in a third-place finish in the Western Conference and a berth in the 2019 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs. Following a first-round home win against the Portland Timbers, RSL fell 2-0 to Sounders FC, who would go on to win 2019 MLS Cup. In 2020, RSL finished in 11th place in the Western Conference with a 5-10-7 record. Juarez departs RSL in 2021 after going 7-7-6 and leading the club to current playoff positioning.
“I am excited for this new challenge and looking forward to working with Brian and his staff to contribute to the continued success of this incredible club,” said Juarez. “I’m so grateful to everyone that has reached out and welcomed me as family into the Sounders ranks. I couldn’t be happier to be a part of this amazing community and can’t wait to get to the grind for the fans at Lumen Field.”
Originally joining the Real Salt Lake organization as Academy Head Coach in 2010, Juarez won the U.S. Soccer Development Academy U-16 Championship in 2012 with a roster that boasted future RSL players Justen Glad, Brooks Lennon and Sebastian Saucedo. He remained with the RSL Academy until being promoted to Head Coach of Real Monarchs SLC in the club’s inaugural USL season in 2015. After two seasons in USL, he was again promoted to an Assistant Coach on Real Salt Lake’s staff in 2016.
A native of Las Cruces, New Mexico, Juarez played 10 seasons in the USL for the El Paso Patriots and Minnesota Thunder before retiring in 2007. He was also a member of the 2007 U.S. Men’s National Futsal Team.
Additionally, Adam Owen has returned to Europe to reunite with his family following one-and-a-half seasons in Seattle. Owen served in a dual role of High Performance Director & Technical Advisor, where he oversaw sports science and performance programs for the club across all levels of the organization, while also advising the club on technical matters. Owen has 16 years of experience as a fitness coach, assistant manager and manager, in addition to a decade of playing experience in Wales and Scotland.
Said Lagerwey, “We’d like to wish Adam luck on the next phase of his career. He was well-regarded during his time here and helped us on and off the field. During these challenging times amidst a global pandemic, family is more important than ever, and we’re happy that Adam is able to reunite with his back in the United Kingdom.”
Sean Muldoon has been promoted to Vice President of Performance, joining Vice President of Sports Medicine & Head Athletic Trainer Chris Cornish and Vice President of Soccer Analytics & Research Ravi Ramineni as recent VP promotions on the club’s technical staff.
“Like we’ve done with our player development system, we also believe strongly in promoting quality members of our technical staff,” said Lagerwey. “We’d like to congratulate Sean on this opportunity to step into a leadership role, and he’s in good company with the likes of Chris Cornish and Ravi Ramineni, both of whom were also recently promoted to the rank of Vice President. Continuing to invest in our people is critical to our overall culture of our club and sustained success.”
Despite a 2-0 home loss to Portland on Sunday, Seattle remains in first place in the Western Conference with 42 points (12-4-6) heading into the international break. Brian Schmetzer’s side returns to action on Saturday, September 11 against Minnesota United FC at Lumen Field (2:00 p.m. PT / JOEtv, Prime Video, Univision, 950 KJR AM, El Rey 1360 AM).
