Dave Dir
Encyclopedia
David Dir is a former United States soccer goalkeeper
, coach and broadcaster. He played professionally in USISL and coached in the American Professional Soccer League
, NCAA and Major League Soccer
.
, where he majored in broadcasting. In 1980, the Chicago Sting
of the North American Soccer League
drafted Dir with their first selection in the 1980 NASL College Draft. He suffered an injury in his first season and never played in a league game for the team. He later played for the Colorado Comets
in the USISL.
in the American Professional Soccer League
. In 1990, Regis University
hired Dir as head coach of the men's soccer team. His teams won the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference
both seasons with a record of 10-5-2 in 1990 and 9-5-4 in 1991. He was voted the 1990 RMAC Coach of the Year. In 1992, he left Regis to become head coach of the Colorado Foxes
of the American Professional Soccer League
. In his two and a half seasons with the team, he won the APSL championship twice as well as the pro cup and regular season championship in each year. In May 1994, he resigned as head coach when his wife, who was a flight attendant, was transferred to a new location.
Dir was approached by Major League Soccer
(MLS) which was preparing for its first season to become the head of player personnel in charge of all scouting and creation of the original MLS player pool. Dir worked with Sunil Gulati
as a director of player personnel for the new league for two years. In 1994, Dir left the league position and became the first head coach of the Dallas Burn, a position he held from 1996, the club's inaugural year, until 2000. He was the longest serving of the original ten MLS head coaches, winning the 1997 U.S. Open Cup
. This remains the team's only championship. Dir remains in the top five for all time MLS wins as a head coach with eighty-four.
and Fox Sports
. He formerly hosted World Cup Tonight in 2002 and was a co-host on MLS Primetime. He also provided color commentary for national team broadcasts as well as MLS Cup on ABC. Currently he works on MLS broadcasts for multiple clubs in the league, and continues as an assistant coach with the U-20 men's national team. Dir has been a coach through four cycles of the U-20 program with various head coaches.
In 2002 Dir became a partner and is serving as president of the Associated Soccer Group, a national soccer education company which operates and oversees the operations of clubs in Dallas, Georgia and Florida. He has consistently been linked to many of MLS's head coaching and technical director vacancies as a candidate for those positions
Goalkeeper (football)
In association football, the goalkeeper occupies a position that represents the last line of defence between the opponent's offence and his own team's goal. The primary role of the goalkeeper is to defend his team's goal and prevent the opposition from scoring a goal...
, coach and broadcaster. He played professionally in USISL and coached in the American Professional Soccer League
American Professional Soccer League
The American Professional Soccer League is a former professional men's soccer league which featured teams from both the United States and Canada. It was the first outdoor soccer league to feature teams from throughout the United States since the demise of the original North American Soccer League...
, NCAA and Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
.
Playing career
Dir played youth soccer with the Chicago Kickers. He attended Western Illinois UniversityWestern Illinois University
Western Illinois University is a public university founded in 1899 as Western Illinois State Normal School. Like many similar institutions of the time, Western Illinois State Normal School focused on teacher training for its relatively small body of students. As the normal school grew, it became...
, where he majored in broadcasting. In 1980, the Chicago Sting
Chicago Sting
The Chicago Sting was an American professional soccer team based in Chicago, Illinois. The Sting played in the North American Soccer League from 1975 to 1984 and in the Major Indoor Soccer League from in the 1982-83 season and again from 1984 to 1988...
of the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
drafted Dir with their first selection in the 1980 NASL College Draft. He suffered an injury in his first season and never played in a league game for the team. He later played for the Colorado Comets
Colorado Comets
The Colorado Comets were an American soccer club based in Denver, Colorado founded in 1985 which later competed in the SISL and USISL.-History:...
in the USISL.
Managerial career
In 1989, Dir began his coaching career as an assistant with the Colorado FoxesColorado Foxes
The Colorado Foxes were a professional soccer team, based in Commerce City, Colorado, that played in the APSL between 1990 and 1997. The Foxes won two APSL titles, in 1992 and 1993. When Major League Soccer started and the Colorado Rapids became the region's premier team, the Foxes tried to stay...
in the American Professional Soccer League
American Professional Soccer League
The American Professional Soccer League is a former professional men's soccer league which featured teams from both the United States and Canada. It was the first outdoor soccer league to feature teams from throughout the United States since the demise of the original North American Soccer League...
. In 1990, Regis University
Regis University
Regis University is a private, co-educational Roman Catholic, Jesuit university in the United States. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1877, it is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities...
hired Dir as head coach of the men's soccer team. His teams won the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference
Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference
The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the western United States, mostly in Colorado with some members in Nebraska and New Mexico...
both seasons with a record of 10-5-2 in 1990 and 9-5-4 in 1991. He was voted the 1990 RMAC Coach of the Year. In 1992, he left Regis to become head coach of the Colorado Foxes
Colorado Foxes
The Colorado Foxes were a professional soccer team, based in Commerce City, Colorado, that played in the APSL between 1990 and 1997. The Foxes won two APSL titles, in 1992 and 1993. When Major League Soccer started and the Colorado Rapids became the region's premier team, the Foxes tried to stay...
of the American Professional Soccer League
American Professional Soccer League
The American Professional Soccer League is a former professional men's soccer league which featured teams from both the United States and Canada. It was the first outdoor soccer league to feature teams from throughout the United States since the demise of the original North American Soccer League...
. In his two and a half seasons with the team, he won the APSL championship twice as well as the pro cup and regular season championship in each year. In May 1994, he resigned as head coach when his wife, who was a flight attendant, was transferred to a new location.
Dir was approached by Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
(MLS) which was preparing for its first season to become the head of player personnel in charge of all scouting and creation of the original MLS player pool. Dir worked with Sunil Gulati
Sunil Gulati
Sunil Gulati is the current president of the United States Soccer Federation and special advisor to The Kraft Group and the Kraft family...
as a director of player personnel for the new league for two years. In 1994, Dir left the league position and became the first head coach of the Dallas Burn, a position he held from 1996, the club's inaugural year, until 2000. He was the longest serving of the original ten MLS head coaches, winning the 1997 U.S. Open Cup
1997 U.S. Open Cup
-Semifinals:-----Final:-Top scorers:-See also:* United States Soccer Federation* Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup* Major League Soccer* United Soccer Leagues* USASA* National Premier Soccer League...
. This remains the team's only championship. Dir remains in the top five for all time MLS wins as a head coach with eighty-four.
Broadcasting career
In 2000, the club fired Dir and he became a soccer broadcaster with ESPNESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
and Fox Sports
Fox Sports (USA)
Fox Sports is a division of the Fox Broadcasting Company . It was formed in 1994 with Fox's acquisition of broadcast rights to National Football League games...
. He formerly hosted World Cup Tonight in 2002 and was a co-host on MLS Primetime. He also provided color commentary for national team broadcasts as well as MLS Cup on ABC. Currently he works on MLS broadcasts for multiple clubs in the league, and continues as an assistant coach with the U-20 men's national team. Dir has been a coach through four cycles of the U-20 program with various head coaches.
In 2002 Dir became a partner and is serving as president of the Associated Soccer Group, a national soccer education company which operates and oversees the operations of clubs in Dallas, Georgia and Florida. He has consistently been linked to many of MLS's head coaching and technical director vacancies as a candidate for those positions