![](http://image.absoluteastronomy.com/images//topicimages/i/ia/ian_russell_(soccer).gif)
Ian Russell (soccer)
Encyclopedia
Ian Russell is an American
soccer player and coach.
Russell attended the University of Washington
on a soccer scholarship and was a three-time (1995-97) All-Mountain Pacific Sports Federation first team selection. He then played for the Seattle Sounders
of the USL First Division
in 1998 and 1999. He won the offensive MVP award in 1999.
After being drafted from the Seattle Sounders in 2000, Russell played for seven seasons in Major League Soccer
. Six of those seasons were with the San Jose Earthquakes
; Russell appeared in 131 games. A pacy midfielder
, he scored five goals and 20 assists, helping the Quakes win two MLS Cup
s, in 2001 and 2003. He is ninth all-time in Quakes history in assists and is tied for first in club history in playoff appearances with 14. His best season with San Jose came in 2001, when he scored three goals and nine assists, while starting all 26 regular season games and all six playoffs games.
Russell also played three games in 2007 with the Los Angeles Galaxy
, under the management of Frank Yallop
.
Russell began coaching while playing for the Seattle Sounders and has continued coaching in the Bay Area, including running camps and directing training sessions for numerous youth teams in the South Bay.
Russell returned to the San Jose Earthquakes
in 2008, as assistant coach. During his first year with the club, Russell helped the team make a very successful return to MLS. This included the team's posting the best record for any expansion team since 1998 with eight wins, 33 points and 32 goals scored. The Quakes also posted a nine-game unbeaten streak from July 12-Sept. 27, which was the longest unbeaten streak in the league in 2008 and the second longest ever by an expansion team.
In the offseason, Russell successfully completed the U.S. Soccer Federation
"A" coaching license course.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soccer player and coach.
Russell attended the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
on a soccer scholarship and was a three-time (1995-97) All-Mountain Pacific Sports Federation first team selection. He then played for the Seattle Sounders
Seattle Sounders (USL)
Seattle Sounders was an American professional soccer team founded in 1994 as a member of the American Professional Soccer League. In 1997, the team became a member of the USL First Division, the second tier of the United States soccer pyramid, until 2008, after which the majority of the team's...
of the USL First Division
USL First Division
The United Soccer Leagues First Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico....
in 1998 and 1999. He won the offensive MVP award in 1999.
After being drafted from the Seattle Sounders in 2000, Russell played for seven seasons in 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...
. Six of those seasons were with the San Jose Earthquakes
San Jose Earthquakes
The San Jose Earthquakes professional soccer team is located in the San Jose, California, United States suburb of Santa Clara, and participates in Major League Soccer , the top level soccer league in the United States and Canada....
; Russell appeared in 131 games. A pacy midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
, he scored five goals and 20 assists, helping the Quakes win two MLS Cup
MLS Cup
The MLS Cup is the championship match of Major League Soccer, the highest tier of professional soccer in the United States and Canada. As the final match of the MLS Cup playoffs, the winner is crowned the season champion in the same manner as other North American sports leagues...
s, in 2001 and 2003. He is ninth all-time in Quakes history in assists and is tied for first in club history in playoff appearances with 14. His best season with San Jose came in 2001, when he scored three goals and nine assists, while starting all 26 regular season games and all six playoffs games.
Russell also played three games in 2007 with the Los Angeles Galaxy
Los Angeles Galaxy
The Los Angeles Galaxy are an American professional soccer team, based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California, which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, and the league's second...
, under the management of Frank Yallop
Frank Yallop
Frank Walter Yallop is an English-born Canadian former professional association football player. He is currently the head coach of San Jose Earthquakes in Major League Soccer....
.
Russell began coaching while playing for the Seattle Sounders and has continued coaching in the Bay Area, including running camps and directing training sessions for numerous youth teams in the South Bay.
Russell returned to the San Jose Earthquakes
San Jose Earthquakes
The San Jose Earthquakes professional soccer team is located in the San Jose, California, United States suburb of Santa Clara, and participates in Major League Soccer , the top level soccer league in the United States and Canada....
in 2008, as assistant coach. During his first year with the club, Russell helped the team make a very successful return to MLS. This included the team's posting the best record for any expansion team since 1998 with eight wins, 33 points and 32 goals scored. The Quakes also posted a nine-game unbeaten streak from July 12-Sept. 27, which was the longest unbeaten streak in the league in 2008 and the second longest ever by an expansion team.
In the offseason, Russell successfully completed the U.S. Soccer Federation
United States Soccer Federation
The United States Soccer Federation is the official governing body of the sport of soccer in the United States. Its headquarters are located in Chicago, Illinois. It is a member of FIFA and is responsible for governing amateur and professional soccer, including the men's, women's, youth, futsal...
"A" coaching license course.