Nick Theslof
Encyclopedia
Nick Theslof is an American
soccer
manager and coach, who was midfield coach and international scout to Jürgen Klinsmann
at FC Bayern Munich
. He is currently an assistant coach for Major League Soccer
's Chivas USA.
He was one of the first and youngest American soccer players to have played in continental Europe
, joining PSV Eindhoven's youth side in 1991 and playing there for two years. Coming from a sporting family, his grandparents were leading Swedish
figure skater Vivi-Anne Hultén
and Finnish
figure skater Gene Theslof.
goaltender
(though he later changed to being a soccer midfielder himself, playing for UC Irvine
), Nick was interested in soccer and began playing for the youth indoor soccer
club, the Cleveland Crunch
. In 1991, his coach at the club, former English striker Ron Wigg
, advised then PSV Eindhoven head of youth development Huub Stevens
to have a look at Theslof, during a match for which PSV's reserve team had come to Cleveland. Stevens, impressed with Theslof's potential, offered him a youth contract at PSV, which Theslof accepted and moved from his home in Columbus
to Eindhoven, Holland. He subsequently played for PSV for the next two years, before his career abruptly ended due to an Achilles injury
. He later moved back to the United States and attended UCLA
, where he later played for their soccer
team, where his performances were lauded. On February 1, 1998, the Columbus Crew
selected Theslof in the 1998 MLS College Draft
, but he was released during the 1998 season without playing a first team game. He moved to the Orange County Waves
for the 2000 USL A-League season. In 2005 and 2006, Thesloff inserted himself into several Blue Star games.
between 1998 and 2000, winning the NCAA Division III national title in 1998. Following his stay at Ohio Wesleyan, Theslof became head coach of the Orange County Blue Star
,, a team of the American Premier Development League and spent time with Juergen Klinsmann who enjoyed Amateur Soccer in Southern California. During that time he also coached future American national team players Sacha Kljestan
and Sal Zizzo
. In 2004, Theslof coached his old club PSV's youth squad in Holland. After Klinsmann became manager of the German national team
, he appointed Theslof as coach and scout in 2006 during the 2006 FIFA World Cup
, where he wrote detailed match summaries and reports for Klinsmann. In February 2008, after he was appointed manager of FC Bayern Munich
, Klinsmann appointed Theslof as a second assistant coach and scout. On 27 April 2009 Klinsmann and his two assistant coaches were released early, even though they had won five of the previous seven league games and were only three points behind league leader VfL Wolfsburg.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soccer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
manager and coach, who was midfield coach and international scout to Jürgen Klinsmann
Jürgen Klinsmann
Jürgen Klinsmann is a German football manager and former player who is currently the coach of the United States Men's National Team. As a player, Klinsmann played for several prominent clubs in Europe and was part of the West German team that won the 1990 FIFA World Cup and the German one that...
at FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich , is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional football team, which is the most successful football club in Germany, having won 22 national titles and 15 cups....
. He is currently an assistant coach for 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...
's Chivas USA.
He was one of the first and youngest American soccer players to have played in continental Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, joining PSV Eindhoven's youth side in 1991 and playing there for two years. Coming from a sporting family, his grandparents were leading Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
figure skater Vivi-Anne Hultén
Vivi-Anne Hultén
Vivi-Anne Hultén was a Swedish figure skater who was a ten time national champion in ladies singles. She finished fifth at the 1932 Winter Olympics and then won the bronze medal at the 1936 Games. She was a two-time European bronze medalist and four time World medalist...
and Finnish
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
figure skater Gene Theslof.
Playing career
Having grown up in a family of renowned skaters, with both his grandparents and parents being skaters, Theslof was exposed to sports being a viable career option from a very early age. While his younger brother Tyler initially chose to become an ice hockeyIce hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
goaltender
Goaltender
In ice hockey, the goaltender is the player who defends his team's goal net by stopping shots of the puck from entering his team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring...
(though he later changed to being a soccer midfielder himself, playing for UC Irvine
University of California, Irvine
The University of California, Irvine , founded in 1965, is one of the ten campuses of the University of California, located in Irvine, California, USA...
), Nick was interested in soccer and began playing for the youth indoor soccer
Indoor soccer
Indoor soccer or arena soccer, or six-a-side football in the United Kingdom, is a game derived from association football adapted for play in an indoor arena such as a turf-covered hockey arena or skating rink. The most important difference in play is that the indoor field is surrounded by a wall...
club, the Cleveland Crunch
Cleveland Crunch
The Cleveland Crunch was formed in 1989 as an expansion team in the Major Soccer League to replace the Cleveland Force, which had folded on July 22, 1988. Akron businessmen George S. Hoffman and Stuart Lichter formed an ownership group, named Al Miller general manager and former Force star Kai...
. In 1991, his coach at the club, former English striker Ron Wigg
Ron Wigg
Ron Wigg was an English professional football striker who spent most of his career in England before ending it in the American Soccer League...
, advised then PSV Eindhoven head of youth development Huub Stevens
Huub Stevens
Hubertus "Huub" Jozef Margaretha Stevens is a Dutch football manager and former defender.- Playing career :...
to have a look at Theslof, during a match for which PSV's reserve team had come to Cleveland. Stevens, impressed with Theslof's potential, offered him a youth contract at PSV, which Theslof accepted and moved from his home in Columbus
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
to Eindhoven, Holland. He subsequently played for PSV for the next two years, before his career abruptly ended due to an Achilles injury
Achilles tendon rupture
The Achilles tendon is the most commonly injured tendon. Rupture can occur while performing actions requiring explosive acceleration, such as pushing off or jumping...
. He later moved back to the United States and attended UCLA
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
, where he later played for their soccer
UCLA Bruins
The UCLA Bruins are the sports teams for University of California, Los Angeles . The Bruin men's and women's teams participate in NCAA Division I as part of the Pacific-12 Conference and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation . For football, they are in the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division I...
team, where his performances were lauded. On February 1, 1998, the Columbus Crew
Columbus Crew
The Columbus Crew is an American professional soccer club based in Columbus, Ohio which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
selected Theslof in the 1998 MLS College Draft
1998 MLS College Draft
The 1998 Major League Soccer College Draft was held in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on January 31 and February 1, 1998.-Format:On Saturday, January 31, 1997, Major League Soccer held the first round of its 1998 college draft during the halftime of the Umbro Select All-Star Classic at Lockhart Stadium. ...
, but he was released during the 1998 season without playing a first team game. He moved to the Orange County Waves
Orange County Blue Star
Orange County Blue Star is an American soccer team based in Irvine, California, United States. Founded in 1997, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference.The team plays its home games at...
for the 2000 USL A-League season. In 2005 and 2006, Thesloff inserted himself into several Blue Star games.
Coaching career
Theslof began his coaching career as Dr. Jay Martin's assistant at Ohio Wesleyan UniversityOhio Wesleyan University
Ohio Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts college in Delaware, Ohio, United States. It was founded in 1842 by Methodist leaders and Central Ohio residents as a nonsectarian institution, and is a member of the Ohio Five — a consortium of Ohio liberal arts colleges...
between 1998 and 2000, winning the NCAA Division III national title in 1998. Following his stay at Ohio Wesleyan, Theslof became head coach of the Orange County Blue Star
Orange County Blue Star
Orange County Blue Star is an American soccer team based in Irvine, California, United States. Founded in 1997, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference.The team plays its home games at...
,, a team of the American Premier Development League and spent time with Juergen Klinsmann who enjoyed Amateur Soccer in Southern California. During that time he also coached future American national team players Sacha Kljestan
Sacha Kljestan
Sacha Kljestan is an American soccer player who currently plays for Anderlecht in the Belgian First Division.-Youth and College:...
and Sal Zizzo
Sal Zizzo
Salvatore "Sal" Zizzo is an American soccer player who plays for the Portland Timbers of Major League Soccer.-Youth and Amateur:...
. In 2004, Theslof coached his old club PSV's youth squad in Holland. After Klinsmann became manager of the German national team
Germany national football team
The Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
, he appointed Theslof as coach and scout in 2006 during the 2006 FIFA World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
, where he wrote detailed match summaries and reports for Klinsmann. In February 2008, after he was appointed manager of FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich , is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional football team, which is the most successful football club in Germany, having won 22 national titles and 15 cups....
, Klinsmann appointed Theslof as a second assistant coach and scout. On 27 April 2009 Klinsmann and his two assistant coaches were released early, even though they had won five of the previous seven league games and were only three points behind league leader VfL Wolfsburg.