The Houston Dynamo have appointed Paul Rogers as goalkeeper coach, the club announced today. Rogers spent the last six years as goalkeeper coach with the United States Women’s National Team.
Rogers replaces Phil Hughes, who couldn’t fulfill his position with the Dynamo due to personal reasons.
The Brighton, England native joined the U.S. women’s national team as goalkeeper coach in March 2009 and helped lead the U.S. to a gold medal at the 2012 Olympic Games and a second-place finish at the 2010 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Rogers’ duties with the women’s national team also included scouting and video analysis.
“I want to thank Owen and the Houston Dynamo for this fantastic opportunity,” Rogers said. “These are exciting times for Major League Soccer and I'm looking forward to getting on the training pitch with Tyler (Deric), Joe (Willis), Michael (Lisch) and the rest of the group. I'm thrilled to be working with such a great coaching staff and front office to bring continued success to the club. I would also like to thank U.S. Soccer for the opportunity to work with a world class program. I am grateful to Sunil Gulati, Dan Flynn and Jill Ellis for the opportunity to work with one of the world’s elite national teams.”
Rogers served as goalkeeper coach for the Canada Women’s National Team in 2008, helping them to a runner-up finish in CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying and the team’s first appearance in the Olympics, where they reached the quarterfinals. Rogers worked on the professional level as an assistant and goalkeeper coach with St. Louis Athletica of Women’s Professional Soccer in 2009 and 2010, and collegiately with Florida State University, the University of Louisville and Tulane University prior to that.
“We are pleased to add Paul Rogers to our coaching staff,” Dynamo vice president/general manager Matt Jordan said. “His experience with the U.S. National Team programs and knowledge of the position will be important for our group of goalkeepers moving forward.”
“We are delighted to add Paul to our staff,” Dynamo head coach Owen Coyle said. “He is regarded as one of the most up-and coming goalkeeper coaches in U.S. soccer.”
Since 2006, Rogers has been an instructor for the U.S. Soccer coaching education course teaching the goalkeeping license and the goalkeeping section of the USSF A, B and C licenses. In addition, Rogers has coached at the USL PRO combine the last two years, running the goalkeeping side of the three-day event. He holds a USSF A License, UEFA B License, UEFA B Goalkeeper License and NSCAA Goalkeeper License, as well as a bachelor’s degree in sport administration from the University of Indianapolis.
As a player, Rogers had spells with several professional and semi-professional clubs in England, including time as a youth player with Queens Park Rangers and Plymouth Argyle and senior player with Brighton & Hove Albion.
