The Houston Dynamo have appointed Wade Barrett as interim head coach for the remainder of the 2016 season.
Barrett is in his seventh season on the Dynamo coaching staff. Following the resignation of head coach Owen Coyle, he led the team and the coaching staff for the last two games, garnering 1-1 draws on the road at Vancouver Whitecaps FC and FC Dallas. The two draws earned Houston its first points on the road this season after an 0-6-0 start away from home.
“Wade has given a lot to this club through the years, first as a player and now as a coach, and we believe he is the right person to lead the team at this time,” Dynamo VP/general manager Matt Jordan said. “Our goals set forth in preseason remain the same, as we prepare to start the U.S. Open Cup next Wednesday and resume league play. As an organization we are focused on moving forward to achieve our goals and have a successful season.”
Barrett, 39, was team captain as the Dynamo won the MLS Cup in 2006 and 2007 and wore the captain’s armband for 138 of his 140 all-time appearances with Houston. The former defender transitioned from player to coach in 2010 and served on the staff of Dominic Kinnear as the club reached the MLS Cup final after both the 2011 and 2012 seasons.
“I want to thank Gabriel Brener and the ownership group, Chris Canetti and Matt Jordan for the chance to lead this club forward,” Barrett said. “Houston is my home and this club, in its entirety, is in my blood. We have a tremendous opportunity to create a standard of performance that will make the city and our fans proud.”
The Virginia Beach, Virginia native assisted on the first goal in Dynamo history and played every league and playoff game except one in the Dynamo’s back-to-back championship seasons of 2006 and 2007. Capped twice for the United States national team, Barrett was an MLS All-Star and named to the MLS Best XI in 2002. He finished his Dynamo career with 140 games, 139 starts, and 12,399 minutes played in all competitions. He appeared in 99 career regular season and 11 career playoff games for Houston.
“We do face challenges over the next few months but also great opportunity,” Barrett said. “This club was built on the foundations of hard work, discipline and selfless work towards a common goal. We will use that as our platform to improve in all areas both on and off the field. The Dynamo have a championship pedigree, but we can't look back. Day by day, week by week, we will look to drive this team forward to become the best version of ourselves we can be.”
Assistant coaches Paul Caffrey and Paul Rogers will continue to assist Barrett on the club’s technical staff after the trio managed the team for two road games following the May 25 departure of Coyle.
The Dynamo are currently in a two-week break from MLS play in conjunction with the start of the Copa América Centenario, which began on Friday. The Dynamo will host San Antonio FC in the fourth round of the U.S. Open Cup at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 15 at BBVA Compass Stadium. MLS play resumes as the Dynamo host D.C. United on Saturday, June 18. Tickets for all matches are available here, by calling 713-276-GOAL or by visiting the stadium ticket office.
