The Houston Dynamo announced today that former U.S. U-20 Men’s National Team assistant coach Omid Namazi and former U.S. Men’s National Team player Pablo Mastroeni will join the club as assistant coaches under head coach Tab Ramos.
“I am very excited to announce that two such experienced coaches, who are even better human beings, are joining the club to continue to build the family that is the Houston Dynamo,” said Ramos. “Omid and I have worked together for many years, his defensive expertise and attention to detail make him a tremendous asset in completing our staff. Pablo needs no introduction to the highest level of the game. He has already been an MLS head coach and his experience on-and-off the field with the players will be invaluable.”
Namazi brings an extensive coaching background to the Dynamo and holds a USSF PRO License. The former defender started his career as a manager in the Major Indoor Soccer League, earning two-time Coach of the Year honors in 2005 and 2006. Namazi started his international managerial career in 2011 when he became the assistant coach of the Iranian National Team. In 2013, he helped lead Iran to qualification for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Later that year, Namazi was named the assistant coach of the U.S. Women’s National Team before moving on to become an assistant coach on Ramos’ technical staff in the U.S. Men’s U-20 National Team from 2014 to 2017.
Namazi helped Ramos lead the U.S. to the 2017 Concacaf U-20 Champions. He was also appointed the head coach of the U.S. Men’s U-18 National Team in 2016.
The 53-year old became a professional soccer player in 1988 where he debuted with the Washington Diplomats in the American Soccer League. In 1996, Namazi moved to the MLS on loan to the MetroStars before moving into the Major Indoor Soccer League to play with Philadelphia KiXX. While playing in the American Professional Soccer League, the Utah-native earned the Defender of the Year award in 2001. Internationally, Namazi was part of the 2002-2003 U.S. National Futsal Team.
Mastroeni, 43, joins the Dynamo after serving as the head coach of the Colorado Rapids from 2013 to 2017. The former defensive midfielder played with the Rapids for more than 11 years before joining the LA Galaxy, where he spent the 2013 season. As a head coach in MLS, Mastroeni led the Rapids to their best regular season record of all time with a franchise record of 58 points in 2016. The 43-year-old holds a U.S. Soccer Federation PRO License and graduated from the program with Ramos in 2016.
As a player with Colorado, Mastroeni was a long time captain reaching several milestones with the club. He currently holds the club record for most games played with 225, most games started with 217 and most minutes played with 18,669 minutes.
The Argentinian-American is fluent in Spanish and brings international experience to the club having played for the U.S. Men’s National Team for eight years, making his debut in 2001. Mastroeni was named to the squad that played in the FIFA World Cup in 2002 and 2006. During his World Cup debut in 2002, he was a part of the starting lineup that defeated Portugal 3-2 and advanced to the quarterfinals of the tournament.
