Clive Charles and Milutin “Sole” Soskic will remain assistant coaches to U.S. national team head coach Steve Sampson.
“They are assistant coaches by appointment of Steve Sampson,” national team general manager Tom King said. “As long as Steve is head coach, it’s Steve’s call to keep Clive and Sole on.
“Their priority will be the men’s national team, but we will deploy them on non-men’s national team initiatives whenever possible. Sole will work as much as possible with the Olympic team.”
Olympic team coach Bruce Arena — a former goalkeeper with one U.S. cap — said he was not planning on using a goalkeeper coach other than Soskic.
Charles will retain his position as both men’s and women’s head coach at the University of Portland.
Sampson chose Charles as an assistant when he was named interim head coach after Bora Milutinovic’s release in April. Sampson’s interim label was dropped after winning the U.S. Cup and finishing fourth in last summer’s Copa America.
Charles will begin his assistant coaching duties in January.
“I am still at the University of Portland,” Charles said. “It is very important for me to continue coaching both Portland’s men’s and women’s teams.
“I spoke to the [Portland] players. They’ve all accepted it very well. The way we looked at it is we have always been proud to release players to Canadian and U.S. national team duty, and it is the same for the coach. We believe we bring something valuable back when we return to the school after serving our country.
“There will be some conflicting dates, but I’ll be at the school most of the time.”
During the 1996 college season, the U.S. is likely to play two World Cup qualifying games per month.
Soskic, who represented Yugoslavia in goal 50 times and starred in the 1962 World Cup, has been coaching goalkeepers at the Olympic training camp in Chula Vista, Calif. He became Milutinovic’s goalkeeper coach in July of 1993.
“I will continue to work with Steve Sampson,” Soskic said Oct. 30. “I do not yet know the details of my contract, but I believe I’ll be working with the goalkeepers of all the national teams.”
by Soccer America Senior Editor Mike Woitalla