The MLS’s Columbus Crew named former U.S. U-23 coach Timo Liekoski as its head coach Dec. 5.
Liekoski, who lives in Solon, Ohio, has coached in the collegiate and professional ranks for more than 20 years. He was an assistant coach for the U.S. national team under Bora Milutinovic, and helped lead the squad to the second round of World Cup ’94. He recently completed a year as head coach of the U.S. Olympic team.
“We are very fortunate to have Timo as our head coach,” said Columbus GM Jamey Rootes. “He has been extremely successful on the collegiate, professional, and international level, and we’re confident he will continue that success as the head coach of the Crew.”
The Finnish native was an all-America at Hartwick College. He later coached the Oneonta, N.Y., school from 1973 to 1975, leading the Hawks to a final four berth in 1974.
In 1976, Liekoski moved on to the NASL, where he spent three years as an assistant for Dallas before taking the reins at Houston and later Edmonton, where he captured an NASL indoor crown in 1981.
For the next decade, he coached indoors, spending six years with the MISL’s Cleveland Force, and four with the NPSL’s Canton Invaders. He won consecutive NPSL titles with Canton in 1989 and 1990.
It will be a reunion of sorts for Liekoski and Crew owner Lamar Hunt. The Hunt family were also majority owners of the NASL’s Dallas franchise when Liekoski was a Tornado assistant coach.
“He is a proven winner,” said Hunt of Liekoski. “I was extremely pleased that he was available for the Crew’s inaugural season in Major League Soccer.”