September 07, (THEWILL) – The United States Soccer Federation has announced the appointment of former Nigeria Under-23 player, Michael Nsien, as the new Under-19 coach for their national team.
Nsien steps into the role following the promotion of Marko Mitrovic to lead the U23 squad. Prior to taking charge of the U19s, Nsien was in charge of the Under-16 team, leading the Baby Nats to a 2-1 victory over Nigeria in his final match last June.
Sporting Director, Matt Crocker, welcomed the appointments, saying both coaches are an “important part” of the men’s national team programme. “We’re confident Michael is ready to lead our under-19 age group, a critical level for our young players aiming to take the next step in their careers,” Crocker stated.
The 42-year-old Oklahoma native, whose parents are Nigerian, played college football at the University of Dayton between 1999 and 2003 before spells with LA Galaxy, Portland Timbers and UAE side Al-Shaab. He was also part of the Nigeria U23 team that narrowly missed out on the 2004 Olympics.
Since retiring, Nsien has earned all of UEFA’s coaching qualifications. His peers have described him as a pioneering figure for Black coaches in the game.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
