Richmond Kickers Feature - www.richmondkickers.com
Monday, January 9, 2012
Richie Williams, who played for the Richmond Kickers as a defensive midfielder for a total of five seasons, can look back on a great career both as a player and coach.
As a player he particularly impressed with his ability to interfere with opponents' playmakers. Being only 5-foot-5, he was well known for his dogged tackling and he managed to become a valuable defensive force in USL, Major League Soccer and on the U.S. National Team.
Playing for the Kickers, Williams had his most successful year in 1995 when he won both the USISL Premier League Championship and the U.S. Open Cup with the Kickers – a tremendous achievement for the young franchise, as it had formed their professional team only two years prior. He tallied a total of 96 appearances, scoring 10 goals and adding 14 assists during the season for the club.
In his time with Major League Soccer, Williams registered a total of 216 appearances, 10 goals and 37 assists for D.C. United and the New York Red Bulls. He achieved an impressive number of titles, including three MLS Cups, the CONCACAF Champions’ Cup as well as the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
After retiring as a professional player, Williams gained coaching experience as an assistant coach for his former club, New York Red Bulls, from 2006-2011. In October 2011, Williams was hired by Jürgen Klinsmann to lead the U-18 U.S. Men’s National Team - a great opportunity to share all of his experience with the best youth players in the nation.
RichmondKickers.com sat down with Richie Williams to talk about his time with the Kickers and his new position:
RichmondKickers.com: Was there a decisive moment that leveraged you career?
Williams: I don’t really think that there was one particular moment that boosted my career, but the time that I spend with the University of Virginia and with the Richmond Kickers in my early career helped me a lot to develop as a player.
RichmondKickers.com: What kind of impact did the Kickers have on your career?
Williams: During that time, we played on the highest level of soccer in the United States. We had a great team, especially in 1995, and the experiences in that year were very beneficial for me and it had a very positive impact on everyone in the team.
RichmondKickers.com: What is special about the Richmond Kickers as a soccer club?
Williams: The Kickers are one of the few teams that are very able to maintain great consistency over the years. You often see franchises coming up for some years and then disappearing quickly – but the Kickers have always been successful on the professional level. In addition to that, they have a great youth section and they contribute a lot of great things to the community.
RichmondKickers.com: What do you love most about your new job as the head coach of the U-18 Men’s National Team?
Williams: I love working with young players, I love helping them develop and seeing their progress. And even though I have not really experienced it yet, it will be great to see how the kids become real professionals, play for the men’s national team and compete on the highest level of soccer.
RichmondKickers.com: What are crucial skills and abilities that a young player need to make it from youth to pro?
Williams: For me, most important are technical skills. But of course, I want to see complete players, who have a good understanding of the game, tactical skills, a professional attitude and a lot of passion for the sports.
To find out if you have what it takes to be the next Richie Williams, register for the Kickers Pro Tryouts January 20-22. Learn more at RichmondKickers.com/aleague/tryouts.