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Lights FC Appoints Wynalda as Head Coach & Technical Director

By USLSoccer.com Staff, 10/17/18, 2:58PM EDT

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Former USMNT standout 'honored and humbled' to return home as club enters second season

LAS VEGAS – On Wednesday, Las Vegas Lights FC announced the hiring of former United States Men’s National Team standout Eric Wynalda as the franchise’s new Head Coach and Technical Director. Wynalda will take the reins for the 2019 season after the club agreed to part ways with former Head Coach Isidro Sanchez earlier in the week.

“Lights FC has big aspirations. And today’s announcement further signifies our commitment to create a professional soccer club that aspires to both make Las Vegas proud while becoming the next great American soccer success story,” said Las Vegas Lights FC Owner and CEO Brett Lashbrook. “We are incredibly thankful for the community’s support in our inaugural season, but our expectations in year two must be raised higher. Eric joining Lights FC is a testament to the type of club we’ve built in year one.”

Wynalda is best known for his impact on the national team level, having made over 100 appearances for his country and becoming the first American to start in three World Cups (1990, 1994 & 1998). Upon retirement from the U.S. Men’s National Team, he was the side’s all-time leading goalscorer (34) and entered the U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame in 2004.

The 49-year-old began his coaching career in 2012 with Cal FC, an amateur club that achieved unprecedented success in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Wynalda led his team to the best-ever finish by an amateur team in the tournament’s history when it won multiple qualifying rounds before advancing to the fourth round where he beat MLS-side Portland Timbers FC. Following this success, Wynalda was named Technical Director & Head Coach for NASL’s Atlanta Silverbacks where he won the 2013 NASL Spring Championship.

Wynalda also has enjoyed a successful career as a media professional, working for ESPN and hosting his own radio show on Sirius XM. He most recently worked as an analyst for Fox Sports for 11 years.

“Honored and humbled to become a part of the Las Vegas Lights FC family - it’s a club with great ambition,” said Wynalda. “Personally, Las Vegas was home for me for many years - to have the chance to come back and build something in the city I love is truly a unique opportunity,"

Las Vegas finished its inaugural campaign with a record of 8-19-7, finishing in 15th place in the Western Conference standings on 31 points. Wynalda vowed to reshape the squad this offseason with the hope of reaching the postseason in 2019 and competing for the USL Cup.

“We are going to build a team Vegas can be proud of, and yes, we are going to win,” said Wynalda. “And then, we’re going to throw a party.”

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