CHICAGO (Dec. 17, 2008) – U.S. Soccer has announced that Mike Matkovich has been named head coach of the Under-18 Men’s National Team. Matkovich, a former assistant coach with Major League Soccer’s Toronto FC and Chivas USA, founded the Chicago Magic Soccer Club in 1987. While serving as Director of Soccer for the Magic, Matkovic earned his National “A” Coaching License and was named National Coach of the Year by the NSCAA in 2000. Matkovich’s vast experience includes serving as head coach of the NPSL’s Chicago Power from 1990-94, where he won a title in his first season. In 2000, he took the reigns of the Chicago Fire Reserves and compiled a 71-8-7 record over seven seasons, which still stands as the best winning percentage of any coach in PDL history. In 2007, he served as an assistant coach with Toronto FC in the club’s inaugural year. The following season he made the move to Chivas USA. Matkovic will be taking the reins of a program that was created to aid in the transition for younger players between the Under-17 Men’s National Team and the Under-20 side. The Under-18 age group is for players born in the odd-numbered years, who fall in a gap between the Under-17 and the Under-20 age groups. The U-18 MNT held a number of training camps in 2008, including foreign camps in Portugal and South America. A similar schedule is being finalized for 2009. Matkovic’s first camp with the U-18s will be a 72-player mega camp at The Home Depot Center from Dec. 28-Jan. 5.
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