Like all MLS teams, Houston Dynamo persistently scouts players. They scout potential assistant coaches, too. And they’ve landed one. The team scouts coaches just like players, too. And Houston Dynamo FC scouted and signed a gem in new assistant coach Martin Vasquez.
He’s the former U.S. Men’s National Team assistant. He also has had episodes as a head coach for MLS team Chivas USA and USL side Real Monarchs SLC. He also scouted. It was with U.S. Soccer 2011-14 that he worked with Dynamo head coach Tab Ramos.
But those achievements aren’t the main draw for Houston regarding this assistant coach. That draw instead comes from his work at the youth level. Vasquez spent almost nine years in the Real Salt Lake organization, beginning with the RSL-Arizona Academy. That was preceded by working with high school and college athletes. He later advanced to Real Salt Lake director of soccer operations for U-16 and U-18 teams.
Houston Dynamo got a real gem in Martin Vasquez
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The public reception at Houston Dynamo FC spoke to Vasquez’s 17-year playing career as a midfielder, as well as coaching. But the release doesn’t go further than mention his work youth identification and development.
The Dynamo already has the staff to work with veteran, skilled MLS players. As Houston Dynamo works less-seasoned, younger players onto the pitch this season, Vasquez is the go-to coach who knows how to breakdown their strengths, guide them to conquer their weaknesses and send them out to help win games.
Vasquez arrived in the Real Salt Lake system in 2011. Through 2018, he passed up a flurry of other coaching offers to keep at player development because he enjoyed it. And at the same time, he increased his skills in that area.
He has proved his competence in the assistant coaching ranks. He can effectively communicate with skilled season players. As he proved in the academy ranks, he understands and can reach levels of soccer closer to the basic. He can bring players up from there, also.
Houston Dynamo FC hasn’t filled the 2021 roster with newbies. The team is introducing some players with little MLS-seasoning. In Vasquez, the organization now has on the pitch a coaching talent ready to get those players up from USL, college, or academy.
Then after evaluating the newer players, Vasquez knows how to guide them to read from the same page as the more seasoned members of the roster. That’s no guarantee that all the newer players will shoot their careers forward based on the skills scouts have charted. But if anyone can get them across the bridge of their banked skill sets to an MLS payoff, Martin Vasquez can.