Dominic Kinnear
Encyclopedia
Dominic Kinnear is a Scottish
-born American
former soccer player. He is currently the head coach
of Houston Dynamo
in Major League Soccer
.
As a player, he began his professional career with Scottish club St. Johnstone, and went on to play for several teams in the United States and Mexico, including the San Jose Hawks, San Jose Clash, Tampa Bay Mutiny
and Necaxa
. He earned also earned 54 caps with the United States national team
.
, which he considers to be his hometown. When he was five, he began playing youth soccer, and attended John F. Kennedy High School where he played on the boys' soccer team. After graduating from high school, he attended Hartwick College
for a single year. Despite playing as a defender, he scored three goals as Hartwick went to the Final Four.
club St. Johnstone.
of the Western Soccer League
(WSL). Kinnear remained with San Francisco Bay as the Blackhawks became one of the dominant teams of the era. In 1990, the WSL merged with the American Soccer League
(ASL) to form the American Professional Soccer League
(APSL). That season Kinnear again earned All Star honors. In 1991, the Blackhawks took the APSL title and in 1992 went to the semifinals of the CONCACAF Champions Cup. Kinnear again earned All Star honors in 1992. In 1993, the Blackhawks owner pulled the team from the APSL and moved it to the lower division USISL, renaming the team the San Jose Hawks in the process. Despite the move to the lower division and a winning season, the Hawks folded at the end of the season.
Kinnear then moved to the Fort Lauderdale Strikers for the 1994 APSL season after a summer trial with English club Bolton Wanderers
came to nothing.
. That season, he became the first U.S. player to score in the Mexican First Division. Necaxa also took the Mexican League title.
of the A League
just in time to win another league championship. He signed with the Sounders on August 10, 1995 as a replacement for injured Dick McCormick
. In the championship final
, he scored the winning penalty kick.
On January 24, 1996, Major League Soccer
(MLS) allocated
Kinnear to the Colorado Rapids
, making him one of the first players in the league. Kinnear spent the 1996 season with the Rapids. On December 15, 1996, the Rapids traded Kinnear and a second round draft pick to the San Jose Clash for Paul Bravo
and Rafael Amaya. He later moved to the Tampa Bay Mutiny
. He scored six goals and 24 assists in his career in MLS.
, including many of his country's warm-up games for the 1994 FIFA World Cup
, although he was not selected for the final squad.
, Frank Yallop
, named Dominic Kinnear as his assistant coach. Together, they helped coach the Earthquakes to the MLS Cup
in 2001 and 2003. In 2004, Frank Yallop left to coach the Canadian national team
and Dominic was promoted to head coach of the Earthquakes, assigning John Doyle to replace him as assistant coach. After leading the Quakes to the MLS Supporters' Shield
in 2005, Kinnear moved to Houston with the rest of the Earthquakes, when the team was renamed the Houston Dynamo
. On November 12, 2006, Kinnear led the Houston Dynamo
to their first MLS Cup
Championship. On November 18, 2007, the Dynamo won their second MLS Cup
in a row, again beating the New England Revolution
.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
-born American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
former soccer player. He is currently the head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
of Houston Dynamo
Houston Dynamo
The Houston Dynamo is an American professional soccer club, based in Houston, Texas, that plays in Major League Soccer, the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. Founded in 2005 as Houston 1836, the team name was renamed to Houston Dynamo following protests from Hispanic...
in Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
.
As a player, he began his professional career with Scottish club St. Johnstone, and went on to play for several teams in the United States and Mexico, including the San Jose Hawks, San Jose Clash, Tampa Bay Mutiny
Tampa Bay Mutiny
The Tampa Bay Mutiny was a charter franchise of Major League Soccer active from 1996 - 2001. They initially played in Tampa Stadium and were immediately successful, winning the first MLS Supporters' Shield behind MLS MVP Carlos Valderrama and high-scoring forward Roy Lassiter, whose 27 goals in...
and Necaxa
Necaxa
Necaxa is a Mexican football club and is based in the city of Aguascalientes. it plays in the Estadio Victoria. Necaxa is ranked seventh overall and 1st in ranking in Mexican football within the IFFHS Central and North America's Clubs of the Century in the CONCACAF behind CD Saprissa San Juan de...
. He earned also earned 54 caps with the United States national team
United States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
.
Youth
Kinnear moved to the United States with his family when he was three years old. He grew up in Fremont, CaliforniaFremont, California
Fremont is a city in Alameda County, California. It was incorporated on January 23, 1956, from the merger of five smaller communities: Centerville, Niles, Irvington, Mission San Jose, and Warm Springs...
, which he considers to be his hometown. When he was five, he began playing youth soccer, and attended John F. Kennedy High School where he played on the boys' soccer team. After graduating from high school, he attended Hartwick College
Hartwick College
Hartwick College is a non-denominational, private, four-year liberal arts and sciences college located in Oneonta, New York, in the United States. The institution was founded as Hartwick Seminary in 1797 through the will of John Christopher Hartwick, and is now known as Hartwick College...
for a single year. Despite playing as a defender, he scored three goals as Hartwick went to the Final Four.
Scotland
After his one season with Hartwick, Kinnear moved back to Scotland to try his luck with Scottish Football LeagueScottish Football League
The Scottish Football League is a league of football teams in Scotland, comprising theScottish First Division, Scottish Second Division and Scottish Third Division. From the league's foundation in 1890 until the breakaway Scottish Premier League was formed in 1998, the Scottish Football League...
club St. Johnstone.
United States, Part 1
In 1989, Kinnear signed with the San Francisco Bay BlackhawksSan Francisco Bay Blackhawks
San Francisco Bay Blackhawks was a professional soccer team which came into existence in 1989 as a team in the Western Soccer League . The Blackhawks spent time in the American Professional Soccer League and the United States Interregional Soccer League...
of the Western Soccer League
Western Soccer League
Western Soccer Alliance was a professional soccer league featuring teams from the West Coast of the United States and Western Canada. The league began in 1985 as the Western Alliance Challenge Series. In 1986, it became the Western Soccer Alliance...
(WSL). Kinnear remained with San Francisco Bay as the Blackhawks became one of the dominant teams of the era. In 1990, the WSL merged with the American Soccer League
American Soccer League
The American Soccer League has been a name used by three different professional soccer leagues in the United States. The first American Soccer League was established in 1921 by the merger of teams from the National Association Football League and the Southern New England Soccer League. For...
(ASL) to form the American Professional Soccer League
American Professional Soccer League
The American Professional Soccer League is a former professional men's soccer league which featured teams from both the United States and Canada. It was the first outdoor soccer league to feature teams from throughout the United States since the demise of the original North American Soccer League...
(APSL). That season Kinnear again earned All Star honors. In 1991, the Blackhawks took the APSL title and in 1992 went to the semifinals of the CONCACAF Champions Cup. Kinnear again earned All Star honors in 1992. In 1993, the Blackhawks owner pulled the team from the APSL and moved it to the lower division USISL, renaming the team the San Jose Hawks in the process. Despite the move to the lower division and a winning season, the Hawks folded at the end of the season.
Kinnear then moved to the Fort Lauderdale Strikers for the 1994 APSL season after a summer trial with English club Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
came to nothing.
Mexico
In 1995, Kinnear played a single season with Mexican First Division team NecaxaNecaxa
Necaxa is a Mexican football club and is based in the city of Aguascalientes. it plays in the Estadio Victoria. Necaxa is ranked seventh overall and 1st in ranking in Mexican football within the IFFHS Central and North America's Clubs of the Century in the CONCACAF behind CD Saprissa San Juan de...
. That season, he became the first U.S. player to score in the Mexican First Division. Necaxa also took the Mexican League title.
United States, Part 2
At the end of the Mexican season, Kinnear moved to the Seattle SoundersSeattle Sounders (USL)
Seattle Sounders was an American professional soccer team founded in 1994 as a member of the American Professional Soccer League. In 1997, the team became a member of the USL First Division, the second tier of the United States soccer pyramid, until 2008, after which the majority of the team's...
of the A League
A-League (1995–2004)
The A-League was a professional men's soccer league which featured teams from both the United States and Canada. The A-League emerged out of the restructured American Professional Soccer League in 1995 and operated until 2004, after which it was re-branded the USL First Division...
just in time to win another league championship. He signed with the Sounders on August 10, 1995 as a replacement for injured Dick McCormick
Dick McCormick
Dick McCormick is a former U.S. soccer midfielder and current youth soccer coach. McCormick had an extenisive professional career in six indoor and outdoor leagues over his fourteen year professional career. He has served as an assistant coach with the Seattle Sounders and head coach of the...
. In the championship final
1995 A-League
-Overview:In 1995, the American Professional Soccer League, which was the de facto U.S. second division, changed its name to the A-League. The league had ended its 1994 season seven teams and intended to expand to ten for the 1995 season. These plans were stymied when the Fort Lauderdale...
, he scored the winning penalty kick.
On January 24, 1996, Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
(MLS) allocated
1996 MLS Inaugural Allocations
The Major League Soccer Inaugural Allocations were signed by the league in 1996 and distributed to the ten initial teams prior to the beginning of the first MLS season...
Kinnear to the Colorado Rapids
Colorado Rapids
The Colorado Rapids are an American professional soccer club based in the Denver suburb of Commerce City, Colorado which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league...
, making him one of the first players in the league. Kinnear spent the 1996 season with the Rapids. On December 15, 1996, the Rapids traded Kinnear and a second round draft pick to the San Jose Clash for Paul Bravo
Paul Bravo
Paul Bravo is a former American soccer midfielder and forward who played six seasons in Major League Soccer, two in the American Professional Soccer League and two in the USISL. He also earned four caps, scoring one goal, with the United States men's national soccer team...
and Rafael Amaya. He later moved to the Tampa Bay Mutiny
Tampa Bay Mutiny
The Tampa Bay Mutiny was a charter franchise of Major League Soccer active from 1996 - 2001. They initially played in Tampa Stadium and were immediately successful, winning the first MLS Supporters' Shield behind MLS MVP Carlos Valderrama and high-scoring forward Roy Lassiter, whose 27 goals in...
. He scored six goals and 24 assists in his career in MLS.
International
Kinnear earned 54 caps for the US National TeamUnited States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
, including many of his country's warm-up games for the 1994 FIFA World Cup
1994 FIFA World Cup
The 1994 FIFA World Cup, the 15th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in nine cities across the United States from June 17 to July 17, 1994. The United States was chosen as the host by FIFA on July 4, 1988...
, although he was not selected for the final squad.
Coaching career
In 2001, first-time head coach of the San Jose EarthquakesSan Jose Earthquakes
The San Jose Earthquakes professional soccer team is located in the San Jose, California, United States suburb of Santa Clara, and participates in Major League Soccer , the top level soccer league in the United States and Canada....
, Frank Yallop
Frank Yallop
Frank Walter Yallop is an English-born Canadian former professional association football player. He is currently the head coach of San Jose Earthquakes in Major League Soccer....
, named Dominic Kinnear as his assistant coach. Together, they helped coach the Earthquakes to the MLS Cup
MLS Cup
The MLS Cup is the championship match of Major League Soccer, the highest tier of professional soccer in the United States and Canada. As the final match of the MLS Cup playoffs, the winner is crowned the season champion in the same manner as other North American sports leagues...
in 2001 and 2003. In 2004, Frank Yallop left to coach the Canadian national team
Canada men's national soccer team
The Canada men's national soccer team represents Canada in international soccer competitions at the senior men's level. They are overseen by the Canadian Soccer Association and compete in the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football .Their most significant...
and Dominic was promoted to head coach of the Earthquakes, assigning John Doyle to replace him as assistant coach. After leading the Quakes to the MLS Supporters' Shield
MLS Supporters' Shield
The Supporters' Shield is an annual award given to the Major League Soccer team with the best regular season record, as determined by the MLS points system...
in 2005, Kinnear moved to Houston with the rest of the Earthquakes, when the team was renamed the Houston Dynamo
Houston Dynamo
The Houston Dynamo is an American professional soccer club, based in Houston, Texas, that plays in Major League Soccer, the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. Founded in 2005 as Houston 1836, the team name was renamed to Houston Dynamo following protests from Hispanic...
. On November 12, 2006, Kinnear led the Houston Dynamo
Houston Dynamo
The Houston Dynamo is an American professional soccer club, based in Houston, Texas, that plays in Major League Soccer, the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. Founded in 2005 as Houston 1836, the team name was renamed to Houston Dynamo following protests from Hispanic...
to their first MLS Cup
MLS Cup
The MLS Cup is the championship match of Major League Soccer, the highest tier of professional soccer in the United States and Canada. As the final match of the MLS Cup playoffs, the winner is crowned the season champion in the same manner as other North American sports leagues...
Championship. On November 18, 2007, the Dynamo won their second MLS Cup
MLS Cup
The MLS Cup is the championship match of Major League Soccer, the highest tier of professional soccer in the United States and Canada. As the final match of the MLS Cup playoffs, the winner is crowned the season champion in the same manner as other North American sports leagues...
in a row, again beating the New England Revolution
New England Revolution
The New England Revolution is an American professional association football club based in Foxborough, Massachusetts which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
.
Necaxa
- Primera División de MéxicoPrimera División de MéxicoThe Primera División Profesional , known simply as the Primera División, is the top level of the Mexican football league system and is administered by the Mexican Football Federation. It was established in 1943 and as of 2011 has 18 clubs. Up to June 2011, it was divided into three groups competing...
(1): 1994–95Primera División de México 1994–95-Group 1:-Group 2:-Group 3:-Group 4:-Repechaje round:*Monterrey 2-0 ; 0-2 U.A.G.*Veracruz 1-1 ; 0-0 Puebla-Quarterfinal:*Santos 3-1 ; 0-2 Guadalajara*U.A.G. 0-2 ; 1-2 Necaxa*U.N.A.M...
Houston Dynamo
- MLS CupMLS CupThe MLS Cup is the championship match of Major League Soccer, the highest tier of professional soccer in the United States and Canada. As the final match of the MLS Cup playoffs, the winner is crowned the season champion in the same manner as other North American sports leagues...
(2): 2006MLS Cup 2006The 2006 MLS Cup was the championship game of the 2006 Major League Soccer season, played on November 12, 2006 at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas between the New England Revolution and the Houston Dynamo. Houston won 4-3 on penalty kicks, after a 1-1 draw following extra time...
, 2007MLS Cup 2007The 2007 MLS Cup was the 12th edition of the MLS Cup championship game. The match was played on November 18, 2007 between the New England Revolution and the Houston Dynamo — a rematch of the 2006 MLS Cup final. For the second straight year, the Dynamo defeated the Revolution, this time by a 2-1... - Western Conference (2): 2006, 2007
- Eastern Conference (1): 2011