Onalfo To Lead DC United

DC United ended their coaching search by hiring former Kansas City Wizards head coach Curt Onalfo to lead them in the 2010 season.

Onalfo is a former DC United assistant, and appreciates the task of rebuilding this proud franchise.

I am very excited to lead D.C. United into a new era, building on its storied and successful history,” said Onalfo. “Having already played and served as an assistant coach for the most successful club in MLS history, I understand the expectations that come along with this position. It takes more to be the head coach of United and I fully intend to help bring D.C. its fifth MLS Cup.”

Onalfo was most recently the head coach of the Kansas City Wizards. When he was hired prior to the 2007 MLS season, he took over a Wizards team that had not made the post-season in the team’s prior two campaigns (2005 and 2006). In his first season as the team’s skipper, he not only led Kansas City back to the post-season, but into the Eastern Conference Final. Onalfo then guided the team into the MLS Cup playoffs for a second consecutive year in 2008. During his two and a half seasons in Kansas City, Onalfo had a career record of 27-29-22, making the playoffs each of the full seasons he served as the team’s head coach.

Prior to his time in Kansas City, Onalfo spent four years (2003-06) as Bruce Arena’s assistant coach on the U.S. Men’s National Team. During his time with the U.S., the national team put together a record of 38-12-14 in all competitions. While at his post, the team was a semifinalist at the 2003 Gold Cup, and finished atop CONCACAF in 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification. Onalfo was with the team throughout the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, which included former United midfielder Ben Olsen as a member. He also served as an assistant to head coach Glenn ‘Mooch’ Myernick during Olympic qualifying for 2004 Athens.

From 1998-2002, Onalfo was a member of D.C. United, first as a player (1998-99) and then as an Assistant Coach and Director of Youth Development (2000-02). He first joined the team in 1998 under Bruce Arena and then played the 1999 season under Thomas Rongen. While with the team, he captured four trophies - the 1998 CONCACAF Champions Cup, 1998 InterAmerican Cup, 1999 Supporters’ Shield and 1999 MLS Cup. After retiring at the end of the ’99 season, he joined Rongen’s staff as an assistant coach for the 2000 campaign. In 2001, Rongen and Onalfo together launched United’s youth academy program. Under Onalfo’s guidance, the club’s U-15 side won a national championship in its very first year of competition. In 2002, when Ray Hudson was hired as the team’s new head coach, Onalfo stayed on as an assistant for the duration of the campaign.