Ten things to know about Eric Ramsay, leading candidate for Minnesota United's coaching job

Eric Ramsay, an assistant coach for Manchester United, is a former pro soccer player from Wales who has worked his way through the coaching ranks.

By Jerry Zgoda Star Tribune

February 21, 2024 — 1:08pm

Manchester United assistant coach Eric Ramsay has emerged as the leading candidate to become Minnesota United's next head coach. So who is Ramsay? Here are 10 things to know:

ERIC RAMSAY

Hometown: Llanfyllin, Wales. Age: 32

• Don't call him an Englishman. Ramsay is Welsh. He was born in Shrewsbury, England, but grew up just over the border in Wales. He attended high school there, not all that far from where he now works in Manchester.

• He played briefly in the Cymru Premier, Wales' national soccer league and the highest level in its league system. He played 14 games there for Welshpool Town before he left to attend Loughborough University in England so he could attend college and pursue a coaching career.

• He is the youngest coach to earn his UEFA pro license. A decade ago while in college, he captained Wales national futsal team. Futsal is a soccer-based game played mostly indoors on a hard court.

• Don't expect Ramsay to coach the season opener Saturday. The deal still must be finalized and signed. Then he'll have to complete immigration paperwork, which can take some time.

• By all accounts, Loons new sporting director Khaled El-Ahmad conducted an extensive coaching search that included such veteran MLS coaches as Robin Fraser and Gio Savarese. The final short list included two candidates each from MLS and England/Europe. El-Ahmad chose the youngest head coach in MLS history, seven years younger this season alone than NYCFC's 39-year-old Nick Cushing.

• El-Ahmad interviewed Ramsay while in London to find a coach and attend a business of soccer summit involving chief soccer officers worldwide and others. … English club Barnsley reportedly expressed interest in him when Ramsay was at Manchester United and El-Ahmad was Barnsley CSO.

• Ramsay speaks multiple languages including Spanish, French and Welsh as well as English. El-Ahmad speaks at least five himself and thinks that's important in such a diverse worldwide sport. The Loons have six players -- including star Emanuel Reynoso, Franco Fragapane, Kervin Arriaga and Joseph Rosales -- who speak Spanish as their first language. They had French-speaking players Bakaye Dibassy and Adrien Hunou when Adrian Heath was head coach.

• Four current Loons -- including 35-year-old defender Michael Boxall and 33-year-old striker Teemu Pukki -- are older than Ramsay. When asked if he has ever had a coach three years younger, Boxall paused and said, "I don't know. I don't think so. I've never been this old before, either."