Andreas Herzog named coach of US U-23 national team

After failing to qualify for the 2012 Olympic Games, Andreas Herzog has been named the head coach of the U.S. U-23 national team ahead of qualification for the 2016 Olympics in Rio.

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Herzog has served as an assistant to Jurgen Klinsmann with the USMNT since 2011, and has been involved with the youth teams in various capacities over his tenure.

U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati said Herzog was the right man for the job, given his experience coaching internationally and familiarity with the American soccer system.

Prior to joining Klinsmann’s staff, Herzog served as the head coach of Austria’s U-21 side, as well as an assistant on Austria’s national team. As a player, Herzog was a teammate of Klinsmann at Bayern Munich and played in two World Cups for Austria. He ended his career as a member of the Los Angeles Galaxy.

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Herzog said he was honored to be named the new head coach and understands the task ahead of him.

I’m honored to have the opportunity to coach the U.S. Under-23 National Team. We recognize the special place that the Olympic Games have in this country and we are committed as a group to qualifying for Rio in 2016. We look forward to putting together a team that will make all Americans proud. We also know it’s a part of our responsibility to develop players who will be able to contribute to the senior National Team, and that process has already begun.”

The United States failed to qualify for the 2012 London games in dramatic fashion, allowing a late stoppage-time goal against El Salvador to be shut out of the Olympics. That side was coached by Caleb Porter, who is now the head coach of Major League Soccer’s Portland Timbers.

In Olympic soccer, players must be 23-years-old or younger, with each team allowed three players over the age limit. Herzog will work with this group not only in an effort to qualify for Rio 2016, but also to help develop players for Klinsmann’s use in the national team.