Ian Russell returns to San Jose for his second season as one of the top young assistant coaches in Major League Soccer. He will continue to work closely with Yallop in the preparation of daily training sessions while also helping to coordinate the Quakes international and collegiate scouting efforts.
During his first year with the club, Russell helped the team make a very successful return to MLS which included the team's posting the best record for any expansion team since 1998 with eight wins, 33 points and 32 goals scored. The Quakes also posted a nine-game unbeaten streak from July 12-Sept. 27 which was the longest unbeaten streak in the league in 2008 and the second longest ever by an expansion team.
In the offseason, Russell successfully completed the U.S. Soccer Federation "A" coaching license course.
A native of Seattle, Wash., Russell spent six seasons playing for the San Jose Earthquakes and seven total years in MLS. After being drafted in 2000, Russell appeared in 131 games for the Quakes, good for fifth in team history. A lightning-quick midfielder, he scored five goals and notched 20 assists, helping the Quakes win two MLS Cups in 2001 and 2003. He is ninth all-time in Quakes history in assists and is tied for first in club history in playoff appearances with 14. His best season with San Jose came in 2001 when he scored three goals and notched nine assists, while starting all 26 regular season games and all six playoffs games.
Russell also played three games in 2007 with the Los Angeles Galaxy under Frank Yallop.
Prior to joining the Earthquakes, Russell played for the Seattle Sounders of the USL First Division in 1998 and in 1999, winning the offensive MVP in 1999. Russell attended the University of Washington on a soccer scholarship and was a three-time (1995-97) All-Mountain Pacific Sports Federation first team selection.
Russell trained with Stockport County FC, England, when the team was still in the First Division. He also spent time playing for Lech Poznan of the Polish First Division. Russell began coaching while playing for the Seattle Sounders and has continued coaching in the Bay Area, including running camps and directing training sessions for numerous youth teams in the South Bay.
