The Verde Report: Austin FC Commits to Coach Josh Wolff With Three-Year Deal
It was a good week for the younger Wolff too
By Eric Goodman, Fri., May 20, 2022
#WolffIn. Austin FC last week gave its 45-year-old head coach Josh Wolff the ultimate vote of confidence in the form of a three-year contract extension through the end of the 2025 season. The former U.S. men's national team player and assistant coach needed just 45 games over two seasons – his first two as a head coach anywhere – to convince club majority owner Anthony Precourt and Sporting Director Claudio Reyna that he's worth a long-term commitment.
Austin FC has 15 wins, 6 draws, and 24 losses under Wolff to date, but the club has shown significant improvement through the first third of the 2022 season, which has ATX in playoff contention. The financial terms of the contract extension were not made public.
"We believe in you Coach!" Precourt wrote on Twitter after the deal was announced. "We felt it best to together take care of the contract now so we can have focus squarely on playoff run, transfer window and roster and staff planning going into next season."
Precourt and Wolff have a close-knit relationship dating back to their time as owner and assistant coach of the Columbus Crew from 2014 to 2018. Shortly after founding Austin FC in 2019, Precourt appointed Wolff the first head coach in club history. Wolff played an integral role in building the club from the ground up, literally in the case of practice facility St. David's Performance Center, which Wolff helped design. He's also had a hand in Austin FC's roster construction, working with Reyna and Precourt to build – and later refine – the club's expansion squad. If it's Verde, odds are Wolff's fingerprints are on it somewhere.
In an interview with "The Verde Report" late last season, Wolff discussed the unique personal connection he has with the club he helped bring to life. "When I think of starting from nothing and bringing in staff and high-performance and scouting … you're helping bring Austin FC from dirt to what it is now," Wolff said.
Wolff's task over the next three years: Bring Austin FC from what it is now to an MLS Cup champion.
Owen Wolff Turns Heads in Limited Action
As one Wolff secures his Austin FC future, another appears close to forging his own. Seventeen-year-old Owen Wolff, the club's first homegrown player and son of head coach Josh, impressed in 30 minutes of substitute action Saturday night in Austin FC's 2-1 loss to Real Salt Lake.
With ATX down a man after Dani Pereira's red card, Wolff the younger slotted in for the first time at right wing and made two superb crosses late in the match to Sebastián Driussi that, if not for great saves by RSL keeper Zac MacMath, would have tied the game. Wolff also completed 11 of 12 passes and earned praise from club captain Alex Ring.
"He's earned his place in this team … he's very humble, works hard, has a fantastic attitude," Ring said.
Wolff has made just seven appearances for Austin FC since joining the senior team last September, all as a substitute and totaling just 80 combined minutes. He hasn't looked out of place at any point, including in more robust action in preseason and exhibition matches. The high school-age prospect is winning over a sizable portion of the Austin FC fan base along the way. But it's Dad who needs the most convincing.
