Lorne Garfield Donaldson is a Jamaican football manager and former player who is the current head coach of the Chicago Red Stars of the National Women's Soccer League.
Donaldson with the Chicago Red Stars in 2024 | |||
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Lorne Garfield Donaldson[1] | ||
Date of birth | 1954 or 1955 (age 68–69)[2] | ||
Place of birth | Jamaica | ||
College career | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1980–1982 | Metro State Roadrunners | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1979 | Cavalier | ||
Denver Kickers | |||
1997 | Colorado Foxes | 1 | (0) |
Managerial career | |||
1983–1985 | Metro State Roadrunners (assistant) | ||
Colorado Foxes | |||
2001 | Colorado Rapids (assistant) | ||
Real Colorado Foxes | |||
2019 | Jamaica Women (assistant) | ||
2022–2023 | Jamaica Women | ||
2023– | Chicago Red Stars | ||
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Playing career
editDonaldson attended and played soccer at Kingston College in Jamaica. He also played for Cavalier F.C. in 1980, Donaldson entered Metropolitan State University of Denver. He was a 1981 NAIA First Team All American soccer player. In 1995, MSU Denver inducted Donaldson into its Hall of Fame.[3] Donaldson also played for the Denver Kickers when they won the 1983 National Amateur Cup. In 1997, he played one game for the Colorado Foxes.
Coaching career
editFollowing the completion of his playing career at MSU Denver, Donaldson continued as an assistant coach with the men's soccer team while finishing his degree. He served as an assistant coach with the Colorado Foxes before becoming the head coach. He was the 1996 American Professional Soccer League Coach of the Year.[4] In 1997, he became a coach with the Douglas County Soccer Association. The Douglas County Soccer Association runs the Real Colorado Foxes, a team Donaldson coaches. On 29 January 2001, Donaldson became an assistant coach with the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer.[5]
In June 2022, Donaldson was named Head Coach of Jamaica Women women's football team.[6] In July 2023, Donaldson lead Jamaica's "Reggae Girlz" to their second consecutive World Cup.[7]
The Jamaica Football Federation, said after a conversation with Lorne Donaldson, whose contract as head coach of the Reggae Girlz runs out on September 30, 2023, there will not be a renewal. After guiding the Reggae Girlz to a second successive World Cup appearance and a historic berth in the round of 16 this summer, the veteran coach, made it clear that he had not had contract renewal talks with the federation and that the chance of him continuing seemed slim. The JFF and Donaldson met to discuss his contract and after an extended discussion, both parties agreed not to renew the contract.[8]
On December 20, 2023, the Chicago Red Stars announced Donaldson as their new head coach.[9]
References
edit- ^ "FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 – Squad List: Jamaica (JAM)" (PDF). FIFA. 11 July 2023. p. 14. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
- ^ "Chicago Red Stars Appoint Lorne Donaldson as Head Coach". 20 December 2023.
- ^ "Lorne Donaldson". Metro State Hall of Fame. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
- ^ "The Year in American Soccer – 1996". Archived from the original on 15 August 2017. Retrieved 26 March 2013.
- ^ Colorado Rapids Name Lorne Donaldson as New Assistant Coach Archived 2001-04-29 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "It's Official - Lorne Donaldson is new Reggae Girlz coach". June 2022.
- ^ "Jamaica women's soccer qualifies for second straight World Cup amid tragedy". Fox News. 14 July 2022.
- ^ "Lorne Donaldson out as Reggae Girlz coach". jamaica-gleaner.com. 29 September 2023. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
- ^ Salazar, Emmanuel (20 December 2023). "Chicago Red Stars Appoint Lorne Donaldson as Head Coach". Chicago Red Stars. Retrieved 20 December 2023.