One more achievement for him! Guatemalan coach! For your vision, work and dedication FIFA highlighted Juan José Changwho managed to Samoa women’s national team qualified for the first time FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
Chang has earned his place in the women’s soccer and he is proving it. He did it in New Zealand and now with Samoa, which is having a party thanks to the classification achieved by him Guatemalan technician. Below we will tell you about his work with that selection and how it is seen Chang for FIFA. What pride!
U-17 Women’s World Cup: FIFA highlighted Juan José Chang
Juan José, 36, made history with Samoa by finishing runners-up in the U-16 Women’s Championship of the OFC and achieve being the first soccer team in the history of that country to qualify for a World Cup.
The former player born in Germany and living in New Zealand, with a father from El Salvador and Croatian heritage, could have found his final destination on the small Pacific island, although he is always proud to talk about his Guatemalan roots.
Chang Urreain the interview, thanked former Crystal Palace and Wellington Phoenix player Paul Ifill, who initially brought him to the Samoan coaching staff as his assistant in the women’s teamwhich he now directs.
The Guatemalan legacy of Juan José
Chang tells in the in-depth interview that FIFA did what his career has been like. The former youth player recalled how he ended up in Oklahoma after impressing in a U-17 friendly match against the United States, which was preparing for the U-17 World Cup of 2005.
«I was born in Germany, but we moved back to Guatemala when I was 3 years old and I ended up playing for my home club, Former GFC. The funny thing is that I was only called up once to play for Guatemala, for that U-17 friendly.»related the coach chapin.
«I scored a goal and that video got me a full scholarship to Tulsa. I remember that Omar González was marking me and he ended up playing for the LA Galaxy. It’s crazy how things happen»added the former player of the Colorado Rapids and Rochester Thunder affiliate in the USL.
From New Zealand to Samoa
In the interview Juan José Chang makes a reminder of how the invitation of Ben Sippola, Rocheste’s former teammate, invited him to help him at the Ole Academy in Wellington, which he accepted and then joined Western Suburbs in the Central League and found the best scoring moment of his career , scoring 13 goals in 17 games and catching the attention of National League team Canterbury United in Christchurch in 2015.
While playing in the New Zealand National League in summer and in the local league in winter, Chang Urrea had his first coaching experience, managing the women’s second team at St Andrews College, a prominent private school in Christchurch.
This is how his career began in women’s soccer where he coached the Coastal Spirit club of Christchurch with which he won five championships and four consecutive trophies, reached one final and two semi-finals of the Kate Sheppard National Cup, and was named Coach of the Year for four consecutive years.
The local success did not go unnoticed, and Samoa women’s team coach Paul Ifill recommended Chang Urrea to the Samoan federation as coach of the women’s under-20 team in the qualifiers of the OFC World Cup.
Took control of Samoa
Chang arrived at Solomon Islands as Ifill’s assistant at the Pacific Games, where the Samoan women’s team also reached the semi-finals. When Ifill resigned, the Guatemalan assumed command for the tournament. women’s olympic qualification in February, where Samoa fell in the semi-finals.
As one of the lowest ranked teams in Oceania, the under-16 women’s team Samoa initially had to play a pre-qualification tournament with the four lowest-ranked teams, which they won convincingly, before embarking on their historic campaign to qualify for the U-17 Women’s World Cup of the 2025 FIFA in Morocco.
FIFA asked him why he has had so much success with women’s teams, Chang Urrea refers to her upbringing in a home with strong women. «My dad worked very hard and wasn’t home much, and my brother was still in Germany, so I grew up with three sisters and my mom, and I learned how to get along with all of them.»said the coach.
For Chang, «Men need to play well to feel good. Women need to feel good to play well»concluded the Guatemalan to FIFA who worked on the report with OFC Media via Phototek. What a chilero!
Did you know that the famous reality show Shark Tank is coming to Guatemala? It will be the first country in Central America with its own version and it will definitely be the ideal opportunity for entrepreneurs to present their ideas to potential investors. Find out how to apply and all the related news at:
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