View source for Josh Wolff

{{short description|American soccer coach and former player (born 1977)}}
{{For|those of a similar name|Josh Wolf (disambiguation)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Use American English|date=May 2017}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name                 = Josh Wolff
| image                = Wolff-sounders-rfk.jpg
| caption = Wolff playing for [[D.C. United]] in 2011
| fullname             = Joshua David Wolff<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fifadata.com/document/fwc/2006/PDF/FWC_2006_SquadLists.pdf |title=2006 FIFA World Cup Germany: List of Players: United States |publisher=FIFA |page=32 |date=March 21, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190610174527/https://www.fifadata.com/document/fwc/2006/PDF/FWC_2006_SquadLists.pdf |archive-date=June 10, 2019}}</ref>
| birth_date           = {{birth date and age|1977|2|25}}
| birth_place          = [[Stone Mountain, Georgia]], United States
| height               = {{height|ft=5|in=8}}
| position             = [[Forward (association football)|Forward]]
| currentclub          = 
| collegeyears1        = 1995–1997
| college1             = [[South Carolina Gamecocks]]
| collegecaps1         = 43
| collegegoals1        = 21
| years1               = 1998–2002
| clubs1               = [[Chicago Fire Soccer Club|Chicago Fire]]
| caps1                = 84
| goals1               = 32
| years2               = 1998
| clubs2               = → [[MLS Pro-40]] (loan)
| caps2                = 18
| goals2               = 12
| years3               = 2003–2006
| clubs3               = [[Kansas City Wizards]]
| caps3                = 80
| goals3               = 27
| years4               = 2007–2008
| clubs4               = [[TSV 1860 München|1860 Munich]]
| caps4                = 34
| goals4               = 2
| years5               = 2008–2010
| clubs5               = [[Kansas City Wizards]]
| caps5                = 64
| goals5               = 16
| years6               = 2011–2012
| clubs6               = [[D.C. United]]
| caps6                = 39
| goals6               = 5
| totalcaps            = 319
| totalgoals           = 94
| nationalyears1       = 1997
| nationalteam1        = [[United States men's national under-20 soccer team|United States U20]]
| nationalcaps1        = 4
| nationalgoals1       = 0
| nationalyears2       = 2000
| nationalteam2        = [[United States men's national under-23 soccer team|United States U23]]
| nationalcaps2        = 2 
| nationalgoals2       = 1
| nationalyears3       = 1999–2008
| nationalteam3        = [[United States men's national soccer team|United States]]
| nationalcaps3        = 52
| nationalgoals3       = 9
| manageryears1        = 2020–2024
| managerclubs1        = [[Austin FC]]
| medaltemplates = 
{{Medal|Country|{{USA}}}}
{{Medal|W|[[CONCACAF Gold Cup]]|[[2002 CONCACAF Gold Cup|2002]]}}
{{Medal|W|[[CONCACAF Gold Cup]]|[[2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup|2005]]}}
{{MedalSport|Men's [[Association football|Soccer]]}}
}}

'''Joshua David Wolff''' (born February 25, 1977) is an American [[Association football|soccer]] coach and former player.

==Playing career==
===College===
Wolff was born in [[Stone Mountain, Georgia]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Olympedia – Josh Wolff |url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/91212 |access-date=2025-05-02 |website=www.olympedia.org}}</ref> He played three years of [[College soccer in the United States|college soccer]] at the [[University of South Carolina]], where he scored 21 goals and eight assists in 43 games. He played at South Carolina with future [[United States men's national soccer team|United States national team]] star [[Clint Mathis]]. In addition, Wolff played and captained varsity soccer at Parkview High School, Lilburn, Georgia.

===Professional===
After his junior season, Wolff left college and signed with [[Major League Soccer]]. MLS assigned Wolff to the [[Chicago Fire Soccer Club|Chicago Fire]]. He set the MLS rookie scoring record (together with [[Jeff Cunningham]], since broken by [[Damani Ralph]]) by scoring eight goals, doing so in just 14 games with only four starts. Wolff played the following four seasons for the Fire, scoring 24 goals, but suffered through multiple injuries.<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 17, 2002 |title=Fire's Wolff Sidelined With a Knee Injury |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/08/17/sports/plus-soccer-fire-s-wolff-sidelined-with-a-knee-injury.html |access-date=November 28, 2012 |website=New York Times}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=July 9, 2003 |title=More knee woes for Wolff |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2003/07/09/more-knee-woes-for-wolff/ |access-date=November 28, 2012 |website=Chicago Tribune}}</ref>

Before the [[2003 MLS Superdraft]], the Fire traded Wolff, in a cost-cutting move, to the [[Kansas City Wizards]] in exchange for the third overall pick, which the Fire used to select [[Nate Jaqua]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 7, 2003 |title=Chicago sends Wolff to Wizards to complete salary purge |url=http://www.soccertimes.com/mls/2003/jan07.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081202080001/http://www.soccertimes.com/mls/2003/jan07.htm |archive-date=December 2, 2008 |access-date=November 28, 2012 |publisher=Soccer Times}}</ref>  Wolff missed most of the 2003 season due to injuries.  He rebounded in 2004 by scoring ten goals and seven assists during the season. Wolff scored his first career playoff goal on a [[Penalty kick (association football)|penalty kick]] during the [[MLS Cup 2004]]. He scored ten goals and ten assists in 2005.

In September 2006, Wolff had a try out with English [[Football League Championship|Championship]] club [[Derby County F.C.|Derby County]]. The team was pleased enough with his performance to offer MLS a $500,000 transfer fee. However, British immigration officials denied Wolff a [[Work permit (United Kingdom)|work permit]] based on the fact he had failed to play the required 75% of the [[United States men's national soccer team|U.S. national team]]'s games in the previous two years.<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 30, 2006 |title=Derby fails to get work permit for striker Josh Wolff |url=http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=377605&cc=5901 |access-date=November 28, 2012 |publisher=ESPN |archive-date=June 30, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220630103402/http://espnfc.com/news/story?id=377605 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

From England, Wolff traveled to Germany for a try out with [[2. Bundesliga]] club [[TSV 1860 München|1860 Munich]]. On December 6, 2006, 1860 Munich signed Wolff to a contract through the 2007–2008 season. Munich paid MLS a $191,000 transfer fee. Wolff joined the team during its January 2007 mid-winter training camp but was waived at the end of the 2008 season.

Wolff signed with the [[Kansas City Wizards]] on June 30, 2008. At the end of the 2010 MLS season, after two and a half seasons back in Kansas City, Wolff's contract option was declined by the club.<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 1, 2010 |title=Sporting KC declines Wolff's option, re-entry drafts await |url=http://www.kansascity.com/2010/12/01/2491716/sporting-kc-declines-wolffs-option.html |access-date=November 28, 2012 |website=Kansas City Star}}</ref>

On December 15, 2010, Wolff was selected by [[D.C. United]] in Stage 2 of the [[2010 MLS Re-Entry Draft]] and immediately signed a one-year contract with a club option for 2012.<ref>{{Cite news |date=December 15, 2010 |title=D.C. United selects veteran forward Josh Wolff with first pick in MLS re-entry draft |url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/soccerinsider/2010/12/dc_united_selects_xxxxxx_with.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121009010908/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/soccerinsider/2010/12/dc_united_selects_xxxxxx_with.html |archive-date=October 9, 2012 |access-date=November 28, 2012 |newspaper=Washington Post}}</ref>

Wolff announced his retirement on November 28, 2012, and became a full-time assistant coach with D.C. United.<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 28, 2012 |title=Josh Wolff announces retirement, joins D.C. United's coaching staff |url=http://www.dcunited.com/news/2012/11/josh-wolff-announces-retirement-joins-dc-uniteds-coaching-staff |access-date=November 28, 2012 |publisher=D.C. United |archive-date=December 1, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121201052528/http://www.dcunited.com/news/2012/11/josh-wolff-announces-retirement-joins-dc-uniteds-coaching-staff |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===International===
[[File:JoshWolff USMNT 20060511.jpg|thumb|Wolff during training for the U.S. national team]]
Wolff has scored nine goals in fifty-two [[Cap (sports)|caps]] since his debut against [[Jamaica national football team|Jamaica]] on September 8, 1999. He also starred for the US in the [[2000 Summer Olympics]], scoring two goals and helping the team to a fourth-place finish. As with his club teams, however, Wolff has had trouble securing a definite spot because of continual injury problems. He did play for the United States in the [[2002 FIFA World Cup|2002 World Cup]], assisting on the opening goal in the second-round win against [[Mexico national football team|Mexico]]. On May 2, 2006, Wolff was named to the US roster for the FIFA World Cup in Germany. Wolff played his last national team match versus Spain at Estadio El Sardinero on June 4, 2008.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 4, 2008 |title=U.S. Men Fall to Spain, 1-0, on Late Goal at Estadio El Sardinero |url=http://www.ussoccer.com/News/Mens-National-Team/2008/06/U-S-Men-Fall-To-Spain-1-0-On-Late-Goal-At-Estadio-El-Sardinero.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120819090928/http://www.ussoccer.com/News/Mens-National-Team/2008/06/U-S-Men-Fall-To-Spain-1-0-On-Late-Goal-At-Estadio-El-Sardinero.aspx |archive-date=August 19, 2012 |access-date=November 28, 2012 |publisher=U.S. Soccer}}</ref>

====International goals====
{| class="wikitable"
! Goal !! Date !! Venue !! Opponent !! Score !! Result !! Competition
|-
| 1 || October 25, 2000 || [[Los Angeles]] || {{fb|MEX}} || '''2'''–0 || 2–0 || [[Friendly match]]
|-
| 2 || February 28, 2001 || [[Columbus, Ohio]] || {{fb|MEX}} || '''1'''–0 || 2–0 || [[2002 FIFA World Cup qualification|2002 World Cup qualification]]
|-
| 3 || April 25, 2001 || [[Kansas City, Missouri]] || {{fb|CRC}} || '''1'''–0 || 1–0 || [[2002 FIFA World Cup qualification|2002 World Cup qualification]]
|-
| 4 || February 2, 2002 || [[Pasadena, California]] || {{fb|CRC}} || '''1'''–0 || 2–0 || [[2002 CONCACAF Gold Cup]]
|-
| 5 || rowspan=2 | May 16, 2002 || rowspan=2 | [[East Rutherford, New Jersey]] || rowspan=2 | {{fb|JAM}} || '''1'''–0 || rowspan=2 | 5–0 || rowspan=2 | [[Friendly match]]
|-
| 6 || '''3'''–0
|-
| 7 || June 20, 2004 || [[St. George's, Grenada]] || {{fb|GRN}} || '''2'''–1 || 3–2 || [[2006 FIFA World Cup qualification|2006 World Cup qualification]]
|-
| 8 || July 16, 2005 || [[Foxborough, Massachusetts]] || {{fb|JAM}} || '''1'''–0 || 3–1 || [[2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup]]
|-
| 9 || November 12, 2005 || [[Glasgow]], [[Scotland]] || {{fb|SCO}} || '''1'''–0 || 1–1 || [[Friendly match]]
|}
<ref>{{Cite web |title=USA Men's National Team: All-time Results, 1990-present |url=http://homepages.sover.net/~spectrum/usamen2.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811091627/http://homepages.sover.net/~spectrum/usamen2.html |archive-date=August 11, 2011 |access-date=June 3, 2011}}</ref>

==Coaching career==
After a season on the coaching staff at [[D.C. United]], Wolff joined the [[Columbus Crew]] in November 2013, and remained an assistant coach until 2018. In 2018, Wolff joined the staff of the United States Men's National Team under [[Gregg Berhalter]].

On July 23, 2019, Wolff was announced to be the first head coach of [[Major League Soccer|MLS]] expansion team [[Austin FC]], who began playing with the [[2021 Major League Soccer season|2021 season]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.austinfc.com/news/austin-fc-announces-josh-wolff-head-coach |title=Austin FC Announces Josh Wolff as Head Coach |work=Austin FC |date=July 23, 2019}}</ref>

Austin FC had 9 wins, 21 defeats, and 4 draws in their expansion season under Wolff, finishing in 12th in the Western Conference, one point above [[Houston Dynamo FC|Houston]] in last. Austin was eliminated from playoff contention on October 16 after a home defeat to [[Minnesota United FC|Minnesota]], with five matches to spare.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/recap-austin-fc-0-minnesota-united-fc-1 |title=Recap: Austin FC 0, Minnesota United FC 1 |work=MLS Soccer |first=Sydney |last=Hunte |date=October 16, 2021}}</ref> Wolff played with a 4-3-3 or a 4-2-3-1 formation in his first season, and his team was characterized as having high possession numbers, and for building out from the back.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.austinfc.com/news/analysis-austin-fc-defense-proving-be-one-mls-best |title=Analysis: Austin FC Defense Proving to Be One of MLS' Best |work=Austin FC |date=June 11, 2021}}</ref> Despite having the fourth-highest average percent possession per game at 53.9%,<ref>[https://www.fotmob.com/leagues/130/stats/season/16168/teams/possession_percentage/mls Average possession - 2021 MLS stats]</ref> Austin scored the fewest goals in the league at 35. The team went into their match on October 30 against [[FC Dallas|Dallas]] with a chance to win the first MLS [[Copa Tejas]], but a 2–1 defeat meant that they finished in third.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.kxan.com/sports-general/austin-fc/austin-fc-loses-to-fc-dallas-in-deciding-game-for-copa-tejas/ |title=Austin FC loses to FC Dallas in deciding game for Copa Tejas |work=KXAN |first=Chris |last=Tavarez |date=October 30, 2021}}</ref> In his first season as a head coach, Wolff was questioned by the fans about his tactics and substitutions.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://austonia.com/austinfc-josh-wolff-criticism |title='Wolff Out?' Some fans fed up with Austin FC's head coach |work=Austonia |first=Claire |last=Partain |date=August 17, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.thestrikertexas.com/2021/09/10/austin-fc-vancouver-josh-wolff-substitution-press-conference |title=The Deep Dive: Josh Wolff defends decisions in Vancouver — 'The structure is good.' |work=The Striker Texas |first=Chris |last=Bils |date=September 10, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.tag24.com/sports/soccer/austin-fc-fans-sound-off-on-the-teams-faltering-form-and-the-fate-of-josh-wolff-2101271 |title=AUSTIN FC FANS SOUND OFF ON THE TEAM'S FALTERING FORM AND THE FATE OF JOSH WOLFF |work=TAG24 |first=Taylor |last=Kamnetz |date=September 7, 2021}}</ref>

Coach Wolff's second year was a stark contrast to what his team had endured in 2021. Though their performance in the [[U.S. Open Cup]] ended after a single game, which they lost 2–1 to their Texas [[USL Championship]] opponent San Antonio FC,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/sports/2022-04-21/austin-fc-stunned-by-usls-san-antonio-fc-in-open-cup-defeat/ |title=Austin FC Stunned By USL's San Antonio FC in Open Cup Defeat |last=Goodman |first=Eric |date=April 22, 2022 |website=AustinChronicle.com |publisher=The Austin Chronicle |access-date=April 17, 2023}}</ref> the team's performance in the MLS season was a different story. Scoring 30 more goals and giving up 16 less goals than the 2021 season,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.kxan.com/sports-general/austin-fc/austin-fc-by-the-numbers-a-look-at-the-teams-improvement-from-2021-to-2022/ |title=Austin FC by the numbers: A look at the team's improvement from 2021 to 2022 |last=Gates |first=Billy |date=October 29, 202 |website=KXAN.com |publisher=CBS |access-date=April 17, 2023}}</ref> Wolff's team ended with a 2nd-place finish in the Western Conference earning a spot in their first [[MLS Cup Playoffs]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/austin-fc-clinch-audi-2022-mls-cup-playoffs-spot |title=Austin FC clinch Audi 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs spot |date=September 14, 2022 |website=MLSSoccer.com |publisher=Major League Soccer |access-date=April 17, 2023}}</ref> Under Wolff's guidance the team continued to be successful, exciting fans by making their way to the Western Conference Finals,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.kut.org/sports/2022-10-28/austin-fc-and-its-fans-are-ready-for-the-lafc-matchup-in-the-mls-western-conference-finals |title=Austin FC and fans are ready to take on LAFC in the MLS Western Conference Final |last=Mass |first=Jimmy |date=October 28, 2022 |website=KUT.org |publisher=NPR |access-date=April 17, 2023}}</ref> losing 3–0 to LAFC in a lackluster performance to end their season.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.statesman.com/story/sports/mls/2022/10/31/austin-fc-loses-to-lafc-in-mls-western-conference-finals-3-0/69604127007/ |title=Bohls: Austin FC falters in West final to star-studded Los Angeles FC |last=Bohls |first=Kirk |date=October 31, 2023 |website=Statesman.com |publisher=Austin American Statesman |access-date=April 17, 2023}}</ref>

On October 6, 2024, Austin FC parted ways with Wolff after two disastrous MLS seasons where the club fell short of making either the 2023 or the [[2024 MLS Cup playoffs]] and finished 12th place in the West in 2023 and in 10th place in the West in 2024.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.austinfc.com/news/austin-fc-parts-way-with-head-coach-josh-wolff | title=Austin FC Parts Ways with Head Coach Josh Wolff &#124; Austin FC }}</ref>

==Personal life==
Wolff's eldest son [[Tyler Wolff|Tyler]] plays for [[Real Salt Lake]], and his younger son [[Owen Wolff|Owen]] played for him at [[Austin FC]].

==Coaching statistics==
{{updated|matches played on October 5, 2024.}}

{| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
|+ Coaching record by team and tenure
|-
!rowspan="2"|Team
!rowspan="2"|From
!rowspan="2"|To
!colspan="5"|Record
|-
!{{abbr|P|Matches played}}!!{{abbr|W|Matches won}}!!{{abbr|D|Matches drawn}}!!{{abbr|L|Matches lost}}!!{{abbr|Win %|Win percentage}}
|-
|align=left|[[Austin FC]]
|align=left|January 1, 2020
|align=left|October 6, 2024
{{WDL|148|50|31|67|decimals=1}}
|-
!colspan="3"|Total
{{WDLtot|148|50|31|67|decimals=1}}
|}

==Honors==

'''Chicago Fire'''
*[[U.S. Open Cup]]: [[1998 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup|1998]], [[2000 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup|2000]]
*[[MLS Cup]]: [[1998 Major League Soccer season|1998]]
*[[Major League Soccer]] Western Conference Championship: [[1998 Major League Soccer season|1998]]

'''Kansas City Wizards'''
*[[U.S. Open Cup]]: [[2004 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup|2004]]
*[[Major League Soccer]] Western Conference Championship: [[2004 Major League Soccer season|2004]]

'''United States'''
*[[CONCACAF Gold Cup]]: [[2002 CONCACAF Gold Cup|2002]], [[2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup|2005]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{MLS player|josh-wolff}}
*{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20071010012745/http://www.yanks-abroad.com/get.php?mode=players&id=83 Profile on Yanks Abroad]}}
*{{NFT player|7096}}

{{Navboxes
|title= United States squads
|bg= white
|fg= #002868
|bordercolor= #BF0A30
|list1=
{{United States men's football squad 2000 Summer Olympics}}
{{United States squad 2002 CONCACAF Gold Cup}}
{{United States squad 2002 FIFA World Cup}}
{{United States squad 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup}}
{{United States squad 2006 FIFA World Cup}}
}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wolff, Josh}}
[[Category:1977 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American men's soccer players]]
[[Category:American expatriate men's soccer players in Germany]]
[[Category:Chicago Fire FC players]]
[[Category:MLS Pro-40 players]]
[[Category:Sporting Kansas City players]]
[[Category:TSV 1860 Munich players]]
[[Category:D.C. United players]]
[[Category:Olympic soccer players for the United States]]
[[Category:CONCACAF Gold Cup–winning players]]
[[Category:Footballers at the 2000 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:2002 CONCACAF Gold Cup players]]
[[Category:2002 FIFA World Cup players]]
[[Category:2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup players]]
[[Category:2006 FIFA World Cup players]]
[[Category:United States men's international soccer players]]
[[Category:South Carolina Gamecocks men's soccer players]]
[[Category:Soccer players from Georgia (U.S. state)]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Stone Mountain, Georgia]]
[[Category:Major League Soccer players]]
[[Category:A-League (1995–2004) players]]
[[Category:Major League Soccer All-Stars]]
[[Category:2. Bundesliga players]]
[[Category:United States men's under-20 international soccer players]]
[[Category:United States men's under-23 international soccer players]]
[[Category:D.C. United non-playing staff]]
[[Category:Columbus Crew non-playing staff]]
[[Category:Men's association football forwards]]
[[Category:Austin FC head coaches]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]