View source for Pa-Modou Kah

{{short description|Norwegian football coach (born 1980)}}
{{EngvarB|date=February 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Pa Modou Kah
| image = CINvRSL 2019-04-19 - Pa-Modou Kah (47962250236) (cropped).jpg
| caption = Kah with FC Cincinnati in 2019
| full_name = 
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1980|7|30|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Banjul]], The Gambia
| height = 1.85 m
| position = [[Defender (association football)|Defender]]
| currentclub = [[Phoenix Rising FC|Phoenix Rising]] (head coach) 
| years1 = 1998–2003
| clubs1 = [[Vålerenga IF Fotball|Vålerenga]]
| caps1 = 94
| goals1 = 9
| years2 = 2003–2004
| clubs2 = [[AIK Fotboll|AIK]]
| caps2 = 29
| goals2 = 3
| years3 = 2004–2011
| clubs3 = [[Roda JC]]
| caps3 = 189
| goals3 = 12
| years4 = 2011–2013
| clubs4 = [[Al-Khor Sports Club|Al Khor]]
| caps4 = 12
| goals4 = 1
| years5 = 2012
| clubs5 = → [[Qatar SC]] (loan)
| caps5 = 7
| goals5 = 0
| years6 = 2013
| clubs6 = [[Al-Wehda Club (Mecca)|Al-Wehda]]
| caps6 = 10
| goals6 = 0
| years7 = 2013–2014
| clubs7 = [[Portland Timbers]]
| caps7 = 40
| goals7 = 1
| years8 = 2015–2016
| clubs8 = [[Vancouver Whitecaps FC]]
| caps8 = 30
| goals8 = 3
| years9 = 2016
| clubs9 = [[Whitecaps FC 2]]
| caps9 = 3
| goals9 = 0
| totalcaps = 414
| totalgoals = 29
| nationalyears1 = 2001–2008
| nationalteam1 = [[Norway national football team|Norway]]
| nationalcaps1 = 10
| nationalgoals1 = 1
| manageryears1 = 2016–2017
| managerclubs1 = [[Whitecaps FC 2]] (assistant)
| manageryears2 = 2019
| managerclubs2 = [[FC Cincinnati]] (assistant)
| manageryears3 = 2020–2021
| managerclubs3 = [[Pacific FC]]
| manageryears4 = 2022
| managerclubs4 = [[North Texas SC]]
| manageryears5 = 2023–2024
| managerclubs5 = [[Charlotte FC]] (assistant)
| manageryears6 = 2024–
| managerclubs6 = [[Phoenix Rising FC|Phoenix Rising]]
}}

'''Pa Modou Kah''' (born 30 July 1980) is a Norwegian [[association football|football]] coach and former player who is the head coach for [[Phoenix Rising FC]] in the [[USL Championship]].

==Playing career==
===Vålerenga===
Born in [[Banjul]], The Gambia, Kah and his family emigrated to Norway in 1988, when he was eight years old. He began his football career with [[Vålerenga Fotball|Vålerenga]] in 1998. At Vålerenga, he appeared in 94 league matches and scored 9 goals. In the 2001 season, his side won promotion and won the [[2002 Norwegian Football Cup|Norwegian Cup]] the year after.

===AIK===
In the mid-2003, Kah moved to Swedish club [[AIK Fotboll|AIK]] as a part of the club's efforts for winning the championship. Kah was appreciated for his fighting spirit and ability to win the ball. Although his natural position was as a central midfielder, he had to play in various positions; he played several games at right-back. After the club was relegated the following season, Kah transferred to Dutch club [[Roda JC]], making nearly 200 league appearances. In the Netherlands Kah mainly played as central defender.

===Al-Khor===
{{stack|[[File:Pamadou Kah.jpg|thumb|Kah playing for Al Khor in 2011]]}}
In 2011, after seven years in the Netherlands, Kah moved to Qatari club [[Al-Khor Sports Club|Al Khor]].

===Portland Timbers===
After a brief period in Saudi Arabia with [[Al-Wehda Club (Mecca)|Al-Wehda]], Kah moved to the United States on 3 May 2013 when he signed with [[Major League Soccer]] club [[Portland Timbers]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.portlandtimbers.com/news/2013/05/timbers-acquire-defender-pa-modou-kah|title=Timbers acquire defender Pa Modou Kah|work=Portland Timbers|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130505102223/http://www.portlandtimbers.com/news/2013/05/timbers-acquire-defender-pa-modou-kah|archive-date=5 May 2013}}</ref> On 8 December 2014, the Portland Timbers declined contract options on Kah.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.timbers.com/news/2014/12/portland-timbers-exercise-options-seven-players|title=Portland Timbers exercise options on seven players|work=Portland Timbers|date=8 December 2014|access-date=16 January 2015|archive-date=13 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191213042931/https://www.timbers.com/post/2014/12/08/portland-timbers-exercise-options-seven-players|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Vancouver Whitecaps FC===
Kah was unsigned in the waivers draft and later claimed by [[Vancouver Whitecaps FC]] on 21 January 2015.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2015/01/21/vancouver-whitecaps-sign-former-portland-timbers-center-back-pa-modou-kah|title=Vancouver Whitecaps sign former Portland Timbers center back Pa Modou Kah|work=MLSsoccer.com|access-date=23 January 2015|archive-date=14 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190414073217/https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2015/01/21/vancouver-whitecaps-sign-former-portland-timbers-center-back-pa-modou-kah|url-status=live}}</ref>

In August 2016, he agreed to mutually terminate his contract with Vancouver Whitecaps' first team in favour of joining their [[Whitecaps FC 2|USL team]] as a player-coach.<ref>{{Cite web| url=http://www.whitecapsfc.com/wfc2/post/2016/08/25/pa-modou-kah-joins-wfc2-playercoach?hootPostID=f98e9121f54e00e2406c4e2ba46b367d| title=Pa-Modou Kah joins WFC2 as player/coach| date=25 August 2016| access-date=25 August 2016| archive-date=6 October 2016| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161006200946/http://www.whitecapsfc.com/wfc2/post/2016/08/25/pa-modou-kah-joins-wfc2-playercoach?hootPostID=f98e9121f54e00e2406c4e2ba46b367d| url-status=live}}</ref> On 21 February 2017, Kah announced his retirement and it was also confirmed, that he would continue working at the club as a Whitecaps FC staff coach.<ref>[https://www.whitecapsfc.com/post/2017/02/21/pa-modou-kah-announces-his-retirement Pa-Modou Kah announces his retirement] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170520045946/https://www.whitecapsfc.com/post/2017/02/21/pa-modou-kah-announces-his-retirement |date=20 May 2017 }}‚ whitecapsfc.com, 21 February 2017</ref>

==Coaching career==
[[FC Cincinnati]] added Kah to its technical staff as a member of the scouting staff in August 2018.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.fccincinnati.com/news_article/show/940036|title=FC Cincinnati Brings Pa-Modou Kah onto Technical Staff|last=Communications|first=FCC|date=8 August 2018|work=FC Cincinnati|access-date=8 August 2018|language=en-us|archive-date=8 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180808234051/https://www.fccincinnati.com/news_article/show/940036|url-status=live}}</ref> In January 2019, the club announced that Kah's role would be changing, and he would now serve as an assistant coach.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bogert |first1=Tom |title=FC Cincinnati expand operations staff, add Pa-Modou Kah as assistant |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2019/01/04/fc-cincinnati-expand-operations-staff-add-pa-modou-kah-assistant |website=MLSSoccer.com |publisher=Major League Soccer |access-date=5 January 2019 |date=4 January 2019 |archive-date=6 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190106062130/https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2019/01/04/fc-cincinnati-expand-operations-staff-add-pa-modou-kah-assistant |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 14 January 2020, Kah signed with [[Canadian Premier League]] side [[Pacific FC]] as the club's new head coach.<ref>{{cite web |title=Pacific FC announces new head coach Pa-Modou Kah |url=https://pacificfc.canpl.ca/article/pacific-fc-announces-new-head-coach-pa-modou-kah |publisher=Pacific FC |access-date=14 January 2020 |date=14 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200114164138/https://pacificfc.canpl.ca/article/pacific-fc-announces-new-head-coach-pa-modou-kah |archive-date=14 January 2020 |url-status=dead }}</ref> During the [[2020 Canadian Premier League season|2020 CPL season]], Kah guided Pacific to their first play-off appearance, when they reached the second group stage of the Island Games before being eliminated.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/cpl/cpl-saturday-2nd-round-island-games-recap-1.5722165|title=Pacific FC eliminated from CPL finals contention with loss to Forge|date=12 September 2021|work=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|CBC]]|access-date=14 December 2021|archive-date=14 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211214183928/https://www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/cpl/cpl-saturday-2nd-round-island-games-recap-1.5722165|url-status=live}}</ref> During the [[2021 Canadian Premier League season|2021 season]], Kah guided Pacific to the [[2021 Canadian Championship]] semi-finals, defeating [[Vancouver Whitecaps FC]] and [[Cavalry FC]] before falling to [[Toronto FC]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.saanichnews.com/news/toronto-fc-ends-pacific-fcs-canadian-championship-run-in-tight-2-1-win/|date=3 November 2021|work=Saanich News|first=Jake|last=Romphf|title=Toronto FC ends Pacific FC's Canadian Championship run in tight 2-1 win|access-date=14 December 2021|archive-date=14 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211214183929/https://www.saanichnews.com/news/toronto-fc-ends-pacific-fcs-canadian-championship-run-in-tight-2-1-win/|url-status=live}}</ref> In the [[2021 Canadian Premier League Final]], Pacific defeated [[Forge FC]] 1–0 at [[Tim Hortons Field]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://globalnews.ca/news/8427010/forge-fc-pacific-fc-cpl-final-2021/#:~:text=Pacific%20FC%20are%20the%202021,B.C.%2Dborn%20midfielder%20Alessandro%20Hojabrpour.|first=Don|last=Mitchell|title=Pacific FC beat Forge FC 1-0 to become 2021 CPL champions|date=5 December 2021|work=Global News|access-date=14 December 2021|archive-date=14 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211214183926/https://globalnews.ca/news/8427010/forge-fc-pacific-fc-cpl-final-2021/#:~:text=Pacific%20FC%20are%20the%202021,B.C.%2Dborn%20midfielder%20Alessandro%20Hojabrpour.|url-status=live}}</ref> For his efforts, Kah was named the 2021 CPL Coach of the Year.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://canpl.ca/article/pacific-fcs-pa-modou-kah-named-2021-cpl-coach-of-the-year|title=Pacific FC's Pa-Modou Kah named 2021 CPL Coach of the Year|date=14 December 2021|first=MArty|last=Thompson|work=[[Canadian Premier League]]|access-date=14 December 2021|archive-date=14 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211214183930/https://canpl.ca/article/pacific-fcs-pa-modou-kah-named-2021-cpl-coach-of-the-year|url-status=live}}</ref>

On 21 January 2022, Kah was announced as the new head coach of [[North Texas SC]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://northerntribune.ca/pacific-fc-pa-modou-kah/|title=Pa-Modou Kah Departs For MLS Next Pro Opportunity|first=John|last=Jacques|publisher=Northern Tribune|access-date=21 January 2022|date=21 January 2022|archive-date=21 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220121155803/https://northerntribune.ca/pacific-fc-pa-modou-kah/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In January 2023, he joined [[Major League Soccer]] club [[Charlotte FC]] as an assistant coach.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://northerntribune.ca/charlotte-fc-pa-modou-kah/|title=Kah Joins Charlotte FC Coaching Staff|date=6 January 2023|work=Northern Tribune|first=John|last=Jacques|access-date=6 January 2023|archive-date=6 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230106173338/https://northerntribune.ca/charlotte-fc-pa-modou-kah/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Kah was named head coach for [[USL Championship]] club [[Phoenix Rising FC]] on 18 November 2024.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hill |first1=T. |title=Phoenix Rising Names Pa-Modou Kah Head Coach |url=https://www.phxrisingfc.com/news/phoenix-rising-names-pa-modou-kah-head-coach/ |website=PHX |publisher=[[Phoenix Rising FC|Phoenix Rising]] |access-date=18 November 2024}}</ref>

==Personal life==
In 2005, Kah was involved in a car accident in [[Peer, Belgium|Peer]], Belgium. He was accompanied by his girlfriend, his cousin, and a friend. His car was rear-ended while stopped at a routine road check, immediately killing his girlfriend but only inflicting minor injuries to Kah. In [[Roda JC]]'s next match, referee [[Bjorn Kuipers]] held a minute of silence to in honour of Kah's girlfriend. During the game, [[Arouna Koné]] took his shirt off to reveal an undershirt which bore the inscription "''For Kah''". The referee showed Koné a yellow card, a decision the commentators criticised. Kuipers said afterwards that he had not seen the text on Koné's shirt.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://frontpage.fok.nl/column/2843/1/|title=FOK.nl / Columns / Over Van Swieten, Kah en Kuipers / FOK!frontpage|work=FOK!|date=9 May 2005 |access-date=22 March 2012|archive-date=30 November 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051130023521/http://frontpage.fok.nl/column/2843/1|url-status=live}}</ref>

Kah speaks seven languages, including English, Norwegian, and some Spanish.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Weber|first1=Marc|title=Whitecaps' new players appear to have the right stuff|url=https://theprovince.com/sports/soccer/Whitecaps+players+appear+have+right+stuff/10758354/story.html|access-date=26 January 2015|agency=The Province|publisher=Postmedia Network Inc.|date=26 January 2015}}{{Dead link|date=December 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

Kah possesses a [[Permanent residence (United States)|US green card]] which qualifies him as a domestic player for MLS roster purposes.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.whitecapsfc.com/post/2015/01/21/whitecaps-fc-sign-centre-back-pa-modou-kah |title=Whitecaps FC sign centre back Pa-Modou Kah |author=Vancouver Whitecaps FC |date=21 January 2015 |publisher=WhitecapsFC.com |access-date=14 August 2015 |archive-date=26 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180626054640/https://www.whitecapsfc.com/post/2015/01/21/whitecaps-fc-sign-centre-back-pa-modou-kah |url-status=live }}</ref>

Kah is the nephew of [[Djimon Hounsou]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.whitecapsfc.com/post/2015/08/06/10-questions-pa-modou-kah|title=10 questions with Pa-Modou Kah|work=Vancouver Whitecaps FC|access-date=28 August 2015|date=6 August 2015|archive-date=26 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180626054628/https://www.whitecapsfc.com/post/2015/08/06/10-questions-pa-modou-kah|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Managerial statistics ==
{{Updated|matches played 30 September 2022}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
|+Managerial record by team and tenure
|-
!rowspan="2"|Team
!rowspan="2"|From
!rowspan="2"|To
!colspan="8"|Record
!rowspan="2"|{{abbr|Ref|Reference}}
|-
!{{Tooltip|G|Games managed}}
!{{Tooltip|W|Games won}}
!{{Tooltip|D|Games drawn}}
!{{Tooltip|L|Games lost}}
!{{Tooltip|GF|Goals for}}
!{{Tooltip|GA|Goals against}}
!{{Tooltip|GD|Goal difference}}
!{{Tooltip|Win %|Winning percentage}}
|-
| [[Pacific FC]]
| 14 January 2020
| 21 January 2022
{{WDL|43|21|8|14|for=72|against=53|diff=yes}}
|rowspan=2|{{citation needed|date=February 2025}}
|-
| [[North Texas SC]]{{refn|group=note|name=mlsnp|MLS Next Pro teams played shootouts to earn an extra point after ties. Of the five ties in 2022, North Texas SC had two Shootout wins and three Shootout losses for a total record of 13-2-3-7}}
| 21 January 2022
| 30 September 2022
{{WDL|25|13|5|7|for=48|against=33|diff=yes}}
|-
! colspan=3|Career totals
{{WDLtot|68|34|13|21|for=120|against=86|diff=yes}}
!
|}
{{reflist|group=note}}

==Honours==
===Manager===
'''Pacific FC'''
*[[Canadian Premier League]]: [[2021 Canadian Premier League|2021]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*{{MLS player|pa-modou-kah}}
*{{NFT player|4948}}

{{Phoenix Rising FC squad}}
{{USL Championship head coaches}}
{{navboxes|title=Coaching positions and awards
|list1=
{{Phoenix Rising FC managers}}
{{Pacific FC coaches}}
{{Canadian soccer first tier championship-winning managers}}
{{Canadian Premier League Coach of the Year}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kah, Pa Modou}}
[[Category:1980 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Banjul]]
[[Category:Gambian emigrants to Norway]]
[[Category:Norwegian men's footballers]]
[[Category:Norway men's international footballers]]
[[Category:AIK Fotboll players]]
[[Category:Vålerenga Fotball players]]
[[Category:Roda JC Kerkrade players]]
[[Category:Qatar SC players]]
[[Category:Al Wehda FC players]]
[[Category:Portland Timbers players]]
[[Category:Vancouver Whitecaps FC players]]
[[Category:Whitecaps FC 2 players]]
[[Category:Eredivisie players]]
[[Category:Eliteserien players]]
[[Category:Allsvenskan players]]
[[Category:Qatar Stars League players]]
[[Category:Major League Soccer players]]
[[Category:USL Championship players]]
[[Category:Norwegian expatriate men's footballers]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Sweden]]
[[Category:Norwegian expatriate sportspeople in Sweden]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Norwegian expatriate sportspeople in the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Qatar]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Saudi Arabia]]
[[Category:Norwegian expatriate sportspeople in Qatar]]
[[Category:Norwegian expatriate sportspeople in Saudi Arabia]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States]]
[[Category:Norwegian expatriate sportspeople in the United States]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's soccer players in Canada]]
[[Category:Norwegian expatriate sportspeople in Canada]]
[[Category:Norwegian expatriate football managers]]
[[Category:Men's association football defenders]]
[[Category:Saudi Pro League players]]
[[Category:Naturalised citizens of Norway]]
[[Category:Norwegian people of Gambian descent]]
[[Category:FC Cincinnati non-playing staff]]
[[Category:Pacific FC non-playing staff]]
[[Category:Canadian Premier League coaches]]
[[Category:Charlotte FC non-playing staff]]
[[Category:Phoenix Rising FC coaches]]
[[Category:21st-century Norwegian sportsmen]]