View source for Richie Williams

{{Short description|American soccer player (born 1970)}}
{{Other people}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name                = Richie Williams
| image               = RichieWilliams.jpg
| upright             = 0.8
| caption             = Williams in 2003
| full_name           = Richard Williams
| birth_date          = {{birth date and age|1970|6|3}}
| birth_place         = [[Middletown Township, New Jersey|Middletown Township]], New Jersey, United States
| height              = {{height|ft=5|in=5}}
| position            = [[Midfielder]]
| currentclub         = 
| collegeyears1       = 1988–1991
| college1            = [[Virginia Cavaliers men's soccer|Virginia Cavaliers]]
| years1              = 1992–1993
| clubs1              = [[Buffalo Blizzard]] (indoor)
| caps1               = 30
| goals1              = 10
| years2              = 1993
| clubs2              = [[Richmond Kickers]]
| caps2               =
| goals2              =
| years3              = 1993–1994
| clubs3              = [[Ayr United F.C.|Ayr United]]
| caps3               =
| goals3              =
| years4              = 1994–1995
| clubs4              = [[Richmond Kickers]]
| caps4               =
| goals4              =
| years5              = 1996–2000
| clubs5              = [[D.C. United]]
| caps5               = 143
| goals5              = 8
| years6              = 2001
| clubs6              = [[MetroStars]]
| caps6               = 21
| goals6              = 0
| years7              = 2002
| clubs7              = [[D.C. United]]
| caps7               = 26
| goals7              = 0
| years8              = 2003
| clubs8              = [[MetroStars]]
| caps8               = 26
| goals8              = 0
| years9              = 2004–2005
| clubs9              = [[Richmond Kickers]]
| caps9               = 53
| goals9              = 2
| totalcaps           = 299
| totalgoals          = 20
| nationalyears1      = 1989
| nationalteam1       = [[United States men's national under-20 soccer team|United States U20]]
| nationalcaps1       =
| nationalgoals1      =
| nationalyears2      = 1992
| nationalteam2       = [[United States men's national under-23 soccer team|United States U23]]
| nationalcaps2       =
| nationalgoals2      =
| nationalyears3      = 1998–2002
| nationalteam3       = [[United States men's national soccer team|United States]]
| nationalcaps3       = 20
| nationalgoals3      = 0
| manageryears1       = 2005–2006
| managerclubs1       = [[Virginia Cavaliers men's soccer|Virginia Cavaliers]] (assistant)
| manageryears2       = 2006–2011
| managerclubs2       = [[New York Red Bulls]] (assistant)
| manageryears3       = 2006
| managerclubs3       = [[New York Red Bulls]] (interim)
| manageryears4       = 2009
| managerclubs4       = [[New York Red Bulls]] (interim)
| manageryears5       = 2011–2012
| managerclubs5       = [[United States men's national under-18 soccer team|United States U18]]
| manageryears6       = 2012–2015
| managerclubs6       = [[United States men's national under-17 soccer team|United States U17]]
| manageryears7       = 2015–2016
| managerclubs7       = [[Real Salt Lake]] (assistant)
| manageryears8       = 2017–2018
| managerclubs8       = [[United States men's national soccer team|United States]] (assistant)
| manageryears9       = 2019
| managerclubs9       = [[Loudoun United FC|Loudoun United]]
| manageryears10      = 2019–2023
| managerclubs10      = [[New England Revolution]] (assistant)
| manageryears11      = 2023
| managerclubs11     = [[New England Revolution]] (interim head coach)
| manageryears12      = 2024–2025
| managerclubs12     = [[New England Revolution II]]
| medaltemplates = 
{{Medal|Country|{{USA}}}}
{{Medal|W|[[CONCACAF Gold Cup]]|[[2002 CONCACAF Gold Cup|2002]]}}
{{MedalSport|Men's [[Association football|Soccer]]}}
}}

'''Richard "Richie" Williams''' (born June 3, 1970) is an American [[soccer]] coach and former player.

Known for his diminutive height and his dogged tackling, Williams spent the vast majority of his playing career in the United States, playing one season in the [[NPSL II|National Professional Soccer League]], two in [[USISL]], two in the [[USL A-League]], and eight in [[Major League Soccer]], most notably for [[D.C. United]]. He also earned 20 caps for the [[United States men's national soccer team|United States national team]].

As a player, he won national championships at the youth (Union NJ Lancers, McGuire Cup U-19 in 1988), college (University of Virginia, NCAA Champions in 1989, 1991 and 1992), and professional (DC United, MLS Cups in 1996, 1997 and 1999) levels.

Since the end of his playing career, Williams has been involved in coaching,  including as head coach of the U.S. Under-17 Men's National Team and as an assistant coach in Major League Soccer for the New York Red Bulls and the New England Revolution.

==Club career==
===Early career===
Williams was born in [[Middletown Township, New Jersey]] and attended [[Mater Dei High School (New Jersey)|Mater Dei High School]].<ref name=SL2011/> Williams' career has been closely tied to [[Bruce Arena]], former coach of the United States men's national team. Arena first coached Williams at the [[University of Virginia]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.socceramerica.com/publications/article/62904/a-world-cup-for-richie-williams-better-late-than.html|title=A World Cup for Richie Williams, better late than never|website=Socceramerica.com|date=March 17, 2015 |access-date=15 December 2021}}</ref> The two parted ways after Williams graduated. In 1992, Williams signed with [[Buffalo Blizzard]] in the [[NPSL II|National Professional Soccer League]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.howesportsdata.com/howesportsdata/stats/soccer/misl/misl93.txt|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927231258/http://www.howesportsdata.com/howesportsdata/stats/soccer/misl/misl93.txt|url-status=dead|title=NATIONAL PROFESSIONAL SOCCER LEAGUE FINAL OFFICIAL STATISTICS -- 1992-1993|archive-date=27 September 2007|access-date=15 December 2021}}</ref>  He played thirty games for the Blizzard during the 1992-1993 winter indoor season.  In the spring of 1993, he signed with the [[Richmond Kickers]] of the [[USISL]].  That fall, he moved to [[Ayr United F.C.|Ayr United]] in [[Scottish Football League]] but then came back to the United States, signing with the [[Richmond Kickers]] of the [[USISL]] in 1994.  Williams played two seasons with the Kickers, helping them to the [[1995 U.S. Open Cup]] and USISL titles.

===Major League Soccer===
In February 1996, Williams was drafted by [[D.C. United]] head coach Bruce Arena in the fourth round of the [[1996 MLS Inaugural Player Draft]]. Making up for his height with his ferocious shadowing of the opponent's top playmaker, he became an integral member of the early DC teams, helping them to three [[MLS Cup]] titles.

Williams was traded to [[MetroStars]] for [[Mike Ammann]] in 2001, spent a year there and was sent back to D.C. for [[Brian Kamler]]. His MLS career ended with the Metros in a trade with [[Eddie Pope]] and [[Jaime Moreno (footballer, born 1974)|Jaime Moreno]] for [[Mike Petke]], a draft pick, and an [[allocation (MLS)|allocation]] before the 2003 season. Williams tallied just eight goals and added 33 assists in 216 regular season games in MLS (plus two goals and four assists in 26 playoff games).

Williams signed with his original American team [[Richmond Kickers]] which then played in the [[USL A-League]], prior to the 2004 season, but left the club in September 2005 after disagreements with the coach [[Leigh Cowlishaw]], and retired from playing shortly thereafter.

==International career==
Williams earned his first cap for the United States on November 6, 1998, against [[Australia men's national soccer team|Australia]], and went on to appear 20 times for the national team.

==Coaching career==
Williams spent several years as an assistant coach at his alma mater, the University of Virginia, before being named an assistant coach with the [[MetroStars]] in January 2006. In June 2006, Williams was named interim head coach of the re-branded [[New York Red Bulls]], and went back as assistant following former [[United States men's national soccer team]] head coach [[Bruce Arena]]'s appointment with the club. He remained as the club's top assistant coach, until he was once again called on to serve as the club's interim coach replacing [[Juan Carlos Osorio]] for the remaining eight matches of the 2009 season.
Williams was retained by Red Bulls as an assistant coach for the 2010 season before being abruptly fired just three weeks before the start of the 2011 MLS season.<ref name=SL2011>Giase, Frank. [http://www.nj.com/redbulls/index.ssf/2011/02/red_bulls_fire_long-time_assistant_coaches.html "Red Bulls fire longtime assistant coaches Richie Williams, Des McAleenan"], ''[[The Star-Ledger]]'', February 28, 2011. Accessed July 20, 2011. "Williams, a Mater Dei graduate who played eight years in MLS, including stints with the MetroStars in 2001 and 2003, was entering his sixth year as an assistant coach, but he has been much more important to the team than that."</ref>

In October 2011, Williams was hired as the head coach of the [[United States men's national under-18 soccer team|U-18 national team]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ussoccer.com/News/U-18-MNT/2011/10/Richie-Williams-Named-Head-Coach-of-U-18-Mens-National-Team.aspx |title=Richie Williams Named Head Coach of U-18 Men's National Team - U.S. Soccer |access-date=2012-01-08 |archive-date=2012-01-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120111212449/http://www.ussoccer.com/News/U-18-MNT/2011/10/Richie-Williams-Named-Head-Coach-of-U-18-Mens-National-Team.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref>  Three months later he was named head coach of the [[United States men's national under-17 soccer team]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ussoccer.com/news/u-17-mnt/2012/01/richie-williams-named-us-u17-mnt-head-coach.aspx |title=Richie Williams Named U.S. U-17 MNT Head Coach - U.S. Soccer |access-date=2012-01-28 |archive-date=2012-01-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120127024601/http://www.ussoccer.com/News/U-17-MNT/2012/01/Richie-Williams-Named-US-U17-MNT-Head-Coach.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref>
After the [[2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup]], Williams departed the program.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.goal.com/en-us/news/66/united-states/2015/12/23/18656772/john-hackworth-named-united-states-u-17-head-coach|title=John Hackworth named United States U-17 head coach|website=Goal.com|access-date=15 December 2021}}</ref>

In January 2019, Williams was hired as the head coach of [[Loudoun United FC]] in the [[USL Championship]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.blackandredunited.com/2019/1/28/18200498/loudoun-united-richie-williams-coach-dc-united|title=Richie Williams named first coach of Loudoun United|website=Blackandredunited.com|date=28 January 2019}}</ref> He left the team on May 30 to take a job as an assistant coach for the [[New England Revolution]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Loudoun United Announces Departure of Williams |url=https://www.loudoununitedfc.com/news_article/show/1024890 |publisher=Loudoun County FC |date=May 30, 2019 |access-date=June 6, 2019 |archive-date=September 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200921062934/https://www.loudoununitedfc.com/news_article/show/1024890 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In August 2020 during the “MLS is Back Tournament” in a COVID-shortened season, Williams assumed head coaching duties of the New England Revolution for three games (a win and a tie, extending the team's unbeaten streak to eight games) while Bruce Arena served a temporary suspension.

On August 1, 2023, the New England Revolution announced that Bruce Arena was placed on administrative leave amid allegations of "insensitive and inappropriate remarks<ref>{{Cite news |last=Johnson |first=Bailey |date=2023-08-01 |title=Bruce Arena placed on leave amid allegations of 'inappropriate remarks' |language=en-US |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2023/08/01/bruce-arena-mls-investigation/ |access-date=2023-08-02 |issn=0190-8286}}</ref>"and that Williams would act as interim head coach pending a related league investigation.  On September 12, 2023, it was announced that [[Clint Peay]] would be replacing Williams as interim head coach.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/09/12/sports/revolution-trade-practice-field-meeting-room-they-try-regroup/ | title=Revolution shake up staff, name Clint Peay to replace Richie Williams as interim head coach - the Boston Globe | website=[[The Boston Globe]] }}</ref>

Williams was named head coach of the Revolution's [[MLS Next Pro]] squad [[New England Revolution II]] on January 17, 2024.<ref>{{cite web |title=Revolution II announces updated coaching staff |url=https://www.revolutionsoccer.net/news/revolution-ii-announces-updated-coaching-staff-jan-17-2024 |website=RevolutionSoccer.com |publisher=[[New England Revolution]] |access-date=17 January 2024}}</ref>

==Managerial statistics==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
|-
!rowspan="2"|Team
!rowspan="2"|From
!rowspan="2"|To
!colspan="7"|Record
|-
!P!!W!!D!!L!!GF!!GA!!Win %
|-
|align=left|[[New York Red Bulls]] (interim coach)
|align=left|June 2006
|align=left|August 2006
{{WDL|8|3|2|3|for=8|against=7}}
|-
|align=left|[[New York Red Bulls]] (interim coach)
|align=left|August 2009
|align=left|October 2009
{{WDL|8|3|2|3|for=11|against=8}}
|-
|align=left|[[Loudoun United FC]]
|align=left|January 28, 2019
|align=left|May 30, 2019
{{WDL|9|2|4|3|for=11|against=13}}
|-
|align=left|[[New England Revolution]]
|align=left|August 1, 2023
|align=left|September 13, 2023
{{WDL|6|1|4|1|for=7|against=7}}
|-
!colspan="3"|Total
{{WDLtot|31|9|12|10|for=37|against=35}}
|}

==Honors==
'''D.C. United'''
* [[MLS Cup]]: 1996, 1997, 1999
* [[MLS Supporters' Shield]]: 1997, 1999
* [[Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup|U.S. Open Cup]]: 1996
* [[CONCACAF Champions' Cup]]: 1998
* [[Copa Interamericana|InterAmerican Cup]]: 1998

'''Richmond Kickers'''
* USISL Premier League Champions: 1995
* US Open Cup Champions: 1995
* James River Cup: 2004, 2005

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

'''Individual'''
* [[MLS All-Star Game|MLS All-Star]]: [[1997 MLS All-Star Game|1997]],<ref>[https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/all-star-game-flashback-1997-valderrama-named-mvp-again All-Star Game flashback, 1997] at MLSsoccer.com</ref> [[1999 Major League Soccer All-Star Game|1999]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 17, 1999 |title=1999 MLS All-Star Game |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/1999-mls-all-star-game-373142 |work=MLSsoccer.com |access-date=July 27, 2023}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.metrofanatic.com/team/player.jsp?NAME=Richie%20Williams MetroFan player profile]

{{MLS Next Pro head coaches}}
{{Navboxes
| title       = United States squads
| bg          = white
| fg          = #002868
| bordercolor = #BF0A30
| list1 =
{{United States squad 1999 FIFA Confederations Cup}}
{{United States squad 2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup}}
{{United States squad 2002 CONCACAF Gold Cup}}
}}
{{New York Red Bulls managers}}
{{New England Revolution managers}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Richie}}
[[Category:1970 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American soccer coaches]]
[[Category:American men's soccer players]]
[[Category:American expatriate men's soccer players]]
[[Category:Ayr United F.C. players]]
[[Category:Buffalo Blizzard players]]
[[Category:D.C. United players]]
[[Category:New York Red Bulls players]]
[[Category:National Professional Soccer League (1984–2001) players]]
[[Category:New York Red Bulls head coaches]]
[[Category:Richmond Kickers players]]
[[Category:Virginia Cavaliers men's soccer coaches]]
[[Category:Virginia Cavaliers men's soccer players]]
[[Category:United States men's under-20 international soccer players]]
[[Category:United States men's under-23 international soccer players]]
[[Category:United States men's international soccer players]]
[[Category:USISL players]]
[[Category:USL First Division players]]
[[Category:1999 FIFA Confederations Cup players]]
[[Category:2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup players]]
[[Category:2002 CONCACAF Gold Cup players]]
[[Category:CONCACAF Gold Cup–winning players]]
[[Category:Mater Dei High School (New Jersey) alumni]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Middletown Township, New Jersey]]
[[Category:Soccer players from Monmouth County, New Jersey]]
[[Category:Major League Soccer players]]
[[Category:Major League Soccer All-Stars]]
[[Category:A-League (1995–2004) players]]
[[Category:New York Red Bulls non-playing staff]]
[[Category:Men's association football midfielders]]
[[Category:USL Championship coaches]]
[[Category:Loudoun United FC]]
[[Category:New England Revolution head coaches]]
[[Category:New England Revolution II]]
[[Category:New England Revolution non-playing staff]]
[[Category:CONCACAF Champions Cup–winning players]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]