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After leading the USMNT U-20 side to a solid showing in the 2019 U-20 World Cup in Poland, manager and youth technical director Tab Ramos has a new challenge ahead of him. According to David Nuno of ABC 13 in Houston, Ramos is set to become the new manager of the Houston Dynamo.
Sources say the Dynamo have hired Tab Ramos - @USMNT U20 head coach. This is a huge get. Could have been the USMNT head coach. What a GREAT HIRE #ForeverOrange #ABC13
— David Nuño (@DavidNunoABC13) October 24, 2019
Paul Tenorio of the Athletic is backing up the news with his own sources as well, so this seems like a done deal.
As Nuno noted, Ramos was widely considered as at least qualified for the senior USMNT manager role, but was never interviewed for the job even after requesting to be interim coach. In Houston, the former national team midfielder and veteran who played in MLS, Mexico, and Spain will take over an exciting but underperforming team.
Taking his first professional coaching role will also enable Ramos to perhaps test his ideas about younger players in the league. In 2019, Houston had just three homegrown players on the roster with 23 year-old Memo Rodriguez having the second most minutes on the team, with 1,329, for an American behind Tommy McNamara, who led with 1,530. Ramos has a proven track record of getting good performances out of young players and as the Houston development system continues to emerge, hopefully more players like Rodriguez get minutes in orange.