Eric Ramsay (football manager)

Eric Ramsay
Personal information
Full name Eric Ramsay
Date of birth (1991-08-02) 2 August 1991 (age 33)[1]
Place of birth Shrewsbury, England[2]
Team information
Current team
 Minnesota United FC (head coach)
Youth career
Shrewsbury Town
The New Saints
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Welshpool Town 14
Loughborough University 28
International career
2013 Wales futsal
Managerial career
2024– Minnesota United
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Eric Ramsay (born 14th February 1992) is a professional football coach and former player.

Born in England, he was briefly the captain for the Welsh national futsal team.

After a short period playing football in the Cymru Premier, Ramsay began his career as a youth coach at Swansea City before moving to Shrewsbury Town's academy in 2017. He worked at Chelsea's academy for two years and, aged 29, became an assistant first-team coach at Manchester United in 2021. He also had a brief coaching spell with the Wales national football team in 2023. In February 2024, he became the head coach of MLS club Minnesota United.


Early life

Born in Shrewsbury, England, Ramsay grew up in Llanfyllin, Wales, and attended Llanfyllin High School.[3][2][4] After leaving the youth academy at The New Saints, Ramsay made 14 appearances as a player in the Cymru Premier for Welshpool Town, before deciding to attend university and focus on coaching.[5][3] Ramsay was the captain of the Wales national futsal team for the UEFA Futsal Euro 2014 qualifying campaign, a sport he played throughout his time at Loughborough University.[6]

Career

Early career

In 2013, Ramsay graduated from Loughborough University with a first-class honours degree in Sport Science with Management.[7] At Loughborough, Ramsay worked as an assistant coach alongside Kieran McKenna at the university's football team.[2]

After graduating, Ramsay spent nearly four years as a Lead Professional Development Phase Coach at Premier League club Swansea City, coaching the club's under-21s and under-18s.[2][7][8] He became academy manager at Shrewsbury Town in 2017, and subsequently worked with the club's first-team as interim manager then first-team coach.[9][4] Ramsay joined Chelsea in 2019, where he coached the club's under-23s,[9] and became the youngest British coach to achieve the UEFA Pro Licence.[10][11]

Manchester United and Wales

In 2021, Ramsay joined Manchester United as a player development coach under manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.[9][12] In the following years, he became a more integral part of the club's coaching set-up, working under managers Ralf Rangnick and Erik ten Hag, winning the EFL Cup and reaching the FA Cup final with the latter in 2023.[12][13] At United, Ramsay helped integrate foreign players such as Casemiro into the club, due to his ability to speak fluent Spanish and French.[2]

Alongside his duties at Manchester United, Ramsay joined the Wales national football team as an assistant coach in March 2023.[12] On Ramsay's announcement, the Wales manager Rob Page said: "Eric is arguably one of the best young coaches in football at this moment in time".[14] Six months later, he left his position at Wales to focus on Manchester United and his young family.[12]

Minnesota United

On 22 February 2024, Ramsay was hired as the head coach of Major League Soccer club Minnesota United shortly after the start of the regular season. He is the youngest permanent head coach in MLS history and signed a multi-year contract with the club.[15] Ramsay's debut as head coach of Minnesota United saw a 2-0 home win vs Los Angeles on March 16th, 2024. Minnesota United made the club's best start to a Major League Soccer season in history under Ramsay, with the club topping the Western Conference after twelve games with 24 points. [16] Ramsay returned Minnesota United to the Major League Soccer playoffs with a 6th placed finish in the Western Conference (MLS) in his first season in charge, breaking club records for goals scored, away points and consecutive clean sheets. [17] Minnesota United finished in ninth place in the overall Supporters' Shield standings and reached the Western Conference (MLS) semi-final in Ramsay's debut season as head coach.

Managerial statistics

As of 24 November 2024
Coaching record by team and tenure
Team Nat From To Record
P W D L GF GA GD Win %
Minnesota United United States 22 February 2024 present 36 14 8 14 56 54 +2 038.89

References

  1. ^ Zgoda, Jerry (22 February 2024). "New Minnesota United coach Eric Ramsay signs his contract, making it official". Star-Tribune. Retrieved 26 February 2024. That's as old or older than Ramsay, who turned 32 on Valentine's Day last week.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Respected by Erik ten Hag and Casemiro – Eric Ramsay has become Manchester United's secret weapon". Manchester Evening News. 9 April 2023. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  3. ^ a b "Ramsay's rise from Llanfyllin school field to Chelsea backroom staff". Oswestry & Border Counties Advertizer. 19 November 2020. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  4. ^ a b "Former Shrewsbury Town coach Eric Ramsay earns Wales role". Shropshire Star. 3 March 2023. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  5. ^ "New Cymru Assistant Coach Eric Ramsay speaks on JD Cymru Premier connection". Cymru Football. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  6. ^ "Welsh futsal set for European test". Wales Online. 19 June 2012. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  7. ^ a b "Eric Ramsay". Loughborough University. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  8. ^ "Swansea City Under-18S Eric Ramsay". Swansea City. 21 August 2016. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  9. ^ a b c "Spotlight: Eric Ramsay, Manchester United". Coaches' Voice. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  10. ^ "Former Shrewsbury Town coach Eric Ramsay lands a Manchester United role". Shropshire Star. 13 July 2021. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  11. ^ Railston, Steve (16 December 2021). "Who's on the bench with Reds' new boss?: Our In-Depth Guide to Rangnick's Backroom Staff". Manchester Evening News. ProQuest 2664191642. Retrieved 30 December 2023 – via ProQuest.
  12. ^ a b c d "Why Manchester United coach Eric Ramsay is leaving Wales role after six months". Manchester Evening News. 4 September 2023. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  13. ^ "Former Shrewsbury Town coach Eric Ramsay wins first trophy with Manchester United". Shropshire Star. 27 February 2023. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  14. ^ "Rob Page Announces New Backroom Staff". Retrieved 18 January 2024.
  15. ^ Zgoda, Jerry (22 February 2024). "New Minnesota United coach Eric Ramsay signs his contract, making it official". Star-Tribune. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  16. ^ "Second-Half Comeback Extends Loons Unbeaten Run". MNUFC.com. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  17. ^ "Minnesota United Shatters Club Records in Remarkable MLS Cup Playoffs Return". FOOTBOOM. Retrieved 21 October 2024.