Sigi Schmid

German football manager (1953-2018)

Siegfried "Sigi" Schmid (pronounced [ˈziːkfʀiːt ˈziːɡiː ʃmiːt]; March 20, 1953 – December 25, 2018) was a German-American soccer coach. He worked as head coach of the Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer (MLS) from 1999 to 2004 and again from 2017 to 2018.[1] He was born in Tübingen, Baden-Württemberg.

Schmid after a Sounders match in 2010

Schmid worked for the UCLA's soccer men's soccer team from 1972 to 1999. From 2006 to 2008, he coached Columbus Crew. Schmid also coached for Seattle Sounders FC from 2009 to 2016.[2]

Schmid was hospitalized several times during his later career, including with pneumonia in 2009.[3][4] He had weight and heart issues that later lead to his decision to retire from the LA Galaxy in 2018.

Schmid was hospitalized again on December 10, 2018 in intensive care at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles.[5] He died on December 25, 2018 from heart failure while waiting for a heart transplant, at the age of 65.[6][7]

References change

  1. Ruiz, Don (October 5, 2010). "Sounders coach eyes third Open Cup crown". The Olympian. Archived from the original on February 4, 2013. Retrieved November 8, 2010.
  2. "The Sigi Schmid Interview – Part I". Prost Amerika Soccer. January 1, 2010. Archived from the original on March 17, 2010. Retrieved January 3, 2010.
  3. Miguel Romero, Jose (November 21, 2009). "Sounders FC coach Sigi Schmid hospitalized with pneumonia". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on December 14, 2018. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
  4. Ruiz, Don (September 10, 2015). "Coach Sigi Schmid returns to Sounders after hospital stay, but he won't travel to San Jose". The News Tribune. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
  5. Baxter, Kevin (December 10, 2018). "Former Galaxy coach Sigi Schmid hospitalized". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
  6. Baker, Geoff (December 26, 2018). "Sigi Schmid, the Sounders' original MLS coach, dies at 65". The Seattle Times. Retrieved December 26, 2018.
  7. Baxter, Kevin (December 26, 2018). "Sigi Schmid, former Galaxy coach, dies at 65". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 26, 2018.