| Intro | Association football player (b. 1970) |
| Is |
Sports official Athlete Football player Association football player Association football manager |
| From | Canada |
| Type | Sports |
| Gender | male |
| Birth | 8 September 1970, Vancouver |
| Age: | 49 years |
| Star sign | Virgo |
Mark Stewart Watson (born 8 September 1970) is a former Canadian professional soccer player and is currently an assistant coach at Minnesota United FC. Watson is the fifth most-capped player in the history of the Canadian national team.
Playing career
Watson spent 18 years as a professional soccer player. He spent three seasons with Watford FC of the English Championship from 1993–95 and then joined Major League Soccer for its inaugural season in 1996. He split that first MLS season between the New England Revolution and Columbus Crew. Watson returned to MLS in 2001 with D.C. United after stops with the Seattle Sounders, Oxford United and Oldham Athletic.
Canadian National Team
For Canada, Watson has appeared 78 times for the ‘A’ national team during a 14-year span. He has played in four World Cup qualifying campaigns. and on the 2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup side that won the tournament. Watson scored the winning goal for Canada in the semi-final of the 2000 Gold Cup, a match Canada won 1–0 over Trinidad and Tobago.
International goals
- Scores and results list Canada’s goal tally first.
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 31 July 1993 | Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton, Canada | Australia | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 2 | 15 December 1996 | Estadio Cuscatlán, San Salvador, El Salvador | El Salvador | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 3 | 24 February 2000 | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, United States | Trinidad and Tobago | 1–0 | 1–0 | CONCACAF Gold Cup |
Coaching career
Watson began his coaching career in 2004 with the Canadian national team system where he held assistant positions with the U-20 and senior squads. Watson served as assistant coach for Canada at the 2004 CONCACAF Men’s Olympic Qualification Tournament and was an assistant when the team finished third in the same tournament in 2008. He also spent four seasons on the staff of his former playing club Charleston Battery as an assistant to Mike Anhaeuser from 2006–09, helping lead Charleston to the final of the 2008 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.
After spending several seasons with San Jose Earthquakes as an assistant to his Canadian colleague Frank Yallop, Watson became the club’s interim head coach on 7 June 2013 following Yallop’s dismissal. Watson’s first win as an MLS head coach came on 15 June 2013 against the Colorado Rapids at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. Watson was 11–5–3 during his 19 league games as interim coach, nearly rallying the Earthquakes to an MLS Cup Playoff berth. His mark 1.89 points per game was tops among all coaches after he took over. In addition to his success in MLS, Watson’s squad advanced to the 2013-14 CONCACAF Champions League Quarterfinals by winning Group 5. Following these successes, on 30 October 2013 the Earthquakes announced that they had signed Watson to a permanent contract, thereby removing his interim status. After a disappointing season in which the Earthquakes failed to qualify for the playoffs, Watson was dismissed in late 2014.
He was hired as an assistant coach at Orlando City Soccer Club for their inaugural Major League Soccer season on 10 November 2014.
He was fired by Orlando City in July 2016.
On 18 January 2017, he was named goalkeeping coach for Major League Soccer side Minnesota United FC.
Coaching record
- As of 23 August 2014
| Team | From | To | Record | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | Win % | |||
| San Jose Earthquakes | 7 June 2013 | 15 October 2014 | 7001510000000000000♠51 | 7001170000000000000♠17 | 7001200000000000000♠20 | 7001140000000000000♠14 | 7001333300000000000♠33.33 |
Honours
Club
- Charleston Battery
- USL A-League: 2003
Country
- CONCACAF Gold Cup: 2000
Individual
- Canadian Player of the Year: 1997
- Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame: 2008