Eager prospective candidates are growing impatient as they wait
to see who the finalists for the vacant UCLA men’s soccer
coaching job will be.
Associate Athletics Director Ken Weiner, head of the Athletics
Department’s search committee, is still gathering information
about the dozens of coaches who have already submitted their
applications. A spokesman for Weiner said Wednesday that he has yet
to contact any prospective candidate about the job, but hopes to
have a list of finalists early next week.
Among those left twisting in the wind is Loyola Marymount coach
Paul Krumpe, a Bruin alumnus and one of the finalists for the
position in 2001. Krumpe, who spent three seasons as a UCLA
assistant coach from 1996-1998, hopes to have the chance to
interview again this year, but fears that he may be passed over in
favor of other candidates.
“I submitted my application last week, and they have not
contacted me,” Krumpe said. “I’m not quite sure
if they’re interested in me.”
Excitement in soccer circles about the UCLA job has reached a
feverish pitch in wake of Tom Fitzgerald’s resignation
earlier this month. A myriad of college coaches have already
expressed interest as have several from the professional ranks,
including Los Angeles Galaxy Director of Youth Player Development
Ralph Perez.
Perez, who most recently coached at the university level at Old
Dominion in the mid-1990s, is excited about the opportunity to
break back into the college ranks. Like Krumpe, he applied for the
job back in 2001, but was not granted an interview.
“UCLA is a dream job for me,” he said. “I
submitted my résumé the last go-round, but I didn’t
get it. Hopefully I’ll be more successful this
time.”
A former coach with the U.S. National team, Perez was an
assistant coach for six years with the Galaxy under legendary
former UCLA coach Sigi Schmid. He was among the short list of
choices that Fitzgerald submitted to Weiner last week, along with
Bruin assistant coach Jorge Salcedo.
“I’m hoping that carries some weight,” Perez
said.
Among the other coaches believed to be included in
Weiner’s list of prospective candidates are Salcedo, Cal Poly
Pomona coach Paul Caligiuri and Cal State Northridge coach Terry
Davila.
After wavering over whether or not to apply, Caligiuri consulted
his family before sending his application late Tuesday night. Like
Krumpe and the rest of the candidates, he has not been
contacted.
“I always dreamed of being in this position, but I never
expected it to come so quickly,” said Caligiuri, a UCLA
alumnus.
Weiner said last week that he hopes to have a coach in place by
the end of the month.