{{short description|Welsh soccer coach}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Huw Williams | image = | full_name = Huw John Williams<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.porthmadogfc.com/newyddion156.htm |title=Thanks Huw! |work=Porthmadog F.C. |date=19 December 2018 |access-date=8 January 2022 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211116082304/http://www.porthmadogfc.com/newyddion156.htm |archive-date=16 November 2021}}</ref> | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1960|11|20}}<ref>{{cite tweet |author=KC Athletics Soccer Club |author-link=KC Athletics |user=AthleticsKC |number=1064963266617720834 |date=20 November 2018 |title=Happy birthday to KCAthletics Executive Director, Huw Williams |access-date=8 January 2022 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220108225018/https://twitter.com/AthleticsKC/status/1064963266617720834 |archive-date=8 January 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Goodwin |first=Shaun |location=Kansas City, Missouri |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92149586/williams-on-life-in-kansas-city-you/ |title=Williams on life in Kansas City: 'You become part of the family over here' |newspaper=The Kansas City Star |volume=141 |number=255 |page=1B |date=30 May 2021 |access-date=8 January 2022}}</ref> | birth_place = Porthmadog, Wales | height = | position = | currentclub = Kansas City Current (technical staff) | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = | collegeyears1 = | college1 = | collegecaps1 = | collegegoals1 = | years1 = | clubs1 = | caps1 = | goals1 = | nationalyears1 = | nationalteam1 = | nationalcaps1 = | nationalgoals1 = | manageryears1 = 2013–2016 | managerclubs1 = FC Kansas City (assistant/{{abbr|tech.|technical}} director) | manageryears2 = 2021 | managerclubs2 = Kansas City Current }} '''Huw John Williams''' (born 20 November 1960) is a Welsh football coach and former player who was previously the head coach of Kansas City NWSL in the American National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) for their inaugural season.<ref>{{cite news |title=This team won two straight championships in Kansas City. Expectations haven't changed|url=https://www.kansascity.com/sports/article247937760.html|newspaper=The Kansas City Star|date=18 December 2020}}</ref>
==Early life== Born in Porthmadog, Gwynedd, Williams attended Cardiff University where he played football for the British Colleges and the All British Students teams. While at Cardiff, he was selected to play in the World Student Games in Tokyo. At age 14, he joined professional club Blackburn Rovers F.C. where he played for five years.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.fckansascity.com/2012/12/05/fc-kansas-city-coaching-staff-announced/|title= FC Kansas City coaching staff announced|date=5 December 2012|publisher=FC Kansas City}}</ref>
==Coaching career== ===Early coaching in the US=== Williams is a former director of coaching for Kansas Youth Soccer and a member of the Regional II coaching staff of the United States Youth Soccer Association. He was the men's coach at Avila University in Kansas City, Missouri, from 1989 to 1992.
Williams was a founder, assistant coach and general manager of the now-defunct FC Kansas City of the National Women's Soccer League.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.fckansascity.com/front-office/|title=Front Office|publisher=FC Kansas City}}</ref> He was also the sports manager for GSI Sports, a US youth football tournament and league management company.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.gsisports.com/|title=GSI Sports|website=www.gsisports.com}}</ref>
===Kansas City (2021)=== On 29 January 2021, Williams was announced as the head coach of the new expansion team Kansas City NWSL.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thebluetestament.com/2021/1/11/22226165/kansas-city-nwsl-announces-staff-for-inaugural-season|title=KC NWSL announces staff for inaugural season|first=Thad|last=Bell|date=11 January 2021|website=The Blue Testament|access-date=14 February 2021|archive-date=30 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210130090936/https://www.thebluetestament.com/2021/1/11/22226165/kansas-city-nwsl-announces-staff-for-inaugural-season|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite press release|url=https://www.kcwoso.com/news/former-gm-becomes-kansas-city-nwsl-head-coach|title=Former GM Becomes Kansas City NWSL Head Coach - KC NWSL|date=29 January 2021|website=www.kcwoso.com|access-date=26 May 2026|archive-date=29 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210129215006/https://www.kcwoso.com/news/former-gm-becomes-kansas-city-nwsl-head-coach|url-status=bot: unknown}}</ref> After one season as head coach he moved to a technical-staff scouting and talent identification role. The club went 3-14-7 in his lone year at the helm finishing last in the NWSL with 16 points.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://equalizersoccer.com/2021/11/18/sources-kansas-city-current-nwsl-search-new-head-coach-huw-williams-shifts-technical-role/|title= Kansas City searching for new head coach; Huw Williams shifts to technical role|date= 18 November 2021|publisher=The Equalizer}}</ref> Williams transitioned to a front office role with the newly-named Kansas City Current but was relieved of his duties by November 2022 following accusations of disrespectful and inappropriate conduct towards the team's roster.<ref name=Palmer>{{cite web|url=https://www.kshb.com/sports/local-sports/kc-current/nwsl-report-players-allege-current-ignored-mistreatment-by-former-coach-huw-williams|title=NWSL report: Players allege Current ignored mistreatment by former coach Huw Williams|last=Palmer|first=Tod|website=kshb.com|date=December 14, 2022|access-date=December 14, 2022|language=en}}</ref>
==Personal life== His daughter, Nia Williams, played soccer professionally for FC Kansas City in the NWSL.<ref name="msu_bio">{{cite web |url=https://missouristatebears.com/sports/womens-soccer/roster/nia-williams/2437 |title=Nia Williams Player Profile |publisher=Missouri State University |accessdate=May 8, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Soccer's in her blood |url=http://www.theleaven.com/v34/v34n32soccer_nia.html |publisher=The Leaven |accessdate=May 8, 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130616091307/http://www.theleaven.com/v34/v34n32soccer_nia.html |archivedate=June 16, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Kansas City Current managers}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Huw}} Category:1960 births Category:Living people Category:People from Porthmadog Category:Footballers from Gwynedd Category:Welsh men's footballers Category:National Women's Soccer League head coaches Category:Kansas City Current head coaches Category:Men's association football players not categorized by position Category:FC Kansas City non-playing staff Category:Kansas City Current non-playing staff Category:Welsh expatriate football managers Category:Expatriate soccer coaches in the United States Category:Welsh expatriate sportspeople in the United States
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