| Fullname | Ian Christopher Bridge |
|---|---|
| Birth date | 18 September 1959 (age 66) |
| Birth place | Victoria, British Columbia, Canada |
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Position | Defender |
| Years 1 | 1979–1983 |
| Clubs 1 | Seattle Sounders |
| Caps 1 | 100 |
| Goals 1 | 11 |
| Years 2 | 1980–81 |
| Clubs 2 | Seattle Sounders (indoor) |
| Caps 2 | 16 |
| Goals 2 | 2 |
| Years 3 | 1984 |
| Clubs 3 | Vancouver Whitecaps |
| Caps 3 | 24 |
| Goals 3 | 2 |
| Years 4 | 1984–1985 |
| Clubs 4 | Tacoma Stars |
| Caps 4 | 40 |
| Goals 4 | 7 |
| Years 5 | 1985–1990 |
| Clubs 5 | FC La Chaux-de-Fonds |
| Years 6 | 1990 |
| Clubs 6 | Victoria Vistas |
| Caps 6 | 22 |
| Goals 6 | 3 |
| Years 7 | 1991 |
| Clubs 7 | Kitchener Kickers |
| Caps 7 | 11 |
| Goals 7 | 0 |
| Years 8 | 1991 |
| Clubs 8 | North York Rockets |
| Caps 8 | 7 |
| Goals 8 | 0 |
| Nationalyears 1 | 1979 |
| Nationalteam 1 | Canada Youth |
| Nationalyears 2 | 1981–1991 |
| Nationalteam 2 | Canada |
| Nationalcaps 2 | 34 |
| Nationalgoals 2 | 5 |
| Manageryears 1 | 1989–1990 |
| Managerclubs 1 | FC La Chaux-de-Fonds |
| Manageryears 2 | 1990–2000 |
| Managerclubs 2 | University of Victoria |
| Manageryears 3 | 1997–present |
| Managerclubs 3 | Canada (women) (assistant coach) |
| Manageryears 4 | 2001–2008 |
| Managerclubs 4 | Canada U20 women (assistant) |
| Manageryears 5 | 2008 |
| Managerclubs 5 | Canada U20 women |
| Manageryears 6 | 2009–2010 |
| Managerclubs 6 | Canada U17 women |
| Manageryears 7 | 2010 |
| Managerclubs 7 | Victoria Highlanders |
Ian Christopher Bridge (born 18 September 1959) is a soccer coach and former professional who played as a defender. A former player for the Canada national team, he has coached the Canada women's national team among other teams.
Club career
Bridge was born in Victoria, British Columbia. He began his pro career in 1977 and played in the NASL with the Seattle Sounders from 1979 to 1983 and with the Vancouver Whitecaps in 1984, and MISL indoor soccer with the Tacoma Stars. Over six NASL seasons, he played 124 games and scored 13 goals. Following the demise of the NASL Bridge played for Swiss club FC La Chaux-de-Fonds[1] for two seasons when the club was in the Swiss league first division. Later in the Canadian Soccer League, he played for the Victoria Vistas (1990), Kitchener Kickers (1991), and North York Rockets (1991).[2] Ian played his youth soccer with the Lakehill Soccer Association in Victoria BC, and has an annually awarded Youth Player "Inspirational" trophy named in his honour.
International career
A defender, Bridge made his debut for Canada in an October 1981 friendly match against Trinidad & Tobago and earned 34 caps, scoring 5 goals. He has represented Canada in 12 FIFA World Cup qualification matches[3] and played all three of Canada's games at the 1986 FIFA World Cup finals, the country's first appearance at a World Cup finals. Bridge also played for Canada at the 1984 Olympics and at the 1979 FIFA World Youth Championship. He scored a goal in the first two 1982 FIFA World Cup qualifying games that he played in. His final international was a June 1991 CONCACAF Gold Cup Finals match against Mexico.
Bridge was inducted into the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame in 2003.[citation needed]
Managerial career
Bridge was head coach of the University of Victoria women's soccer team from 1990 to 2000. He became assistant coach of Canada women's national soccer team in 1997, a position he still has. He became U-19 national women's coach[4] and chief national team assistant coach in March 2001. (The national youth women's team has since become U-20.) Bridge is also team chef of the Canada men's national youth soccer teams.[5] On 10 January 2010, Bridge resigned as head coach of the U-17 Canadian women national team[6] and is now coaching the Victoria Highlanders of the USL (United Soccer league) Premier Development League.
Career statistics
- Scores and results list Canada's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Bridge goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 November 1981 | Estadio Tiburcio Carías Andino, Tegucigalpa, Honduras | Honduras | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1982 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 2 | 15 November 1981 | Estadio Tiburcio Carías Andino, Tegucigalpa, Honduras | Mexico | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1982 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 3 | 28 March 1984 | Stade Sylvio Cator, Port-au-Prince, Haiti | Haiti | 1–0 | 1–0 | Friendly |
| 4 | 25 May 1988 | Varsity Stadium, Toronto, Canada | Chile | 1–0 | 1–0 | Matthews Cup |
| 5 | 15 October 1988 | Swangard Stadium, Burnaby, Canada | Guatemala | 3–2 | 3–2 | 1990 FIFA World Cup qualification |
Honours
Canada
- CONCACAF Championship: 1985[7]
- North American Nations Cup: 1990;[8] 3rd place, 1991[9]
References
- ^ "Switzerland - Trainers of First and Second Division Clubs". Archived 27 June 2008 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 21 May 2009.
- ^ "CSL 1991 Media Guide w 92 season info and all-time records_HiQ.PDF"
- ^ Record at FIFA Tournaments – FIFA
- ^ "Ian Bridge named women's U-20 head coach". CBC News. 9 October 2008. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
- ^ CANADA Under-17 National Team[dead link]
- ^ "Ian Bridge out as women's U17 coach". Archived from the original on 13 January 2010. Retrieved 11 January 2010.
- ^ "Torneo Premundial 1985 (IX Campeonato de Naciones (NORCECA) CONCACAF)". Retrieved April 20, 2025.
- ^ "North American Championship 1990 (Canada)-Squads". Retrieved April 20, 2025.
- ^ "North American Championship 1991 (Los Angeles, USA)-Squads". Retrieved April 20, 2025.