Brian Johnson (soccer)

Brian "B.J." Johnson (born March 7, 1974) is a retired American soccer midfielder who spent five seasons in Major League Soccer with the Kansas City Wizards. He is currently the boys' Director of Technical Development and USL League Two head coach for Tampa Bay United.

Brian Johnson
Personal information
Date of birth (1974-03-07) March 7, 1974 (age 50)
Place of birth Carmichael, California, United States
Height 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Position(s) Midfielder
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1992–1996 Fresno State Bulldogs
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1997–2001 Kansas City Wizards 67 (1)
1997Sacramento Scorpions (loan)
1997Nashville Metros (loan) 6 (0)
1998MLS Pro 40 (loan) 6 (0)
2001Pittsburgh Riverhounds (loan) 10 (1)
2002 Pittsburgh Riverhounds 22 (0)
International career
1990–1993 United States U–20
Managerial career
2003–2004 Ohio State Buckeyes (assistant)
2005–2009 Real Salt Lake (assistant)
2010 West Virginia Mountaineers (assistant)
2021– Tampa Bay United
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Player

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In 1992, Johnson graduated from Granada High School in Livermore, California. He attended the Fresno State University, playing on the men's soccer team from 1992 to 1996. He spent the 1995 season training with the U.S. Olympic soccer team. In 1996, he returned to Fresno State where he was a 1996 Third Team All American.[1] Johnson completed his degree and graduated from Excelsior College in 2004. In 1993, he played for the United States U-20 men's national soccer team at the 1993 FIFA World Youth Championship.[2] In February 1997, the Kansas City Wizards selected Johnson in the first round (seventh overall) of the 1997 MLS College Draft. The Wizards sent him on loan to the Nashville Metros for the first half of the season. He returned to the Wizards in July and saw limited playing time through the end of the season. He had become a regular by 2000 when the Wizards won the 2000 MLS Cup. His playing time rapidly dwindled in 2001 and he went on loan to the Pittsburgh Riverhounds of the USL A-League. The Wizards released Johnson at the end of the season and he signed with the Riverhound where he finished his career in 2002.

Coach

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In 2003, Ohio State University hired Johnson as an assistant with its men's soccer team. In January 2005, he moved to Real Salt Lake of Major League Soccer as an assistant coach. In 2010, he left Real Salt Lake to become an assistant with the West Virginia Mountaineers.

References

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  1. ^ "1996 All Americans". Archived from the original on 2006-11-15. Retrieved 2011-01-27.
  2. ^ 1993 United States World Youth Cup roster Archived October 16, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
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