ST. LOUIS, Mo. (Matrix Midwest) - St. Louis CITY SC recently announced that CITY2 coach David Critchley will take over as interim coach for CITY SC after the club released Olof Mellberg.
Born in Liverpool, England, Critchley came to the U.S. in 2009 to play soccer at Oklahoma Wesleyan University.
After his playing career, he became a coach at OWU and was responsible for leading the team’s development, training and exercise programs.
In 2013, he was appointed director of coaching for Northeast Oklahoma Football Club. And just two years later, he joined USL Championship team Tulsa Soccer Club. He has also served as technical director at Lou Fusz Athletic.
Critchley was hired by CITY SC in 2021. He coached the club’s U-16 team to an MLS NEXT Flex tournament win in 2022. And led the U-17 team to an MLS NEXT Flex tournament win and a quarter-final appearance in the playoffs in 2023.
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He has coached some of St. Louis’s rising stars like Mykhi Joyner, Caden Glover and Tyson Pearce.
In 2024, Critchley was promoted to head coach of CITY2.
So far this year, CITY2 has scored 20 goals, has a 6-4-1 record, and averages 1.82 points per game.
St. Louis CITY SC said Critchley “brings with him a strong reputation for his tactical acumen, player development, staff and player communications skills and consistent competitive excellence.”
Given his tenure with the club, it’s likely he will implement a classic CITY SC style, revolving around a high press and quick attacks with lots of off-the-ball movement.
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In a press conference on Thursday, Critchley said the best way to get the fans back behind the team is to entertain them.
“For me, it means a lot of control of the game, but also a balance of very quick attacks without the ball,” he said. “I think we’ve all seen good success at this club when we press the opponent, when we’re very aggressive against the ball. So, we might play out of a bit different shape. The concept might be different, but the philosophy and the style of play remain the same.”
For more on St. Louis CITY SC, click here.
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