Peter Vermes Named MLS Sporting Exec of the Year
Jan 11 | Men's Soccer
Release Courtesy of SportingKC
CHICAGO -- Sporting Kansas City Manager and Technical Director Peter Vermes was named the MLS Sporting Executive of the Year on Thursday at Major League Soccer's 2018 Club Executive Awards Ceremony in Chicago.
Held at Theater on the Lake in conjunction with Friday's 2019 MLS SuperDraft presented by adidas, the 2018 MLS Club Executive Awards Ceremony recognized individuals and clubs for their outstanding contributions off the field. Vermes becomes the inaugural MLS Sporting Executive of the Year recipient, earning the award for his exemplary leadership, dedication and strategic vision in guiding Sporting KC to success.
In his 10th season as manager and 13th season as technical director, Vermes propelled Sporting to a first-place finish in the Western Conference and oversaw one of the best regular seasons in club history. Sporting set team records in goals, assists, goal differential and shots while amassing 18 wins and 62 points, both of which are second-most for the club all-time. Vermes was one of three finalists for 2018 MLS Coach of the Year.
As the league's longest tenured manager, Vermes leads all active MLS coaches with eight straight playoff appearances and ranks fifth in MLS history with 133 regular-season coaching wins. He thrived as an in-game manager throughout 2018 — Sporting led MLS with 12 goals from substitutes.
The 2018 season saw Vermes continue his oversight of all soccer operations at Sporting, including roster management, scouting and the development of the Sporting KC Academy and the Swope Park Rangers. Sporting received 2018 MLS Academy of the Year accolades for exemplary player development, while the Rangers rode the performances of several young players Sporting KC Academy products to a third straight appearance in the USL Cup Playoffs.
Vermes, who became Sporting KC's technical director in 2006 and manager in 2009, has won four major championships at the helm: the 2013 MLS Cup and Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup titles in 2012, 2015 and 2017. Under his leadership, Sporting has become the only American club in MLS to win four major trophies since 2012. He is also one of two MLS coaches to spend 10 consecutive seasons with the same club, and his 10-year head coaching tenure with Sporting is the second-longest all-time among Kansas City's major professional sports franchises behind Hank Stram of the Kansas City Chiefs (1963-1974).
Competing for the Scarlet Knights from 1985-87, Vermes earned First Team All-America honors and was runner-up for National Player of the Year. His name is still found in the Rutgers record books ranking seventh all-time in points (89), eighth in goals (35), 10th in assists (19) and second in game-winning goals (15). Vermes was inducted into the Rutgers Athletics Hall of Fame in 1998 and was elected to the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2013.
Following his time at Rutgers, Vermes represented the United States at the 1988 Summer Olympics, the 1990 FIFA World Cup and the 1991 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Vermes was the first American to play in the Hungarian and Dutch First Divisions, appearing for Raba ETO and FC Volendam and later spent five years with Figueras of the Spanish Second Division.
In 1996, Vermes was drafted by the New York/New Jersey MetroStars in the third round of the MLS Inaugural Draft (29th overall) and captained the team in its first season. He also played three years for the Colorado Rapids, including an appearance in the 1997 MLS Cup Final, before being traded to the Kansas City and winning the 2000 MLS Cup. He retired from the playing field in 2002 after appearing in 184 MLS matches and playing more than 16,000 minutes.
Follow Rutgers Athletics on Facebook (www.facebook.com/RutgersMensSoccer) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/RUMensSoccer) for all of the latest news and updates. Fans also receive timely information, including special offers and giveaways throughout the year on both social media outlets along with www.ScarletKnights.com. For additional updates, download the Rutgers Gameday App.
- RU -
