Former Dutch national team star & coach Vera Pauw is new Dash coach

HOUSTON (FOX 26) - The Houston Dash have hired its second permanent coach in franchise history in naming Vera Pauw, from the Netherlands, as the Dash’s new head coach.

Pauw replaces interim coach Omar Morales who took over for Randy Waldrum in May.

Waldrum, the first coach in Dash franchise history, and team mutually agreed to part ways in May.

Pauw has an extensive history in playing and coaching, having run four national teams all over the world.

“When I finally could play that spark became a fire and it was never extinguished actually,” Pauw said in an interview with FOX 26 Sports. “First, I was a player of course. I was captain of the Dutch National Team. I was record holder for the most number of international appearances, men and women (72).

“From there I became a coach. First, in Scotland for six years, national coach, technical director. Then in the Netherlands, the same job combination again for six years. From there I went to Russia as technical director two years, and two and half years after that in South Africa. With South Africa we went to the Olympic Games.:

In other words Pauw has been there and done that, and will bring that impressive resume to the Dash who have yet to make the NWSL playoffs in their four-year history.

“I think everything because it helped me grow as a coach,” Pauw said. “Because of traveling around the world, I’ve worked since 1994 in all different projects. I’ve analyzed all the World Cups together with colleagues and the technical study groups. So I know all the good players in the world which helps. I know all the teams in the world which helps.

“It develops you as a coach, and to become flexible.”

The Dash’s players will experience that flexibility quickly.

“It’s not that they have to play in a certain style that I bring,” Pauw said. “I always adapt to the qualities of the players where I am. So in South Africa we played a completely different style than in the Netherlands. Scotland was again a completely different style.

“I take the qualities out of a team as a starting point. I’m going to build on that with them, and we try to eliminate what they’re not so good at.”

Pauw said what attracted her to the Dash and the NWSL is that the teams are essentially all on the same level.

“In Europe there is much more money at the moment, but that goes to one or two clubs in a league and they win 10-0, 12-0,” Pauw said. “Those kind of figures. That doesn’t challenge me.

“I have a passion for winning leagues, but not the easy way. What I like is to get the best out of players, and you can only get the best out of players if they get the highest resistance. I think that is what attracts me most.”

Pauw has studied the Dash enough to know what to expect here in Houston.

“This team has such potential,” Pauw said. “ If we can balance that and we add the qualities that we miss, then you create good teamwork. Then why would you not go for the championships.”

While in Houston last week Pauw met with Dynamo star forward Kealia Ohai.

“She explained to me the dynamics of the team and the power of the team,” Pauw said. “That’s what I took out of it the most. I explained to her how I work, because I work completely different than most of the coaches.”

Pauw spoke by phone with Dash star forward Carli Lloyd.

“Of course that’s the best you can get, the best in the world,” Pauw said. “That is a fantastic idea, to build a team around her, and I hope that we manage to do it in a way that I’m picturing it.

“We need a leader on the pitch, not so much with words. You can only have that when you have the experience , when you have the talent and when you can control the pace of the game. There’s not many players that can do that. She’s one of the few that can control the pace of the game.”

Remarkably, Pauw already has a huge connection to the Dash in defender Janine van Wyk, who played for Pauw when she ran the national team in South Africa.

“Janine van Wyk is playing here, which for me is a big bonus,” Pauw said. “She was my captain in South Africa. She’s fantastic in her approach to the game and in the way that she wants a team to grow.”

Pauw said she had extensive talks with Dynamo and Dash president Chris Canetti which helped her a great deal in making this huge career decision to join the Dash.

“We grew to a point that we had a deal,” Pauw said.

A deal that the Dash hope will help them become a championship team.

 

The Houston Dash have hired its second permanent coach in franchise history in naming Vera Pauw, from the Netherlands, as the Dash’s new head coach.

Pauw replaces interim coach Omar Morales who took over for Randy Waldum in May.

Waldrum, the first coach in Dash franchise history, and team mutually agreed to part ways in May.

Pauw has an extensive history in playing and coaching, having run four national teams all over the world.

“When I finally could play that spark became a fire and it was never extinguished actually,” Pauw said in an interview with FOX 26 Sports. “First, I was a player of course. I was captain of the Dutch National Team. I was record holder for the most number of international appearances, men and women (72).

“From there I became a coach. First, in Scotland for six years, national coach, technical director. Then in the Netherlands, the same job combination again for six years. From there I went to Russia as technical director two years, and two and half years after that in South Africa. With South Africa we went to the Olympic Games.:

In other words Pauw has been there and done that, and will bring that impressive resume to the Dash who have yet to make the NWSL playoffs in their four-year history.

“I think everything because it helped me grow as a coach,” Pauw said. “Because of traveling around the world, I’ve worked since 1994 in all different projects. I’ve analyzed all the World Cups together with colleagues and the technical study groups. So I know all the good players in the world which helps. I know all the teams in the world which helps.

“It develops you as a coach, and to become flexible.”

The Dash’s players will experience that flexibility quickly.

“It’s not that they have to play in a certain style that I bring,” Pauw said. “I always adapt to the qualities of the players where I am. So in South Africa we played a completely different style than in the Netherlands. Scotland was again a completely different style.

“I take the qualities out of a team as a starting point. I’m going to build on that with them, and we try to eliminate what they’re not so good at.”

Pauw said what attracted her to the Dash and the NWSL is that the teams are essentially all on the same level.

“In Europe there is much more money at the moment, but that goes to one or two clubs in a league and they win 10-0, 12-0,” Pauw said. “Those kind of figures. That doesn’t challenge me.

“I have a passion for winning leagues, but not the easy way. What I like is to get the best out of players, and you can only get the best out of players if they get the highest resistance. I think that is what attracts me most.”

Pauw has studied the Dash enough to know what to expect here in Houston.

“This team has such potential,” Pauw said. “ If we can balance that and we add the qualities that we miss, then you create good teamwork. Then why would you not go for the championships.”

While in Houston last week Pauw met with Dynamo star forward Kealia Ohai.

“She explained to me the dynamics of the team and the power of the team,” Pauw said. “That’s what I took out of it the most. I explained to her how I work, because I work completely different than most of the coaches.”

Pauw spoke by phone with Dash star forward Carli Lloyd.

“Of course that’s the best you can get, the best in the world,” Pauw said. “That is a fantastic idea, to build a team around her, and I hope that we manage to do it in a way that I’m picturing it.

“We need a leader on the pitch, not so much with words. You can only have that when you have the experience , when you have the talent and when you can control the pace of the game. There’s not many players that can do that. She’s one of the few that can control the pace of the game.”

Remarkably, Pauw already has a huge connection to the Dash in defender Janine van Wyk, who played for Pauw when she ran the national team in South Africa.

“Janine van Wyk is playing here, which for me is a big bonus,” Pauw said. “She was my captain in South Africa. She’s fantastic in her approach to the game and in the way that she wants a team to grow.”

Pauw said she had extensive talks with Dynamo and Dash president Chris Canetti which helped her a great deal in making this huge career decision to join the Dash.

“We grew to a point that we had a deal,” Pauw said.

A deal that the Dash hope will help them become a championship team.

 

The Houston Dash have hired its second permanent coach in franchise history in naming Vera Pauw, from the Netherlands, as the Dash’s new head coach.

Pauw replaces interim coach Omar Morales who took over for Randy Waldum in May.

Waldrum, the first coach in Dash franchise history, and team mutually agreed to part ways in May.

Pauw has an extensive history in playing and coaching, having run four national teams all over the world.

“When I finally could play that spark became a fire and it was never extinguished actually,” Pauw said in an interview with FOX 26 Sports. “First, I was a player of course. I was captain of the Dutch National Team. I was record holder for the most number of international appearances, men and women (72).

“From there I became a coach. First, in Scotland for six years, national coach, technical director. Then in the Netherlands, the same job combination again for six years. From there I went to Russia as technical director two years, and two and half years after that in South Africa. With South Africa we went to the Olympic Games.:

In other words Pauw has been there and done that, and will bring that impressive resume to the Dash who have yet to make the NWSL playoffs in their four-year history.

“I think everything because it helped me grow as a coach,” Pauw said. “Because of traveling around the world, I’ve worked since 1994 in all different projects. I’ve analyzed all the World Cups together with colleagues and the technical study groups. So I know all the good players in the world which helps. I know all the teams in the world which helps.

“It develops you as a coach, and to become flexible.”

The Dash’s players will experience that flexibility quickly.

“It’s not that they have to play in a certain style that I bring,” Pauw said. “I always adapt to the qualities of the players where I am. So in South Africa we played a completely different style than in the Netherlands. Scotland was again a completely different style.

“I take the qualities out of a team as a starting point. I’m going to build on that with them, and we try to eliminate what they’re not so good at.”

Pauw said what attracted her to the Dash and the NWSL is that the teams are essentially all on the same level.

“In Europe there is much more money at the moment, but that goes to one or two clubs in a league and they win 10-0, 12-0,” Pauw said. “Those kind of figures. That doesn’t challenge me.

“I have a passion for winning leagues, but not the easy way. What I like is to get the best out of players, and you can only get the best out of players if they get the highest resistance. I think that is what attracts me most.”

Pauw has studied the Dash enough to know what to expect here in Houston.

“This team has such potential,” Pauw said. “ If we can balance that and we add the qualities that we miss, then you create good teamwork. Then why would you not go for the championships.”

While in Houston last week Pauw met with Dynamo star forward Kealia Ohai.

“She explained to me the dynamics of the team and the power of the team,” Pauw said. “That’s what I took out of it the most. I explained to her how I work, because I work completely different than most of the coaches.”

Pauw spoke by phone with Dash star forward Carli Lloyd.

“Of course that’s the best you can get, the best in the world,” Pauw said. “That is a fantastic idea, to build a team around her, and I hope that we manage to do it in a way that I’m picturing it.

“We need a leader on the pitch, not so much with words. You can only have that when you have the experience , when you have the talent and when you can control the pace of the game. There’s not many players that can do that. She’s one of the few that can control the pace of the game.”

Remarkably, Pauw already has a huge connection to the Dash in defender Janine van Wyk, who played for Pauw when she ran the national team in South Africa.

“Janine van Wyk is playing here, which for me is a big bonus,” Pauw said. “She was my captain in South Africa. She’s fantastic in her approach to the game and in the way that she wants a team to grow.”

Pauw said she had extensive talks with Dynamo and Dash president Chris Canetti which helped her a great deal in making this huge career decision to join the Dash.

“We grew to a point that we had a deal,” Pauw said.

A deal that the Dash hope will help them become a championship team.

 

The Houston Dash have hired its second permanent coach in franchise history in naming Vera Pauw, from the Netherlands, as the Dash’s new head coach.

Pauw replaces interim coach Omar Morales who took over for Randy Waldum in May.

Waldrum, the first coach in Dash franchise history, and team mutually agreed to part ways in May.

Pauw has an extensive history in playing and coaching, having run four national teams all over the world.

“When I finally could play that spark became a fire and it was never extinguished actually,” Pauw said in an interview with FOX 26 Sports. “First, I was a player of course. I was captain of the Dutch National Team. I was record holder for the most number of international appearances, men and women (72).

“From there I became a coach. First, in Scotland for six years, national coach, technical director. Then in the Netherlands, the same job combination again for six years. From there I went to Russia as technical director two years, and two and half years after that in South Africa. With South Africa we went to the Olympic Games.:

In other words Pauw has been there and done that, and will bring that impressive resume to the Dash who have yet to make the NWSL playoffs in their four-year history.

“I think everything because it helped me grow as a coach,” Pauw said. “Because of traveling around the world, I’ve worked since 1994 in all different projects. I’ve analyzed all the World Cups together with colleagues and the technical study groups. So I know all the good players in the world which helps. I know all the teams in the world which helps.

“It develops you as a coach, and to become flexible.”

The Dash’s players will experience that flexibility quickly.

“It’s not that they have to play in a certain style that I bring,” Pauw said. “I always adapt to the qualities of the players where I am. So in South Africa we played a completely different style than in the Netherlands. Scotland was again a completely different style.

“I take the qualities out of a team as a starting point. I’m going to build on that with them, and we try to eliminate what they’re not so good at.”

Pauw said what attracted her to the Dash and the NWSL is that the teams are essentially all on the same level.

“In Europe there is much more money at the moment, but that goes to one or two clubs in a league and they win 10-0, 12-0,” Pauw said. “Those kind of figures. That doesn’t challenge me.

“I have a passion for winning leagues, but not the easy way. What I like is to get the best out of players, and you can only get the best out of players if they get the highest resistance. I think that is what attracts me most.”

Pauw has studied the Dash enough to know what to expect here in Houston.

“This team has such potential,” Pauw said. “ If we can balance that and we add the qualities that we miss, then you create good teamwork. Then why would you not go for the championships.”

While in Houston last week Pauw met with Dynamo star forward Kealia Ohai.

“She explained to me the dynamics of the team and the power of the team,” Pauw said. “That’s what I took out of it the most. I explained to her how I work, because I work completely different than most of the coaches.”

Pauw spoke by phone with Dash star forward Carli Lloyd.

“Of course that’s the best you can get, the best in the world,” Pauw said. “That is a fantastic idea, to build a team around her, and I hope that we manage to do it in a way that I’m picturing it.

“We need a leader on the pitch, not so much with words. You can only have that when you have the experience , when you have the talent and when you can control the pace of the game. There’s not many players that can do that. She’s one of the few that can control the pace of the game.”

Remarkably, Pauw already has a huge connection to the Dash in defender Janine van Wyk, who played for Pauw when she ran the national team in South Africa.

“Janine van Wyk is playing here, which for me is a big bonus,” Pauw said. “She was my captain in South Africa. She’s fantastic in her approach to the game and in the way that she wants a team to grow.”

Pauw said she had extensive talks with Dynamo and Dash president Chris Canetti which helped her a great deal in making this huge career decision to join the Dash.

“We grew to a point that we had a deal,” Pauw said.

A deal that the Dash hope will help them become a championship team.