Project 51O announced they’ve officially hired Zak Gordon as its next head coach, while he will also have a key role with Oakland Roots as their Opposition Analyst.
It’s an important position for 51O and Roots, which comes with a lot of responsibility. When describing what the organization was looking for in its next 51O head coach, one club source described they want someone with proven experience in player development.
“From a 51O head coach role, we have a couple of projects where we need someone who is very good at talent development and individual technical development. We also need someone in that same role who can do opposition scouting and analysis for the first team,” said a club source regarding the qualities they were seeking in a candidate.
Gordon’s resume appears to bring exactly that. He began as a youth coach at Sacramento United Soccer Club out of high school in 2008 before traveling abroad for his undergrad and graduate programs at Newcastle University and Northumbria University.
After returning from England, Gordon joined Sacramento Republic as an academy assistant coach from 2017-2019, where he held a role alongside Roots’ technical director Jordan Ferrell. He also held roles concurrently with Sacramento United, earning promotions to U19 MLS Next Head Coach, Pro and College ID Director, MLS Next Academy Director, and UPSL Head Coach–holding each position until August 2023.
Gordon also spent 2023 as Monterey Bay Football Club’s second assistant until August before landing as Albion FC’s MLS Next Technical Director for the last five months.
Check all of Oakland Roots’ news and transactions in our 2024 Offseason Tracker.