Oakland Roots announced they have officially hired Ryan Martin as their next head coach on Tuesday.
We reported in recent weeks that Roots were interested in the former Loudoun United gaffer, and he was the lead candidate for the job.
Martin made sure to thank co-owner Barney Schauble, President Lindsay Barenz, and Vice President of Soccer Eric Yamamoto, shedding light on the organization’s decision-making process.
“First, I want to thank Barney, Lindsay, and Eric for their trust and belief. From our very first conversation, it was clear that we share the same values and vision — to build one of the top clubs in the league and to do it for and with the people of Oakland,” said Martin. “My family and I couldn’t be more excited to join the Oakland community and the Roots family. I want to help create an attacking, proactive style of play that our fans enjoy watching and are proud to support — one built on relentlessness, resilience, and a blue-collar honesty that truly reflects this city.”
Yamamoto also commented on bringing Martin into the fold.
“Ryan is one of the most experienced coaches in the USL,” Yamamoto said. “As we build this club’s future, bringing in a coach with deep knowledge of the league and the U.S. soccer landscape is key. Ryan’s experience developing local talent while establishing long-term culture made him the ideal candidate for our club.”
Martin departed from Loudoun after helping them qualify for the postseason for the first time in the organization’s history, resulting in a 1-nil playoff loss to North Carolina. The coach also brings a highly possessive style that Oakland has tried to implement year after year.
Per John Morrissey’s metrics, Martin’s teams have ranked among the most possessive teams in the league. Over the last two years, Loudoun’s 480.2 passes per game are only behind Charleston’s 486.4. Their high-pressure brand has averaged 4.0 final-third recoveries per game, which is fourth in the USL Championship behind Louisville’s 4.8, Rhode Island’s 4.4, and Charleston’s 4.1 recoveries per game.
Martin, 42, has been Loudoun’s head coach since 2019. He is currently the USL Championship’s longest-tenured manager after the Pittsburgh Riverhounds placed Bob Lilley on administrative leave in mid-October.
Although he’s established a record of 61-32-124 over his time in Virginia, he’s largely had to deal with scraps and focus on player development. It could be a valued quality by Oakland, which has increased its player budget while also maintaining Project 51O as a marquee pipeline to the first team.
Loudoun has remained among the youngest teams in the league. Abdellatif Aboukoura is an example of his ability to craft young talent into a player in demand. He just turned 21 in recent weeks and finished as the team’s leading scorer with 12 goals and two assists. Aboukoura debuted with Loudoun at 16 years old in 2021 and scored his first professional goal against Roots in 2022.
Martin played collegiately at Ohio Wesleyan University from 2001 to 2005 and was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame in 2016. He began his coaching career as an assistant at Wake Forest from 2007 to 2015.
He joined MLS side Toronto FC as a scout in 2014-2015. He later became the Columbus Crew’s U23 coach and scout in 2015. From there, he signed with FC Cincinnati as an assistant in 2015 and 2016.
DC United then signed him as their academy director in 2017, where he remained until starting his career with Loudoun United in 2019.
Welcome to Oakland, Ryan!