CyberRays re-sign Ian Sawyers, add Stephen Myles as assistant

Published on January 24, 2003 under Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA)
San Jose CyberRays News Release


SAN JOSE (Jan. 24, 2002) – Head coach Ian Sawyers, who led the San Jose CyberRays to the inaugural WUSA championship in 2001, has been signed to a new two-year contract, team general manager Marlene Bjornsrud announced today.

In addition, the CyberRays have signed former English coach and player Stephen Myles as an assistant coach, filling the spot vacated last fall when Tom Sermanni left the CyberRays to become head coach of the New York Power.

``These moves with our coaching staff reinforce the CyberRays' commitment to playing at the highest level of WUSA soccer and returning the Founders Cup to San Jose,'' Bjornsrud said. ``Ian knows what is required to produce championship professional soccer and is capable of delivering it. Stephen will be a great complement to Ian.''

Sawyers, 40, is a native of Sunderland, England and has a 19-14-9 career record with the CyberRays. As a former coach of the Stanford women's team, he has the best winning percentage in Cardinal history at .832 and is the only coach to take the Stanford to the NCAA women's soccer final four, advancing to the semifinals in 1993.

``It's been a great privilege to be able to work with this club,'' Sawyers said. ``Although wins and losses are important, this gives us an opportunity to build the league for two more years. That's the bigger picture and what is important.''

Sawyers said ``Bringing in a person like Steve, with his experience, will be invaluable because we lost a coach in Tom Sermanni with the same background in soccer. Steve will fit in really well.''

Myles, 41, is from Sheffield, England and he played and coached at the professional level with Sheffield United. He began traveling to the United States as a coach with the Olympic Development Program in 1994, and for the past two years he has been director of a youth soccer club in Oklahoma.

Jay Cooney, 29, will return as the CyberRays goalkeeper coach.

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