With the departure of John Gall, the North Texas SC Head Coach position is now open again. And let’s face it, with the exception of a couple of failed one-and-dones under Nico Estevez, the job has gone to someone from the FCD “family” and almost certainly will again.
So here’s our very short list of the three coaches we think are legitimate candidates for the position. I’m sure the club will say something about a worldwide search, as they always do, but the winner is almost certain to be someone with the club connection.
So without further ado, here’s our short list, in order of experience.
“Chuy” Vera
The 57-year-old Vera first came to FC Dallas as First-Team Assistant Coach and Director of Scouting in 2017 under Oscar Pareja after Fernando Clavijo’s illness progressed.
When Luchi Gonzalez took over as head coach, Vera shifted to Academy coaching, but later returned as a first-team assistant coach under Gonzalez and retained the position when Marco Ferruzzi was interim head coach in 2021. Vera returned to the Academy full-time when Nico Estevez was hired. Vera was Director of Scouting from 2017 until the end of 2021.
Vera had 18 caps for Venezuela in his playing days and has been a pro coach since 2008. As a head coach in Venezuela, he won three Venezuela cups and the 2011 league title, earning the Revelation Coach Award in 2009 and Coach of the Year in 2011.
Fluent in English and Spanish (that we know of). Vera has a UEFA “A” coaching licence.
3rd Degree’s Take
Vera has always been one of the best Academy coaches for a while and, in our estimation, he’s the best talent developer in the system. He’s really good with the kids on the pathway and is one of the coaches that everyone can’t wait to play for. He’s got the best overall resume and the most experience coaching adult professionals.
Vera’s also got an eye for finding pro talent in the wrong spot and adapting it. If memory serves, a few examples include position changes for Edwin Cerrilo, Jonathan Gomez (JoGo), and Bryan Reynolds. So if development is the game, Vera is an ideal candidate.
Alex Aldaz
The 49-year-old Aldaz is a former standout FC Dallas Academy coach (2018-2023) – like Vera, Aldaz worked with some of the very best talent to come through the FCD Academy at its peak. Aldaz left FCD to take a spot working with US Soccer, and he’s been the U16 or U17 National Team Head Coach the last few years.
Prior to joining US Soccer full-time, Aldaz was an assistant coach for North Texas SC and an assistant coach for the US U17s while still with the FCD Academy. He previously worked for the Portland Timbers Academy where he was named U.S. Soccer Development Academy Western Conference U15 Coach of the Year. He’s also scouted for US Soccer and coached in college after coming out of club soccer in Austin.
Aldaz, an Argentina native, is fluent in English, Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese. He holds a US Soccer “A” License and a UEFA “B” License as well as a Master’s Degree from the University of Redlands.
3rd Degree’s Take
During his Academy days, Aldaz was one of the top coaches at balancing development and winning at the same time. He’s consistently pushed himself to climb the ranks, and his resume reflects that. We won’t hold it against him that he’s a UT graduate.
Aldaz is a top-tier combination of development and winning, which is why US Soccer snapped him up; he should appeal to Dan Hunt and Andre Zanotta. Aldaz has coaching ambition, and he might see an MLS Next Pro job as a good next step.
Zach Loyd
The former FC Dallas standout defender played 180 games in MLS for the club and ranks as one of its best all-time defenders. Since retiring, Loyd and his wife (former professional player Casey Nogueira) made the Dallas area their home and began a club for refugees called Vickery United, as well as 1015 FC, which plays in The League for Clubs, TST, UPSL, and has a youth Academy. Loyd’s sons currently play in the FC Dallas Academy.
The 39-year-old Loyd has recently begun coaching for the FC Dallas Academy and, for the past two summers, has coached the FC Dallas U23 side in The League for Clubs.
As of 2022, Loyd had a US Soccer “B” coaching licence. Language fluency beyond English is unknown.
3rd Degree’s Take
Loyd is the “outsider” candidate, if you will. He’s got substantially less coaching resume than Aldaz or Vera. But he’s trending upward fast. Most observers have been impressed by his work with the FC Dallas U23s, and certainly club owner Dan Hunt will have a fondness for Loyd from his playing days. He’s a rising name in the FCD coaching system.
For our part, while Loyd has the makings of an outstanding coach, we’d like to see him continue to develop as an Academy coach and continue running the U23s (who play for 2 months in the summer). We’d prefer to see more of his development work before we think he’s ready for MLS Next Pro. Perhaps a stint as an NTSC assistant might be in order soon?