Technical Staff
John Doyle | Frank Yallop | Mark Watson | Ian Russell | Jason Batty | Bruce Morgan
John Doyle
General Manager of Player Operations
John Doyle enters his fourth season with the club as General Manager of Soccer Operations. Doyle is responsible for all aspects of the club’s soccer operations, including the coaching staff, the first team, reserves and the academy. Doyle has assembled one of the top coaching staffs in the league in head coach Frank Yallop, assistant coaches Ian Russell and Mark Watson and goalkeeper coach Jason Batty.
The 2010 season was a benchmark for success under Doyle’s leadership. A mixture of transactions played a key role in San Jose’s run to the Eastern Conference Championship. Doyle traded for eventual 2010 MLS Budweiser Golden Boot winner Chris Wondolowski late in the 2009 season, signed veteran goalkeeper Jon Busch, acquired a budding star in Sam Cronin and picked up the club’s first Designated Player, former FC Barcelona and Hull City star Geovanni. This confluence of personnel decisions coupled with Yallop’s coaching led to the best season for San Jose since returning to MLS in 2008, a 13-10-7 record. The team earned the third highest point total in team history with 46.
Doyle also selected Generation adidas defender Ike Opara during the 2010 SuperDraft, a selection that paid immediate dividends—as he was the early choice for MLS Rookie of the Year before injury cut the young center back’s season short. With a bevy of talent on the back line, the Earthquakes set a new franchise mark with 13 shutouts in 2010. Capping the postseason honors was Bobby Convey’s selection as the MLS Comeback Player of the Year. Convey was also the lone San Jose representative on the 2010 MLS All-Star Team.
After a slow start in their 2008 expansion season, Doyle showed his resourcefulness by overhauling the team’s attack during the international transfer window in July, signing English midfielder Darren Huckerby and former AS Roma midfielder Francisco Lima and trading for midfielder Arturo Alvarez. Those moves jump-started the Quakes attack and helped them put together a nine-game unbeaten streak from July 12-Sept. 27, the longest unbeaten streak in the league in 2008 and the second longest ever by an expansion team. The team finished the year with more wins (8), points (33) and goals scored (32) than any expansion team this decade.
Doyle has been a part of the San Jose MLS team every season since its inception, working in a number of capacities. He and Michael Emenalo were signed as the first players in club history on Dec. 7, 1995 when the team was known as the San Jose Clash. The Fremont, Calif. native played five illustrious seasons as the captain of the Clash/Earthquakes and until 2003 held the team records for games played (132) and minutes played (11,385). A two-time MLS All-Star (1996, 1997), Doyle scored 11 goals and dished out 15 assists in his career. He was the 1996 MLS Defender of the Year and named to the League’s Best XI that year.
Following his retirement at the end of the 2000 season, Doyle served as the television analyst from 2001-03. He was then hired on Jan. 22, 2004 as the assistant coach for Dominic Kinnear. With Doyle as the assistant coach, the Quakes made two consecutive playoff appearances and in 2005 won the Supporters Shield. The 2005 team became just the second team in league history to record over 60 points. In 2005, Doyle was the inaugural member of the San Jose Earthquakes Hall of Fame.
Doyle has also spent the past 11 years as the Director of Coaching for Mustang Soccer, where he is responsible for the training and development of coaches who oversee over 5,000 children from the Danville, Alamo, Walnut Creek and San Ramon areas.
In 2003, Doyle was appointed the Technical Director of U.S. Super Y League. He was elected to the U.S. Soccer Board of Directors in 2001 and was named to the U.S. Soccer Technical Committee in 2002. He holds an “A” coaching license from the U.S. Soccer Federation.
The former University of San Francisco All-American enjoyed one of the most decorated playing careers in U.S. soccer history. Doyle first began training with the U.S. national team in 1987 and was a member of the squad until 1994. He played in the 1988 Seoul Olympics and the 1990 World Cup in Italy, as well as the 1991 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Doyle earned 53 caps for the U.S., notching three goals and two assists.
At the club level, Doyle helped the San Francisco Bay Blackhawks win the 1991 APSL Championship. After playing in Sweden and Germany, Doyle returned to the U.S. to play and was named the 1995 APSL Defender of the Year while with the Atlanta Ruckus.
Doyle grew up in nearby Fremont and starred at Washington High School. Doyle resides in Pleasanton with his wife Kaarin and their two children Jay and Kate.
Frank Yallop
Head Coach
Frank Yallop enters his fourth season as the head coach of the San Jose Earthquakes on a high note after leading the club to the MLS Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2005.
Yallop’s squad entered the 2010 season flying under the radar, but the squad transformed into MLS Cup contenders. At season’s end, Bobby Convey garnered Comeback Player of the Year and Chris Wondolowski won the MLS Budweiser Golden Boot and was a finalist for the Volkswagen MVP award. Yallop’s team also took pride in earning the MLS Xbox 360 Team Fair Play award, an accolade given to the club with the fewest yellow cards during the regular season. In the MLS Cup Playoffs, the Earthquakes fell behind 1-0 in the aggregate to the New York Red Bulls. However, under Yallop’s leadership, San Jose bounced back for an improbable 3-1 win in front of a packed Red Bull Arena in the second leg to advance to the Conference Championship for the first time since 2003.
Corporate Supporter:
In 2009, the Earthquakes finished with 30 points and a 7-14-9 record. Despite their struggles, Yallop rallied the squad to close the season 4-4-5 over their final 13 games. Most notably during that 13 game stretch was a dominant 4-0 win against playoff bound Seattle Sounders FC.
Under Yallop’s guidance the Quakes made a successful return to MLS in 2008 as the top expansion team of the last decade. The Quakes had more wins (8) and points (33) scored more goals (32) and allowed fewer goals (38) than any expansion team since 1998. The team also posted a nine-game unbeaten streak from July 12-Sept. 27, which was the longest unbeaten streak in the league in 2008 and the second longest ever by an expansion team. At the conclusion of the season, he was invited to coach MLS’ Generation adidas team for a week of games in London.
Yallop’s current tenure as head coach of the Earthquakes is his second stint with the club. He also coached the Quakes from 2001-03 before serving as the head coach of the Canadian men’s national team from 2004-06 and the Los Angeles Galaxy from 2006-07.
During his previous three seasons as head coach of the Earthquakes, Yallop won two MLS Cup Championships while posting a 41-25-18 record, the best mark in MLS during that stretch. Yallop was also named MLS Coach of the Year in 2001 after taking over a team that posted a league-worst 7-17-8 record in 2000 and leading them to the MLS Cup Championship in 2001. The former Canadian international defender is the club’s all-time leader in wins in club history (69). In addition, Yallop coached the MLS All-Stars to a 3-2 win over the United States National Team in 2002.
Under Yallop during that stretch, the Earthquakes broke numerous club records, including fewest goals allowed in a season (29) and most consecutive wins at home (12). Many players flourished under Yallop’s tutelage, as the Quakes had 13 players named to the All-Star team in Yallop’s three seasons and had five members selected to the MLS Best XI team. Seven Earthquakes players also earned their first call-up to the senior men’s national team for training camps during Yallop’s first three seasons in San Jose.
Yallop began his coaching career in 1999 with the U.S. Project 40 team. He was an assistant coach to Tim Hankinson for the Tampa Bay Mutiny in 1999 and then he went to work with D.C. United in 2000 as the top assistant to then head coach Thomas Rongen.
Before he began his coaching career, Yallop spent almost 20 years playing in England and the United States as a defender. He signed his first professional contract at the age of 16 with Ipswich Town FC in England and in 1992 helped the team win the English First Division. He was twice named the team’s most valuable player and Yallop scored game-winning goals in back-to-back games in 1993 to lead Ipswich to Premiership victories over Tottenham Hotspur and legendary side Manchester United.
He also played in MLS as a top defender for the Tampa Bay Mutiny from 1996 to 1998, where he earned the Mutiny’s Defender of the Year award in 1997 and 1998. In 1996 Yallop helped the Mutiny to a league-best regular season record of 20-12 and in 1998 he scored the only goal of his MLS career.
Yallop has a United States Soccer Federation “A” coaching license and an FA Preliminary Badge.
He and his wife, Karen, have two sons, Jack and Samuel.
Mark Watson
Assistant Coach
Watson enters his second season as an Earthquakes assistant coach after helping transform San Jose into a playoff contending team during his inaugural year on the staff in 2010. The Vancouver, Canada native assists with daily training regimens, pre-game tactical preparations and scouting efforts.
Watson contributed to a memorable 2010 season for the Earthquakes. San Jose reached the Conference Championship in the MLS Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2003 and finished with the No. 3 mark all time in franchise history for points with 46. The Earthquakes also set a new club record with 13 clean sheets.
Previously, Watson was an assistant for the Canadian National Team system from 2004-09. He coached with the U-20, U-23 and Senior Canadian National Teams. He was on the staff of the U-23 team for Olympic Qualifying in 2004 and 2008 and also worked with the U-20 team in qualifying for the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup.
While working with the Canadian National Team, Watson also spent time as a player and assistant coach with the Charleston Battery of USL-1.
The former defender and captain appeared in 78 matches for the Canadian National Team, scoring three goals. Watson helped Canada win the 2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Other international career highlights include being a part of Canada’s World Cup qualifying campaigns for the 1994, 1998 and 2002 World Cups.
During his playing career, he also spent time in England with Watford from 1993-95 and came to MLS in its inaugural season in 1996, splitting time with the Columbus Crew and New England Revolution. Watson played with the Seattle Sounders briefly in 1997 and then went abroad to Sweden from 1997-98 to play with Osters IF. He played in the Second Division in England with Oxford and Oldham before returning to the United States in 2001 for a season with D.C. United.
Ian Russell
Assistant Coach
Ian Russell returns to San Jose for his fourth season as one of the top young assistant coaches in Major League Soccer. The former Earthquakes player works closely with head coach Frank Yallop in the preparation of daily training sessions while also helping to coordinate San Jose’s international and collegiate scouting efforts.
Russell contributed to a memorable 2010 season for the Earthquakes. San Jose reached the Conference Championship in the MLS Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2003 and finished with the No. 3 mark all time in franchise history for points with 46.
In 2009, the Earthquakes finished with 30 points and a 7-14-9 record. Despite their struggles, San Jose rallied to close the season 4-4-5 over their final 13 games. Most notably during that 13 game stretch was a dominant 4-0 win against playoff bound Seattle Sounders FC.
During his first year with the club, Russell helped the team make a successful return to MLS. In 2008, the Earthquakes posted the best record for any expansion team since 1998 with eight wins, 33 points and 32 goals scored. San Jose also recorded a nine-game unbeaten streak from July 12-Sept. 27, the longest unbeaten streak in the league in 2008 and the second-longest ever by an expansion team.
Russell holds a U.S. Soccer Federation “A” coaching license.
A native of Seattle, Wash., Russell spent six seasons playing for the San Jose Earthquakes and seven total years in MLS. After being drafted in 2000, Russell appeared in 131 games for the Quakes. A lightning-quick midfielder, he scored five goals and notched 20 assists, helping the Quakes win two MLS Cups in 2001 and 2003. He is ninth all-time in Quakes history in assists and is tied for first in playoff appearances with 14.
Russell also played three games in 2007 with the Los Angeles Galaxy under Frank Yallop.
Jason Batty
Goalkeeper Coach
Jason Batty returns for his fourth season as the goalkeeper coach for the San Jose Earthquakes. The New Zealand native works day-to-day with the club’s goalkeepers and plays a key role in opponent scouting.
In 2010, Batty oversaw a goalkeeping crew that posted a franchise record 13 clean sheets during the regular season. Keeper Jon Busch provided a steadying presence in goal for the San Jose Earthquakes all season long, especially down the stretch of the regular season after Joe Cannon suffered a fractured ankle.
Under Batty’s tutelage in 2008, Joe Cannon had another outstanding season. Cannon ended the year as one of six players in MLS to play every minute of every game, recording a career-high 2,700 minutes.
Prior to joining the Earthquakes, Batty was the Director of Goalkeeping for Texas Premier SC, while serving as a coach for a number of soccer academies and camps. He previously served as an assistant coach and the goalkeeper coach for Dartmouth College.
As a player, he competed professionally for 14 seasons in England, Singapore, New Zealand and the United States. Watson earned 55 caps for New Zealand’s national team.
He and his wife, Jess, welcomed their first child, Ava, in 2008.
Bruce Morgan
Head Athletic Trainer
Bruce Morgan returns for his 16th season in the MLS and his 14th as the San Jose Earthquakes head athletic trainer. Having spent the first ten seasons in San Jose (with the Clash/Earthquakes), Morgan is the only person who has been a part of every game (preseason, exhibition, regular season and postseason) in team history.
Morgan started his MLS career with the San Jose Clash in 1996 and was a fixture on the team until 2005 when the Earthquakes were relocated to Houston. Morgan joined the Houston Dynamo during the Earthquakes relocation to Houston in December 2005. He has been a part of four MLS Cup-winning teams, two with San Jose in 2001 and 2003 and two more with Houston in 2006 and 2007.
He returned to San Jose in 2008 to rejoin his former club for the team’s return to MLS.
A native of Northern California, Morgan earned his undergraduate degree from California State University Sacramento and his master’s degree at the University of Arizona. As a member of the league’s medical advisory panel (1996-2002), he assisted in the development of the policies and procedures manual that guides the practice of teams’ medical staffs.
Prior to joining San Jose’s staff in 1996, Morgan supervised a hospital-based out-reach athletic training program, served as a consultant to numerous youth athletic organizations in that capacity, including the North and Central Coast Sections of the California Interscholastic Federation and the California Youth Soccer Association (CYSA).
An avid reader, he has authored or co-authored articles appearing in a variety of publications, including the American Journal of Orthopedics, the Journal of Arthroscopy and the American Journal of Sports Medicine.
When not attending to the medical needs of the team, Morgan enjoys traveling and spent three weeks in the 2008 offseason traveling to Vietnam. He is also passionate about running, a passion which dates back over thirty years to his days spent as a member of his high school’s cross country team.