Bob Kehoe Explained

Bob Kehoe
Birth Date:1928[1]
Birth Place:St. Louis, Missouri, United States
Position:Defender
Years2:1968
Clubs1:St. Louis Kutis
Clubs2:St. Louis Stars
Caps2:1
Goals2:0
Nationalyears1:1965
Nationalteam1:United States
Nationalcaps1:4
Nationalgoals1:0
Manageryears1:1969–1970
Managerclubs1:St. Louis Stars
Manageryears2:1972
Managerclubs2:United States
Manageryears3:1973–1983
Managerclubs3:Granite City North High School

Robert V. Kehoe[2] (1928 – September 4, 2017) was an American soccer player who played as a defender.[3] He earned four caps as captain of the U.S. national team in 1965. He later coached the US national team in 1972. He was also the first U.S. born coach in the North American Soccer League. He was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 1989.

Club career

Kehoe grew up in St. Louis and graduated from St. Louis University High School in 1947. He played on the school's first soccer team in 1943. After high school, he spent time in the Philadelphia Phillies farm system, but soon returned to soccer. When he did, he joined St. Louis Kutis. In 1968, he played with the St. Louis Stars of the North American Soccer League (NASL)

International career

Kehoe earned his four caps as captain of the U.S. national team during 1966 FIFA World Cup qualifying in 1965. His first game with the national team came in a 2–2 tie with Mexico on March 7, 1965. Kehoe and his teammates then lost to Mexico five days later, defeated Honduras on March 17 and tied them four days later. With a 1–1–2 record, the U.S. failed to qualify for the finals.[4]

Coaching career

In 1969, Kehoe moved from player to coach with the St. Louis Stars. He became the first U.S.-born coach in the NASL in the 1969 and 1970 season. During his two seasons as head coach, he used rosters of predominantly U.S. born players, unlike most other coaches in the NASL.

In 1972, the U.S. Soccer Federation hired Kehoe as coach of the U.S. national team.

In 1973, he became the head coach of Granite City North High School where he joined former teammate Ruben Mendoza as a developer of local youth players. He remained with the school until 1983. That year, he became the head coach of the Bud Light women's over-30 team. The Bud team went to the women's over 30 national championship game every year from 1983 to 1988. During those years, Kehoe also served as the Director of Coaching for the Busch Soccer Club.

Broadcasting career

In addition to coaching the Bud Women's team and acting as the Director of Coaching for the Busch Soccer Club, Kehoe was a radio and TV commentator for the St. Louis Steamers of Major Indoor Soccer League from 1983 to 1988.

Honors

Kehoe was inducted into the St. Louis Soccer Hall of Fame on October 26, 1983, the Illinois High School Soccer Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1989 and the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 1989.

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Pete Hayes . September 5, 2017 . 'THESE ARE MY BOYS' Soccer icon Bob Kehoe's legacy is his players . The Telegraph . Alton, Illinois.
  2. Web site: Robert V. Kehoe's Obituary on St. Louis Post-Dispatch. St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
  3. Web site: St. Louis soccer legend Bob Kehoe dies at 89. Joe. Lyons. 6 September 2017 .
  4. Web site: Archived copy . 2010-01-17 . 2019-11-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191121174811/http://www.rsssf.com/tablesu/usa-intres-det69.html . dead .