Former Crusader, MLS Star Turns to Coaching with NY Cosmos

After sweeping his way into the Bergen Catholic record books, New Jersey native Alecko Eskandarian has returned home to the Garden State after years of playing professional soccer on the West Coast. His career sidelined by injuries, the Mahwah resident will now take his experience as an athlete and help lead others as the newest assistant coach of the New York Cosmos.

The return home also has an added special meaning as Eskandarian's father, Andranik played for the original Cosmos in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The elder Eskandarian's career allowed for the family to immigrate from Iran to New Jersey.

"Soccer has been an instrumental part of my life since I was a baby," Eskandarian said. "I was born into it and grew up watching the Cosmos play, watching tapes and kicking a ball around the locker room. And it's been quite a ride and I'm very lucky to have the career I had and now transition to coaching."

The 2000 Bergen Catholic graduate was named the Gatorade National High School Athlete of the Year during his senior year with the Crusaders and currently owns records for most goals scored in a career (154) and a season (64 in 1999). 

He would then go on to play at the University of Virginia for three years and be named the Rookie of the Year in 2000 and then National Player of the Year in 2002. Eskandarian was picked up by D.C. United during the 2003 MLS SuperDraft as first overall and spent four years with the Washington, DC team.

"Playing soccer is the easy part," Eskandarian said. "There is so much that goes into coaching, but being from the area and having played in college and the MLS, I'll be able to use that to my advantage."

He would eventually be traded to Toronto FC, Real Salt Lake, and Chivas USA before ultimately ending his career with the Los Angeles Galaxy.

Eskandarian retired from professional soccer in 2010 following multiple concussions during his career and spent the 2011 and 2012 seasons as the Philadelphia Union’s youth technical director.

"I learned a lot working with the Union and got a great view of the ins and outs of building a professional club," Eskandarian said. "Right now we're working on building the Cosmos up from scratch, scouting and signing players, developing a curriculum and style play, and create a club culture and environment that players will be attracted to and succeed in."

The Cosmos' roster currently sports 11 athletes with the goal of having between 25 and 30 players overall before the start of their 2013 campaign on August 3, 7pm against the Fort Lauderdale Strikers.

"I'm really glad to be home after being away for so long," Eskandarian said. "It's exciting to be a part of this and really hope that the same fanbase that was so faithful to the Cosmos will now inspire new fans."

Eskandarian along with head coach Giovanni Savarese and fellow assistant coach Carlos Llamosa will lead the Cosmos as they compete in the second-tier North American Soccer League at Hofstra University's Shuart Stadium in Hempstead, New York this summer.

Follow Patch on Facebook and Twitter or subscribe to our free daily newsletter.