Former Academy Director promotes two Academy coaches, brings back Drew Keeshan
FRISCO – FC Dallas head coach Luchi Gonzalez has selectedformer FC Dallas Academy coaches Peter Luccin and Mikey Varas, as well as current FC Dallas goalkeeping coach Drew Keeshan to fill out his coaching staff for the 2019 season, the club announced today.
“I believe we’ve been able to build a well-rounded coaching staff that is perfectly in line with our club and our model,” Gonzalez said. “Peter brings a global knowledge as a player at the highest levels, as well as instincts both in the locker room and on the field. Mikey has proven his fantastic tactical and methodical ability over the last two years and Drew’s experience, not only as a goalkeeping coach, but in the league and with this group of players will be invaluable for our staff.”
Luccin, 39, joins Gonzalez’s staff as an assistant coach. The former FC Dallas midfielder started playing soccer in the French soccer academies, rising through Cannes’ youth system before signing with Cannes’ professional team from 1996-1997. The Marseille-native also played with Bordeaux (1997-1998), Marseille (1998-2000) and Paris Saint-Germain (2000-2002), totaling 131 appearances in France’s Ligue 1.
In 2001, his career took him to Spain when he was loaned to Spanish club Celta de Vigo. Luccin remained in Spain, playing for Celta (2002-2004), Atlético Madrid (2004-2007) and Zaragoza (2007-2010) with a one-year loan to Racing Santander (2008-2009). In 2011, he signed with Swiss Super League team FC Lausanne-Sport before joining MLS and FC Dallas in 2013 for two seasons.
He retired from professional play at the end of the 2014 season and began his coaching career as a coach in the FCD Academy in 2015, working with the U-12, U-13 and U-14 age groups during his time in the club. He holds a UEFA “B” Coaching License.
Varas, 36, will also serve as an assistant coach. Born in Burlingame, California, he started his career at a young age playing club soccer in California. Beginning at age 13, he would travel to his father’s native Chile each summer and play with Universidad Católica’s youth teams. During his junior year of high school, he stayed a semester abroad and played with Chile’s Deportes Naval U-17 team. Varas played four years of college soccer as a forward at the University of San Francisco. Following graduation, he traveled back to Chile and trained with Chile’s CD Santiago Wanderers for a season before turning to coaching in 2005.
He studied coaching at professional clubs in Argentina, Italy and Spain before starting his coaching career in the U.S. at De Anza Force Amateur Club in California. In 2016, Varas served as the U-14 Academy coach for Sacramento Republic FC, where he was named U.S. Soccer Development Academy’s West Conference Coach of the Year for the 2016-17 season.
After one year with Sacramento, he joined FC Dallas as an Academy coach for the U-16 Academy team in July 2017, where he worked closely with Gonzalez. A U.S. Soccer Federation “A” Licensed Coach, Varas holds a Master’s in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Physical Education from Fresno Pacific University.
Drew Keeshan, 44, will enter his 12th season as FC Dallas’ goalkeeping coach. The Tipperary, Ireland native originally joined FC Dallas in February 2008 under Steve Morrow and has served on the coaching staffs for former head coaches Schellas Hyndman and Oscar Pareja.
He played collegiate at Lindsey Wilson College for two years and at Life University for another two years. He graduated from Life University with a Bachelor in Dietetics in 2001. Keeshan started his professional career with Waterford United in 1993 and had stints at League of Ireland clubs Galways United, Kilkenny City and Limerick Football Club.
Keeshan holds both a USSF “B” and USSF Goalkeeper Coaching Licenses. He served as an assistant goalkeeper coach for the USL Premier Development League team Augusta FireBall from 2005-2006, as a head goalkeeper coach for Georgia Olympic Development Program from 2002-2007 and was the goalkeeper staff coach for ODP Region III from 2004-2007.
