Loons sign first homegrown player, add Sean McAuley as assistant coach

McAuley, most recently an assistant coach at Orlando City, fills the vacancy created when Mark Watson was named the Loons' technical director.

January 21, 2020 at 4:55PM
Sean McAuley, Minnesota United assistant coach. Photo courtesy Minnesota United
Sean McAuley, Minnesota United assistant coach. Photo courtesy Minnesota United (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Minnesota United has signed its first homegrown player and completed its coaching staff.

It signed from its academy 15-year-old goalkeeper Fred Emmings from St. Paul and officially added Orlando City assistant coach Sean McAuley to fill new technical director Mark Watson's former job.

Emmings is 6-5 and spent two weeks training with Luxembourg's Under-16 national team. He previously played with the St. Paul Blackhawks Soccer Club before he joins United's Under-15 academy.

McAuley is an Englishman who played professionally for 15 years. He coached in England for seven seasons, then spent six seasons with MLS's Portland Timbers and the previous two at Orlando City. He was part of the Timbers' 2015 MLS Cup championship team.

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Jerry Zgoda

Reporter

Jerry Zgoda covers Minnesota United FC and Major League Soccer for the Star Tribune.

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