U.S. Open Cup champion. MLS Cup champion. USL Coach of the Year?
That could be the career path for Jimmy Nielsen after USL announced their end-of-year award finalists on Monday. The OKC Energy FC head coach has been named one of four finalists for USL Coach of the Year. Voting is open on uslsoccer.com through Friday, October 23 at 2 p.m. CT.
VOTE: 2015 USL Award Finalists
Nielsen, in only his second year in charge at Energy FC, led the squad to a share of the Western Conference regular season title. The team defeated Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC in a dramatic penalty kick shootout in the Conference Semifinals before falling to LA Galaxy II 2-1 in the Conference Finals.
Nielsen joined Energy FC in December 2013 only days after winning the 2013 MLS Cup with Sporting KC. The Danish international started 128 regular season matches for Sporting KC during his four-year stint in MLS and won the 2012 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in addition to the 2013 MLS Cup.
Should Nielsen take home USL Coach of the Year honors, he would become the second former Kansas City player to win the award. Preki was voted USL Coach of the Year in 2014 after leading expansion club Sacramento Republic FC to the USL Championship.
