Miami FC names Victor Pastora interim head coach until the end of the USL season

Chiquinho de Assis will be reassigned to another position within the organization

Zinho will remain an assistant coach

Miami, August 14, 2007 – Miami FC announced today that former assistant coach Victor Pastora was named Miami FC’s interim coach for the remainder of the USL-1 2007 season. Former head coach Chiquinho de Assis will be reassigned to another position within the organization, primarily working with player development. De Assis is out as Miami FC’s coach after almost two years. Chiquinho was 19-23-10 overall and 8-12-4 in the 2007 season as Miami FC’s coach.



“We are grateful to Chiquinho de Assis for his service to Miami FC. It is rarely an easy decision to terminate a head coach, and the fact that he was our first head coach made the decision even more difficult. However, we have made the decision that he is not the head coach that gives Miami FC the most potential for success for the remainder of this season and beyond. Our immediate objective is to qualify for the playoffs and we are confident that empowering Victor along with Zinho and the rest of the coaching staff gives us the best chance of doing so,” said Luiz Muzzi, Miami FC’s General Manager.



Victor Pastora has been an assistant coach for Miami FC since the team was formed last year. He is a well-respected youth coach who has brought his knowledge of and experience in US soccer to the bench alongside Chiquinho from day one. Earlier this season, Victor made the most of an opportunity to be head coach of the team for one match when Chiquinho was suspended; he led Miami FC to a 2-1 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps on July 14, 2007.



Pastora, 32, was born in Matagalpa, Nicaragua. He played high school soccer in Miami for Braddock Senior High. Later, Pastora went on to play for Averette University in Danville, Virginia before becoming a coach.



He has been coaching soccer for 11 years, all of which have been in Miami. Victor Pastora started when he was a 19-year-old coaching a local AYSO team. He has coached for local clubs such as West Kendall Optimist, Coral Springs Renegades, and is now the Director of Coaching for Kendall Soccer Coalition.

Victor has coached his teams to 3 National Championships as well as prestigious youth tournaments like Dallas Cup, Disney Showcase, Tampa Bay Sun Bowl, and Jefferson Cup. He is also a coach for Florida ODP. Victor has a USSF “A” Coaching License.