San Antonio Runners announce former UEFA Champions League and Ligue 1 Champion Mathieu Deplagne as Head Coach 

 

MATHIEU DEPLAGNE WILL HEAD RUNNERS MEN’S FIRST TEAM IN 2024

 

April 5, 2024 - SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - San Antonio Runners Soccer Club announces Mathieu Deplagne as its new Head Coach of the Men’s UPSL First Team. 

Deplagne joins San Antonio Runners Men for the sixth season in the United Premier Soccer League Premier Division and brings valuable professional playing experience to his new role within the club. 

“We are excited to bring in such a talented and tenured professional soccer player to the Runners as our new Men’s Head Coach,” San Antonio Runners Director of Adult Soccer Programs, Lance Carlisle said. “He’s been a player at the highest levels of professional and with his proven track record of success at the French First Division Level to back it up he knows how to create and maintain a professional development environment.His expertise will help guide the players, and we’re thrilled that he’s officially a part of the San Antonio Runners family."

A seasoned professional soccer player with over 10 years of experience playing in top tier European leagues from youth to the highest level of professional soccer, Deplagne brings first-hand experience with a deep understanding of the game and unique needs as a soccer player. From academy to professional level, Deplagne is a National Champion and knows what it takes to succeed on the field. 

 

After making his professional debut in the 2011-12 season with Montpellier, Deplagne and his teammates won the Ligue 1 title the same season. The Pau, France native spent seven seasons with Montpellier Hérault Sport Club before moving to Troyes AC where he spent two seasons from 2017-19.

 

During his tenure at Montpellier, Deplagne made his UEFA Champions League debut in the 2012-13 season while also making nearly 20 Coup De France appearances throughout his time in as a pro. Deplagne appeared in 120 matches in French professional soccer, the majority coming in Ligue 1 before moving to the United States in 2019 to play in the MLS for FC Cincinnati. As a defender for Cincinnati, he appeared in 48 matches, compiling 4,053 minutes of action and adding a passing accuracy rate above 80 percent in both seasons. 

 

“I’m excited and grateful for the opportunity to coach with the Runners. We have the same vision with all the staff here and I’m glad to help them develop this club,” Deplagne said.“As head coach of the team I’m here to transfer experience and knowledge to our players, and bring them the professional touch to progress, perform and represent the club at their best at the UPSL level. To be surrounded by good people who care about the players and their development is essential, and we have that here.” 

Deplagne will focus on developing a high performance environment for the Men’s program as Head Coach. 

After relocating to San Antonio in 2021 to assist San Antonio FC by appearing in 18 matches, Deplagne decided to remain in San Antonio to launch the 210 Soccer Project where he offers private individual & small group training to players who want to work on their individual development.

“We are extremely excited to have Mathieu leading our Runners Men’s Senior team at Mission City,” said Executive Director Mason Rankin. “Having a person with his experience guide our players in what it takes to play at the highest levels in the world today brings a fresh new element to the South Texas soccer structure.”

Men’s tryouts for San Antonio Runners Premier and Division I UPSL teams will be on Sunday April 21, 2024 at Mission City Soccer Complex located at 2600 Red Hill Ln. San Antonio, TX 78264.

If you have any questions you may reach out to Assistant General Manager Shea Seip,  at sseip@sarunners.com or leave a message at the office at (210) - 617 - 7590. 

 

Registration can be completed at https://sarunners.com/mens-tryouts

 

ABOUT SAN ANTONIO RUNNERS SOCCER CLUB

San Antonio Runners is an American amateur sports club based in San Antonio, Texas, which began play in the United Premier Soccer League - Central Conference - Heart Division and Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Qualifying Rounds in September 2018 at The University of Texas at San Antonio with players and staff from the UTSA Men’s Student Soccer Club. Over the last five years, San Antonio Runners Soccer Club, a 501c3 Nonprofit Corporation, has built a nationally recognized brand in the soccer industry at the adult men and women's semi professional level. In that time the club has helped over 50 young men and women to collegiate soccer programs and five to the professional level.

 

sarunners.com

 

ABOUT MATHIEU DEPLAGNE

Deplagne started his career with Montpellier HSC, with whom he won the Ligue 1 championship in the 2011–2012 season. In June 2017 Deplagne left Montpellier HSC to sign a three-year contract with Ligue 1 rivals Troyes AC. On 19 December 2018, MLS side FC Cincinnati announced they had signed Deplagne ahead of their 2019 season. He scored his first Major League Soccer goal on 17 March in the 63rd minute of FCC's home opener against Portland Timbers. On 8 April 2021, Deplagne joined San Antonio FC in the USL Championship. Check out his STATS

 

ABOUT 210 SOCCER PROJECT 

210 Soccer Project offers individual and small group private soccer training for dedicated players who are committed to bettering their game and empowering their future. A former French professional soccer player with 11 seasons of experience as a starting right back defender in France Ligue 1 and Major League Soccer who has dedicated his life to the game from age 6, joining the professional academy at age 10, becoming professional at age 19, and retiring after 11 seasons. From beginning to end, academy to professional level, 210 Soccer Project Staff has been through what it takes to become professional. 210 Soccer Project was created for our staff to pass on our knowledge and help you become the best player you can be.

 

https://www.210soccerproject.com/

 

ABOUT UNITED PREMIER SOCCER LEAGUE

Founded in 2011, the United Premier Soccer League now stands as the largest and most competitive pro-development league in North America. Today the league has nearly 400 clubs competing across the US and over 100 in Mexico. The 2022 Spring Men's Premier Division saw 255 clubs competing for 32 places in the National Playoff Bracket to become National Champion.

The league occupies the 4th tier of the US Soccer pyramid, just below the three professional tiers in the pyramid. With a participant average age of 22.5 years, the UPSL fills and brings structure to the large gap that exists between the youth game and the professional game, serving thousands of aspiring players and coaches as they strive to further their aspirations and fuel their passions.

Learn more about the UPSL at upsl.com. 

Read: Alex Alcala, Former UPSL Player, Signs with Manchester City FC 

Read: Former UPSL Midfielder Ali Fadal (OFC Barca) makes Valencia CF debut in Copa Del Rey 

Read: Former SA Runners: North Texas SC Signs Defender Mikey Maldonad

2019 Fall I - 10 Cup - SAsoccer.org

2019 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup - The Cup.US

2018 UPSL Press Release