FC TULSA signs head coach Michael Nsien to multiyear contract extension

TULSA – After making a 2020 playoff run and attracting the attention of Major League Soccer clubs, FC Tulsa head coach Michael Nsien signed a multiyear contract extension to remain on the touchline in Tulsa for 2021 and beyond.

Leading one of the most improved teams in the USL Championship in 2020, Nsien took FC Tulsa to the postseason for the second time in the club’s six-year history. The club set franchise records for longest unbeaten streak, longest winning streak and most points per match in its first season of the FC Tulsa era.

“Coach Nsien’s leadership of our team on the pitch and his character off it embody what I want FC Tulsa to represent,” said FC Tulsa president James Cannon. “His work and focus to build and manage our team to new heights despite the difficulties of 2020 are further proof of his ability as our head coach.”

Nsien, 39, will begin his third full season managing FC Tulsa on the pitch in 2021 after taking over as interim midway through 2018. He was named the full-time head coach in December of 2018 and has improved the club’s record in each of the following two campaigns.

“We are eager to build on the momentum from this past season and continue to build a strong culture and mentality that will show our fans what we are all about," said Nsien. "I can’t wait to get back to work with the staff and the strong group of players we are bringing in for next year.”

As a Tulsa native and a prominent Black voice in the city, Nsien has been at the forefront of the club’s efforts in connecting to the community, volunteering with the Tulsa Dream Center and serving under-resourced schools in north Tulsa. He is the only African American head coach in the USL Championship.

Now with two and a half seasons under his belt leading Tulsa, Nsien is the sixth-longest tenured head coach of any independent USL Championship club. Prior to coaching, Nsien played professionally for LA Galaxy in MLS and Portland Timbers in the USL.