(Tempe, AZ) Sun Devil Soccer welcomes Ali Hanif to the staff as an assistant coach, as announced by head coach Graham Winkworth on Tuesday afternoon. Hanif will join Winkworth, and assistant coaches Ross Alexander and Hollie Loud on the sideline for the 2023 season.
“I’m delighted to welcome Ali to our coaching staff. He comes from an excellent coaching background both in the United States and in his native, England,” head coach Graham Winkworth said. “Despite his support of Manchester United, we felt very quickly that he was the perfect fit for our program. I’m excited to get to know him and his wife, Jamie, as they join the Sun Devil family. Ali’s primary coaching responsibilities will be with our very talented goalkeeping group.”
Hanif served an assistant coach at Cal State Bakersfield during the 2022 season, and was named Interim Head Coach this spring.
Prior to his time at Bakersfield, Hanif had a career spanning in England and the United States over the last 15 years. He has coached professionally with Manchester United FC, at the NCAA Division I and NAIA level, and in the Elite Clubs National League since 2008.
Hanif went to coach at Illinois State after spending a pair of seasons at MidAmerica Nazarene as an assistant coach overseeing the goalkeepers. Ali helped MNU reach the Heart of America Conference tournament in both seasons. The Pioneers won 14 matches in Hanif’s first season making an NAIA Tournament appearance – the second trip in program history.
Additionally, Hanif has served as the director of goalkeeping at Kansas City Athletics SC (ECNL) and the Kansas ODP as a goalkeeper coach from 2018-2021. Ali helped numerous goalkeepers make college commitments over the years, throughout the country.
In 2017, Hanif joined the WPSL staff at GSI/KC Athletics Pride for two seasons working with numerous goalkeepers who now play the trade in the NWSL and abroad. He also spent time on staff with Tony Dicicco, SoccerPlus Goalkeeping school from 2014-2018.
Hanif began his coaching career in 2008 on staff with Manchester United FC, working with various areas of the club. He held assistant and head coaching positions at Loreto College (Manchester, England) with the men’s program (2012-18) before coming to the US.
Hanif holds his UEFA B Goalkeeping License, United Soccer Coaches Advanced National Goalkeeping License, U.S. Soccer Federation C License, UEFA C License, English FA and Scottish FA Goalkeeping Licenses.
A native of Manchester, England, Hanif attended Manchester Metropolitan University and earned a bachelor’s degree in Coaching and Sports Development in 2015.
He resides in Arizona with his wife Jamie and their two dogs, Nynette and Mr. Poe.
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics – Liesl Babicka
Click on Logo
