Date of birth 1948 1984-1985 New York Cosmos 1979 New York Cosmos | Years Team Place of birth Lithuania Name Ray Klivecka | |
Ray Klivecka is a Lithuanian-American former soccer player and coach. He is best known for managing the New York Cosmos.
Contents
College career
Klivecka played for Long Island University from 1961 to 1963. He was a two-time All-American and ended his college career as LIU's all-time leading goal scorer with 55 goals. His 23 goals in the 1963 season led LIU to its first ever NCAA Tournament appearance. He was inducted to the LIU Hall of Fame in 2000.
Coaching career
After serving as a United States youth team coach, Klivecka spent the 1978 and 1979 seasons with the New York Cosmos as an assistant coach under head coach Eddie Firmani. When Firmani was fired in 1979, Klivecka took over for the remainder of the Cosmos' North American Soccer League campaign. The Cosmos finished in first place with a 24-6 record, but Klivecka was dismissed at the end of the season after suffering a loss to the Vancouver Whitecaps in the semifinals.
Klivecka took over as head coach of the Buffalo Stallions of Major Indoor Soccer League for the 1980 and 1981 seasons, compiling a 39-30 record and leading the club to the playoffs in both seasons. Due in part to his success with Buffalo, Klivecka was re-hired as head coach of the New York Cosmos, now playing indoor soccer in the MISL, for the 1984 season.