Former Timbers Coaches Adam Smith and Rod Underwood Join Sacramento Republic FC

The Portland Timbers will need to fill two vacancies in their developmental coaching staff. Rod Underwood and Adam Smith will leave Portland to join Sacramento Republic FC's staff for the 2015 season. The pair will be a part of the Republic academy system, which will start operation later this year.

Underwood, who had previous stints with Portland's U-23 USL PDL side, joined Sacramento as part of the Timbers' affiliation with them last year but now has made the move permanent, taking over as academy director for the Republic.

Smith was Portland's academy co-director and U-18s coach, and the Timbers' goalkeeper director, and will now serve as Sacramento's first team assistant head coach.

The Timbers' academy is currently run by OYSA and Timbers Academy Director Mike Smith. Mike Smith has been the head coach of the Timbers U-16s since the program's inception. Academy assistant coaches Brad Agoos and Andrew Gregor are still with the program.

There has been no word yet from the team on the hiring of new personnel, but it seems likely that new hires will be coming for the Timbers' growing academy program.

The Republic press release:

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (January 16, 2015) - Sacramento Republic FC announced today that they have promoted assistant head coach Rod Underwood to academy director to lead the development of Republic FC's youth academy. Republic FC also announced that Adam Smith will replace Underwood as assistant head coach.

"Promoting Rod to academy director is an integral part of the development of our club," said Republic FC President Warren Smith. "Rod will build our academy into one of the best in the United States and help show the nation the talent that our region possesses. We're also excited to add Adam, whose experience will help to train our championship team on the field."

Underwood served Republic FC as head assistant coach during its inaugural 2014 season. Previous to Republic FC Underwood served as an assistant coach and academy coach with the Portland Timbers as well as the New Mexico Chiles (USL), Cleveland City Stars (USL) and Georgia State University. Underwood was part of the coaching staff that led the Portland U23s to a 7-3-4 record and the USL PDL Western Conference Final match in 2013. He joined Republic FC in 2014 as a part of the affiliation between the two clubs.

"Rod was a large part of our championship team last year," said Republic FC head coach Predrag "Preki" Radosavljević. "He knows our style of play and philosophy and I am confident that he will run our academy using those same principals."

Smith worked most recently for the Portland Timbers as the academy director and Timbers goalkeeping director. Smith began in Portland as the goalkeeping coach in the 2010 season before moving to academy director and goalkeeping director in 2012. Smith's past coaching experience also includes the US Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program and director of youth development and assistant coach at Wilmington Hammerheads FC (USL PRO).

Both Underwood and Smith will begin in their respective roles immediately. Republic FC hopes to launch its academy program in late 2015. Smith will help lead this weekend's final open tryout atCosumnes River College.