OSATv TouchLine -- 120 Dan Gaspar

OSATv TouchLine host, Anthony Totera, interviews Dan Gaspar, goal-keeper coach of Portugal's National Team, on his impressions of the Portugal National Team's experience at the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa, Portugal's qualification and the country's high expectations, the strategy going into the critical game against Spain, goalkeeper Eduardo's performance, Rinaldo's near-misses and the Portugal National Team's prospects going forward.

Gaspar brings a wealth of international soccer experience to his craft. Six years ago he served as the goalkeeper coach for European Champions FC Porto, where he helped lead the team to a World Intercontinental Championship in Japan. Regarded as one of the top goalkeeper coaches in the world, Gaspar trained FC Porto's Vitor Baia, who was selected as the UEFA's Best European Goalkeeper in 2004.

A native of South Glastonbury, CT, Gaspar made history in 1993 when he became the first American born soccer coach to accept a full-time coaching position in Europe with Sporting Lisbon of the Portuguese First Division. As goalkeeper coach, he helped lead Sporting Lisbon to the Portuguese National Cup title in 1995.

From 2000-02, Gaspar served as head coach of the Connecticut Wolves in the USL Pro League. In 2002, he led the Wolves to a New England Cup Championship as well as the D3 semifinals. Gaspar has also held coaching positions with both the Portuguese and South African national teams as well as an assistant coaching position with the New York/New Jersey MetroStars of Major League Soccer. In 1999, he served as the associate head men's soccer coach at Central Connecticut State University.

In 2003, Gaspar returned to Portugal to serve as goalkeeper coach for SL Benfica where he helped lead the team to the Portuguese Cup Championship under head coach Antonio Camacho, the former coach of the Spanish national team.

In 2009, Gaspar joined the Portuguese Football Federation's national team coaching staff in preparation for the team's World Cup Qualifiers. Reunited with Professor Carlos Queiroz, the current Head Coach of Portugal, Gaspar had the opportunity to train Ronaldo, who is considered by many football fans and players to be the greatest striker in the history of the game.

During each of his his three stints with the Portuguese national team Gaspar coached alongside Queiroz, the former coach of Real Madrid and current assistant coach of the English Premier League's Manchester United, as well as Felipe Scolari, the former head coach of the Brazilian national team that won the World Cup in 2002.

Gaspar is a technical consultant to Project 2010, a plan commissioned by the U.S. Soccer Federation to win the World Cup in 2010. He is the founder and president of the highly respected Star Goalkeeper Academy as well as the owner and director of the Connecticut Soccer School.

He holds a USSF 'A' License as well as a NSCAA Advanced National Diploma. Gaspar's field coaching experience also includes an assistant position with the Japan League Grampus Eight in 1996. He has trained the goalkeepers of the 1996 U.S. Men's Olympic Team, the 1991 U.S. Women's National Team, and the U.S. Men's Under 18 and Under 17 National Teams in 1998 and 1996.

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