Minnesota United announced today that Dennis Lawrence will join the club as a first-team assistant coach under new Loons’ Head Coach Eric Ramsay.
Dennis Lawrence joins Minnesota United from Coventry City Football Club of the EFL Championship, England’s second division. With Coventry, Lawrence served as a first-team coach from 2021-24, where he helped run training sessions on a daily basis and led the team’s tactical and technical preparation ahead of each match.
“I am looking forward to joining Eric at Minnesota United as assistant coach to help him and Khaled [El-Ahmad] with our exciting plans for the future,” said Assistant Coach Dennis Lawrence. “I have known Eric for some time and his values, coaching principles and philosophy align with my own. I can’t wait to start working with him, Cameron Knowles and the squad, while looking forward to embracing the passionate support of the Loons fan base.”
“I am excited to welcome Dennis to Minnesota United, first and foremost, he is a great person. Along with his character, he brings a wealth of experience in coaching at nearly every level in soccer,” said MNUFC Chief Soccer Officer and Sporting Director Khaled El-Ahmad. “His perspectives coaching for both club and country will provide the club valuable insight that will continue to set our players up for success each week. Dennis and Eric Ramsay know each other well, and are fully aligned in the way we want to play. I look forward to experiencing their chemistry as they continue building on our overall vision for the club.”
Prior to his time at Coventry, Lawrence served as the head coach of the Trinidad and Tobago Men’s National Team from 2017-2019. During the three years he managed the Trinidad side, he led the team to compete in multiple competitions, including the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers in 2018, the Gold Cup in 2019 and Concacaf Nations League in 2019. Lawrence’s Trinidad & Tobago team notably defeated the United States in the final game of the World Cup Qualifying stage in 2018.
Before leading Trinidad and Tobago, Lawrence had stints with Everton FC as a first team coach from 2013-16 and Wigan Athletic FC as a development coach from 2010-13 when the Wigan squad impressively won its first major trophy in club history by defeating Manchester City in the 2013 FA Cup final at Wembley.
Lawrence had a prolific playing career that spanned almost 18 years across both club and country competition. The center back started his club career playing in the Trinidad and Tobago top division before departing Defence Force and signing with Wrexham ACF in 2001. From 2001-06, Lawrence made 198 game appearances for the historic Welsh side. He then joined Swansea City from 2006-09 as the club competed in the EFL Championship. While with Swansea, Lawrence went on loan to Crewe Alexandra from 2008-09 before finishing out his club career with San Juan Jabloteh in Trinidad and Tobago from 2009-10. In total, Lawrence made 317 game appearances and scored 17 goals at the club level.
Internationally, Lawrence made 89 game appearances for the Trinidad and Tobago National Team from 2000-10, and notably played in all three Group Stage games of the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany.
Lawrence holds a UEFA Pro License Coaching Qualification, a FIFA Technical Directors Course, a UEFA A+B Coaching Qualification, and an FA Level 1 and 2 Youth Modules certificate. He will join the club pending receipt of his work visa.
