Kazbek Tambi
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | December 8, 1961 | ||
| Place of birth | Paterson, New Jersey, United States | ||
| Position(s) | Midfield | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1979–1983 | Columbia University | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1983–1984 | New York Cosmos (indoor) | 5 | (0) |
| 1984 | New York Cosmos | 5 | (0) |
| 1984–1985 | New York Cosmos (indoor) | 24 | (4) |
| 1985–1986 | Minnesota Strikers (indoor) | 26 | (3) |
| 1986–1987 | New York Express (indoor) | 3 | (0) |
| 1988 | New Jersey Eagles | ||
| Managerial career | |||
| 1998–2006 | Seton Hall men (assistant) | ||
| 2002–2004 | New Jersey Stallions Women | ||
| 2005– | United States U16 women | ||
| 2007– | Seton Hall women | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Kazbek Tambi is a retired American soccer midfielder who formerly coached both Seton Hall University women's soccer team and the United States U-17 women's soccer team. He spent two seasons in the North American Soccer League, four in the Major Indoor Soccer League and one in the American Soccer League. He was also a member of the U.S. Olympic soccer team at the 1984 Summer Olympics.
Youth
Tambi was born in Paterson, New Jersey and attended Ridgewood High School in Ridgewood, New Jersey, graduating in 1979.[1] He is Karachay and his family was originally from the North Caucasus region of Karachayevo-Cherkessia, which they fled as refugees during World War II to Turkey before settling in Paterson.[2] He was a four-year starter on the school's soccer team, earning All State his senior year. After graduating from high school, he attended Columbia University from 1979 to 1983 where he played on the men's soccer team. He was the team captain and was part of the team which reached the 1983 Final Four. He graduated from Columbia with a bachelor's degree in economics in 1983.
National team
In 1983, Tambi was the captain of the U.S. team at the 1983 Pan American games. In 1984, he was a member of the U.S. team at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. He was originally named as an alternate to the team, but earned a roster spot when Dan Canter was injured just before the tournament.
Professional
The New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League drafted Tambi and he signed with the team on October 15, 1984. At the end of that season, the league folded and the Cosmos moved to the Major Indoor Soccer League. However, they were unable to complete the 1984–1985 MISL season before folding. On September 17, 1985, Tambi signed with the Minnesota Strikers of MISL.[3] On September 5, 1986, the Strikers released Tambi.[4] He then signed with the New York Express in November. The Express released him on January 3, 1987.[5] Tambi began law school in 1987, but returned to soccer in the spring of 1988 when he signed with the New Jersey Eagles of the American Soccer League.
