Catching Up with Ryan "Ozzy" Osborne

Former Cleveland SC Head Coach Ryan Osborne

Written by Gavin Carrig

Cleveland SC’s first head coach reflects on his time in the city and looks ahead to his new role at Wofford College.

Behind every great club is a leader who helped build its foundation. Since the inception of Cleveland SC in 2018, the club has seen a strong lineup of managers, beginning with Ryan “Ozzy” Osborne, the first in club history.

Osborne, a native of Wakefield, England, began his love for the game coming through the ranks of the Barnsley youth academy, where he learned many valuable lessons early on in his career. “Hard work, perseverance, and the value of failing. The value of understanding my role and how I could improve day by day to be the best I possibly could. Succeeding in sport is difficult, and I think I also learned how to ride the waves a little and appreciate the ups and downs of it and how to handle it.”

His coaching journey began at his alma mater, the University of Charleston. With the Golden Eagles, Osborne credited the experience for helping him see the game from a new perspective. “As a player, I think it’s hard not to be selfish sometimes and tunnel-visioned. As a coach, you have to see the bigger picture. How every action, decision, and word spoken can affect an individual and/or the group. Often, as a coach, the group resembles the energy, persona, and characteristics you portray.”

Osborne went on to coach at Marietta College, Notre Dame College, Mercyhurst University, and the University of Wisconsin. Coaching within different programs, he reflects on the journey and how magical it has felt along the way. “In a word, ‘Special.’ Every experience was unique and meaningful in its own way, from starting out to now being a head coach again. The most important thing I’ve observed is the importance of relationships, transparency, and being around people day in and day out that you can trust, work hard with, and laugh with.”

In March of this year, Osborne was named head coach at Wofford College and is set to take on the role for the upcoming 2025 season. “Competing in a strong conference gives us the chance to test ourselves against some of the best teams in the country at the collegiate level. I love the day-to-day aspect with the players and helping them along in their journey, whichever way I can, and then pushing to reach new heights. I am excited about this project and where we can take it.”

Ryan Osborne, Head Coach of Wofford College — *Photo Courtesy of Wofford College*

Being named the first manager in a club's history will bring with it new experiences and expectations. For Ozzy, it was his first time leading a senior squad. “It was an incredible experience that I’ll always be grateful for. It was my first time being the head coach of a senior team. We assembled a team quickly, and we all kind of grew together as everything unfolded. We made the best of things and were there to help one another make it happen, even when things weren’t always ideal. Cleveland will always hold a special place in my heart, and I feel fortunate to have called the city home for as long as I did.”

In his first season in Cleveland, the club reached the NPSL Midwest Regional Semi-Final but fell 1-0 to AFC Ann Arbor. That playoff run included a dominant 4-0 win on the road over Erie Commodores FC, an NPSL Great Lakes Conference rival. “We had a strong nucleus of players who had played together for many years, now paired with a new coaching staff and new ownership team. There were a lot of moving parts and new pieces that needed to sync quickly. We found a way to have a successful season, albeit it wasn’t the one we all wanted. To come together as we did and to play the exciting brand we did was exciting to me.”

2018 Cleveland SC team photo NPSL Midwest Quarterfinals vs Erie Commodores FC — *2018 NPSL Midwest Quarterfinals vs Erie Commodores FC*

During his second season with the club in 2019, the team reached new heights. Making the playoffs was the goal of the squad, and Cleveland SC delivered. That run featured a thrilling 6-4 extra-time playoff win over the Rochester Lancers, followed by one of the most legendary matches in club history, a 3-2 penalty shootout victory over now-USL Championship side Detroit City FC in the NPSL Midwest Final. Osborne still remembers the match very fondly. “Incredible! That group of players that day and that whole Midwest finals weekend just refused to be beaten. We were 2-0 down at halftime, and the way we responded was nothing short of big time. We didn’t feel we were playing badly, but being down 2-0 in a final is a long way back. We tried to instill confidence at halftime to the players while also having a Plan B should we not pull a goal back within the first fifteen minutes of the second half. Luckily for us, we managed to tie the game and win in penalty kicks. The character, mentality, and pure grit from the team that day was nothing short of remarkable.”

Ryan Osborne and Chris Cvecko 2019 NPSL Midwest Final vs Detroit City FC — *2019 NPSL Midwest Final vs Detroit City FC*

That same season, Osborne was named the 2019 NPSL East Conference Head Coach of the Year. “It was a nice feeling, and I think it represented the work the whole staff did that year to assemble a good team and create a good training environment. It is always nice to be recognized by the league, other peers, and teams when the team has been successful.”

Through managing the club, growing with the players, and living in the city of Cleveland, Ozzy says he's made memories that will stay with him forever. “Vinny Bell's wedding, winning in Detroit, the trip to the National Semifinal in Miami, beating Erie Commodores 4-0 in the playoffs, enjoying catching up with Sam (Seibert) and Aaron (Matti), watching Dunney (Lewis Dunne) keep the success going.”