Phan to return as soccer coach

Hamlet Nalbandyan

Loi Phan couldn’t stay away from coaching for too long.

After guiding the Glendale High football team to the CIF

postseason for the first time since 1991, the 37-year-old will return

to the sport he originally began coaching at the school.

Phan will be the head coach of the Nitro boys’ soccer team this

winter, joining Edgar Manvelyan, who has held down the position for

the past two years.

Phan will be the head coach in title, but Manvelyan will still be

heavily involved in the program.

“I think it’s going to be great to have him on board,” said

Manvelyan, who played for Phan, who was the coach from 1992 to 2000.

“He taught me a lot about discipline and was a big influence on

me. When I found out he stopped coaching football, I asked him if

he’d come back, and I’m glad he did.”

Phan resigned from coaching football in February after four years

at the helm. He led the Nitros back to respectability during his

tenure, increasing his win total each year.

This past season, Glendale went 5-6 and reached the CIF Southern

Section Division III playoffs, defeating rival Crescenta Valley for

the first time since 1991 in the process.

Glendale is hoping for similar results in boys’ soccer. The past

two years, the Nitros have been on the brink of the postseason, going

20-11-8, including 12-3-6 last season.

But each time, Glendale has missed out on the playoffs. Last year,

it tied for second place in league with Muir and Pasadena, but lost

the tiebreaker and a chance at its first postseason berth since 1997.

“I think it’s going to be a good combination,” Phan said. “Soccer

wise, Edgar is very good, and I’m going to handle a lot of the

discipline issues.”

Added Manvelyan: “Loi knows how to get the job done. Look what he

did with the football program.

“I needed all the help I could get, because I couldn’t do it

alone.”