New York Cosmos head coach Gio Savarese has announced the addition of Guillermo "Memo" Valencia as goalkeeper coach to the Cosmos coaching staff.

"Memo is a goalkeeper coach with an outstanding work ethic and his professional experience will help him to provide the best training, not only for the New York Cosmos’ goalkeepers but also the U.S. U-18 youth national team," said Savarese. "Memo was part of our staff for the New York Cosmos U-23 team and I’m excited to have him back working with us."

Valencia joins the Cosmos from Seton Hall University where he had served as the goalkeeper coach since March 2012. Valencia previously worked for three years (2009-11) as the goalkeeper coach for the U.S. men’s national team U-17 and U-18 squads and also had prior stints as an assistant coach at Columbia University and New York University.

Additionally, he has coaching experience at the youth club level, having worked with the Cosmos Academy since 2007 and the New York Soccer Club since 2009.

Valencia had a 11-year professional career in Colombia as a goalkeeper, playing for America de Cali (1990-1995) and Deportivo Pereira (1995-2001). In 2000, he was a key member of the Deportivo Pereira team that won the Professional Colombian Soccer Association league championship.

Valencia also spent one year in Mexico with Potros Marte, before moving to the United States. He was a goalkeeper for two seasons for the Westchester Flames in USL Pro (2003-04) and spent the 2005 season with the Long Island Rough Riders.