Socceramerica - Iranian-American Omid Namazi, who recently left Iran's World Cup staff in part because he had not been paid in five months, has joined U.S. women’s national team head coach Tom Sermanni's staff as a full-time assistant coach.

Namazi, who U.S. pro career included stints at 15 indoor and outdoor clubs, has coached two women's pro teams: the San Diego Spirit of the Women’s United Soccer Association in 2003 and Chicago Red Stars in Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) in 2010.

“It’s a new challenge and an exciting one,” said Namazi. “It’s a great time for women’s soccer in the United States with the NWSL starting its second season, our youth national teams getting more and more support from U.S. Soccer and with the 2015 Women’s World Cup on the horizon. I’m sincerely enjoying working with some of the best players in the world and helping work to bring the team to an even higher level.”

The Utah-born Namazi was coaching Steel Azin in Iran when he joined Carlos Queiroz's coaching staff. Another American, Dan Gaspar, was also part of the staff that led Iran to the group title in Asian qualifying for the 2014 World Cup. Gaspar remains with the squad that has struggled to get funding because of the impact of international sanctions, but Namazi told the New York Times he had not been paid in five months.

Namazi's one game in MLS came in 1996 for the MetroStars when Queiroz was their coach.