Tab Ramos among finalists to land San Jose Earthquakes GM job - sources

United States Under-20 coach Tab Ramos has been added to the list of candidates to be the next general manager of the San Jose Earthquakes, according to multiple sources.

Ramos is the fourth candidate to emerge from a list of five finalists. The others are former Sunderland sporting director Lee Congerton, current Mexico Football Federation director of youth national teams Dennis te Kloese, and current San Jose technical director Chris Leitch.

Leitch has been assuming the GM duties on an interim basis since the Quakes parted ways with John Doyle back in late August. And sources confirmed that Ramos made a presentation to San Jose's ownership earlier this week, as did Leitch and Te Kloese.

A decision is expected to be made around the start of 2017.

Ramos, 50, has been manager of the U20s since 2011, and led the team to a quarterfinal finish at the 2015 FIFA Under-20 World Cup, where it lost on penalties to eventual champion Serbia.

Ramos is also presently serving as the U.S. youth technical director -- a post he has held since 2013 -- and acted as an assistant to former U.S. national team manager Jurgen Klinsmann. He also founded the youth club NJSA 04, which later merged with Cedar Stars Academy.

As a player, Ramos made 81 appearances for the U.S. national team, scoring eight goals, and was part of the 1990, 1994 and 1998 World Cup squads.

At club level, he played for Spanish clubs Figueres and Real Betis, as well as U.A.N.L. Tigres in Mexico.

He spent the entirety of his seven-season MLS career with the New York/New Jersey MetroStars -- the forerunner to the New York Red Bulls -- scoring nine goals in 121 league and playoff appearances.