In the wake of Gregg Berhalter's departure to become the manager of the U.S. Men's National Team, Columbus Crew SC announced on Sunday that assistant coach Pat Onstad will assume the role of interim general manager.
Onstad, who was twice named MLS Goalkeeper of the Year during his playing career, has been a member of the Crew SC coaching staff since the start of the 2014 season. He has held previous coaching and scouting roles with D.C. United and Toronto FC.
In Columbus, the 50-year-old Onstad has played a significant role in the grooming of young goalkeeper Zack Steffen, who is considered by many to be the USMNT's number one choice and has recently been linked with a high-priced move to Premier League giants Manchester City.
Berhalter's departure and Onstad's new role are just the first in what could be a series of upcoming moves for Crew SC. A statement on Sunday said that "the club has begun its search for new soccer operations leadership in collaboration with potential new investor-operators."
In October, news broke that a local ownership group, which includes the owners of the NFL's Cleveland Browns, is interested in purchasing Crew SC. The Columbus Dispatchreported on Sunday that the sale "may well be rubber-stamped" in the next two months.
