The recent dismissal of Charlotte FC manager Miguel Angel Ramirez has put a renewed focus on the wider coaching carousel in MLS, which seems to be spinning around more frequently in recent years.
Long-time stalwarts like Peter Vermes, Jim Curtin and Brian Schmetzer have become the exception rather than the rule, and the average tenure for an active MLS manager at their current job is increasingly shortening.
That wasn't always the case in MLS, which has a reputation for more stability than some other leagues around the world. But more recently, managerial turnover is approaching standard rates across the professional soccer industry.
Take comparisons to the English Premier League, the richest and arguably most cut-throat league on the planet.
In MLS, 12 of 28 (43%) head coaches in MLS have been in charge for less than a full season and only six (21%) are into at least their fifth full season.
In the Premier League, 7 of 20 (35%) have been in charge less than a year, although only two (10%) have been in charge more than four full seasons.
Head coach |
Team |
Started |
---|---|---|
Peter Vermes |
Sporting KC |
2009 |
Jim Curtin |
Philadelphia Union |
2014 |
Brian Schmetzer |
Seattle Sounders |
2016 |
Adrian Heath |
Minnesota United |
2017 |
Gio Savarese |
Portland Timbers |
2018 |
Caleb Porter |
Columbus Crew |
2019 |
Bruce Arena |
New England Revolution |
May, 2019 |
Robin Fraser |
Colorado Rapids |
Aug., 2019 |
Gary Smith |
Nashville SC |
2020 |
Oscar Pareja |
Orlando City SC |
2020 |
Ronny Deila |
NYCFC |
2020 |
Gerhard Struber |
New York Red Bulls |
Oct., 2020 |
Josh Wolff |
Austin FC |
2021 |
Greg Vanney |
LA Galaxy |
2021 |
Phil Neville |
Inter Miami |
2021 |
Wilfried Nancy |
CF Montreal |
2021 |
Gonzalo Pineda |
Atlanta United |
Aug., 2021 |
Pablo Mastroeni |
Real Salt Lake |
Aug., 2021 |
Vanni Sartini |
Vancouver Whitecaps |
Aug., 2021 |
Ezra Hendrickson |
Chicago Fire |
2022 |
Bob Bradley |
Toronto FC |
2022 |
Nico Estevez |
FC Dallas |
2022 |
Pat Noonan |
FC Cincinnati |
2022 |
Paulo Nagmura |
Houston Dynamo |
2022 |
Steve Cherundolo |
LAFC |
2022 |
Alex Covelo (interim) |
San Jose Earthquakes |
Apr., 2022 |
Chad Ashton (interim) |
D.C. United |
Apr., 2022 |
Christian Lattanzio (interim) |
Charlotte FC |
May, 2022 |
Two of the three managers dismissed so far this season were not in the job long. Hernan Losada took over D.C. United ahead of the 2021 season and lasted only a few games into 2022. Miguel Angel Ramirez was given just 14 games by Charlotte FC. Matias Almeyda had been hired by the San Jose Earthquakes ahead of the 2019 season before being let go this spring.
On the other end of the spectrum, Vermes is among the longest-tenured professional managers in the world since taking over Sporting Kansas City in 2009. He is synonymous with the club and has overseen a period of great success.
Curtin was briefly a player with the Philadelphia Union, then began working in the academy before being elevated to first-team head coach, initially on an interim basis in 2014. He led the Union to their first-ever trophy in 2020 (Supporters' Shield) and is an integral figure to one of the league's most respected clubs for youth development.
Schmetzer was already a Seattle soccer legend long before he was promoted to Seattle Sounders FC head coach in 2016, where he has since become one of the most decorated managers in the league. Schmetzer has won two MLS Cups and reached two more finals, and this spring became the first manager to lead an MLS team to the Concacaf Champions League title. He was an assistant coach from the Sounders' inaugural MLS season in 2009, and was in charge of the club's USL Championship predecessor from 2002 to 2008.