D.C. United have parted ways with two key sporting figures – general manager and head of technical recruitment and analysis Lucy Rushton, as well as first-team performance director Victor Lonchuk – after the 2022 season, the club announced Wednesday.
The decisions come after D.C. United finished bottom of the overall MLS table. The Eastern Conference club is preparing for a first full season (2023) under head coach Wayne Rooney, who joined in mid-July.
“We want to thank Lucy and Victor for their contributions over the past seasons. We wish both of them success in their future endeavors,” Jason Levien and Steve Kaplan, co-chairman of D.C. United, said in a release.
The Black-and-Red have commenced a global search for a new general manager to lead day-to-day operations of the soccer department, and will also announce the appointment of a new performance director.
The new general manager will have broad responsibility in all aspects of the first-team soccer operations including roster makeup, player recruitment and talent identification. They will report directly to club ownership.
“The club’s on-field performance this season was unacceptable. We owe it to our supporters, our players, and our greater community to compete at a high level,” Levien and Kaplan added.
“We are focused on bringing leadership that will work closely with head coach Wayne Rooney and our management team to build a squad that once again competes at the top echelon of Major League Soccer. In order to accomplish this and to evolve as a club, we felt it was necessary to make this decision and bring in new leadership.”
Rushton joined D.C. United in April 2021 after being at Atlanta United. Lonchuk was appointed ahead of the 2022 season.
The MLS original club last made the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs in 2019.
