The 2022 MLS season continues as does the coaching carousel tracking comings and goings. A year ago, nine teams made managerial changes compared to six changes in 2020.
Here’s a look at each coaching change thus far.
- Departed coach: Paulo Nagamura (September 5)
- Interim coach: Kenny Bundy
- Incoming coach: N/A
Houston Dynamo parted ways with first-year coach Paulo Nagamura on September 5, one day after the team fell to the Seattle Sounders 2-1. Nagamura leaves with the team sitting in last place in the Western Conference with 29 points after 29 games.
Nagamura joined Houston ahead of the 2022 campaign after leading Sporting Kansas City’s second team. The 39-year-old Brazil native finished with an 8W-16L-5D record in MLS play.
Houston Dynamo 2 head coach Kenny Bundy will take over on an interim basis for the remainder of the 2022 MLS season, while goalkeeper coach Zack Thornton will remain on staff. Assistant coaches Chris Martinez and Jimmy Nielsen departed as well.
- Departed coach: Hernan Losada (April 20)
- Interim coach: Chad Ashton
- Permanent coach: Wayne Rooney (July 12)
D.C. United parted ways with second-year head coach Hernan Losada on April 20, a decision made entering MLS Week 8 amid a four-game losing streak in league play.
Losada arrived from Belgian top-flight side Beerschot in 2021 after Ben Olsen was at the helm for a decade. The Argentine manager went 16W-19L-5D in one-plus season, with D.C. finishing one point below the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs line a season ago.
Chad Ashton was appointed interim coach, a role he held during the 2020 campaign’s final month when the Olsen era ended, and handed the team over to Rooney in last place after going 3W-8L-3D during his time in charge. While the legendary ex-England international was officially appointed boss on July 12, Rooney had to watch three league games and a friendly from afar as he waited for his work visa.
Once his paperwork cleared, Rooney made his sideline debut on July 31 as the Black-and-Red pulled off a dramatic, 2-1 comeback win over Orlando City SC.
- Departed coach: Matias Almeyda (April 18)
- Interim coach: Alex Covelo
- Incoming coach: Luchi Gonzalez (August 17)
The San Jose Earthquakes were the first team to make a coaching change in the 2022 season when they parted ways with Matias Almeyda on April 18, ending a three-and-a-half-year run for the Argentine head coach.
On August 17, San Jose announced Almeyda's permanent replacement in former FC Dallas head coach and current US men's national team assistant Luchi Gonzalez. The 42-year-old will take over for the Earthquakes after concluding his duties with the USMNT at the upcoming 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
San Jose had been operating with Alex Covelo as interim head coach after he previously led Earthquakes II in MLS NEXT Pro. Covelo will continue to coach the club through the rest of the 2022 season.
- Departed coach: Miguel Angel Ramirez (May 31)
- Interim coach: Christian Lattanzio
- Incoming coach: N/A
Expansion side Charlotte FC became the third team to make a managerial change in 2022, parting ways with Miguel Angel Ramirez on May 31 after compiling a 5W-8L-1D record in MLS play.
Assistant coach Christian Lattanzio will serve as interim head coach for the remainder of the 2022 season. Goalkeeper coach Andy Quy will remain on staff, while all other assistants have departed as well.
The Spanish manager, who was outspoken at times about CLT’s inaugural roster, was appointed in July 2021 during the ramp-up to Charlotte’s debut campaign, having last led Brazil’s Internacional and Ecuador’s Independiente DV. He also worked at the Aspire Academy in Qatar and across various clubs in Greece.
- Departed coach: Ronny Deila (June 13)
- Interim coach: Nick Cushing
- Incoming coach: N/A
After guiding New York City FC to a first-ever MLS Cup title in 2021 and then a 2022 Concacaf Champions League semifinals appearance, Ronny Deila departed the club to become the new manager at Belgian side Standard Liège.
Deila leaves the club after compiling a 46W-29L-15D record across all competitions in two-and-a-half years at the helm. At the time, NYCFC were atop the Eastern Conference table with an 8W-3L-2D record.
Top assistant Nick Cushing, who won six trophies during his time as Manchester City women’s head coach, was named interim coach. Cushing and assistants Rob Vartughian and Mehdi Ballouchy all signed new long-term contracts with the club. Assistant coach EfraÃn Juárez also joined Deila at Standard Liège.
NYCFC are now searching for their fifth full-time manager since joining MLS in 2015 as an expansion team. The three others who came before Deila were now-Inter Miami CF assistant coach Jason Kreis, now-Crystal Palace boss Patrick Vieira and now-Galatasaray coach Domènec Torrent.
