It’s officially “mutually agreed to part ways” season in MLS — If you’re lucky, at least.

With Inter Miami’s firing of Phil Neville on Thursday, three MLS teams have now made a coaching change this season, with New York Red Bulls and Chicago Fire being the others. None of those three have appointed a permanent manager yet, and seats are getting uncomfortably warm elsewhere. Between now and the winter, it’s likely that several more MLS jobs will open.

Advertisement

Let’s run down some candidates expected to be targets, but before we do I’ll stress the obvious: This is not a comprehensive list. The global soccer ecosystem is too large and jobs in MLS are becoming more attractive. Below also doesn’t include whatever head coaches will leave their current coaches and get on the MLS-merry-go-round elsewhere (with one exception).

Big names, currently available

Gregg Berhalter

Gregg Berhalter may not necessarily be likely to take an MLS job next. He’s still technically in the running to remain U.S. men’s national team head coach and has ambitions of coaching in Europe again after taking charge of Swedish side Hammarby in the early 2010s. 

If the U.S. offer him a return, there’s no chance he’d turn it down for MLS. If the right European club makes an offer, that more than likely trumps anything an MLS club could offer, too.

However, just any club in Europe does not supersede all MLS clubs. What if an MLS club with a big budget offers Berhalter a contract far exceeding whatever may come from Europe, plus final say on roster decisions? Would he pass that up?

Berhalter spent five seasons as head coach of the Columbus Crew before taking over the USMNT in 2018 through the 2022 World Cup, leading the program to the knockout rounds as well as a Nations League and Gold Cup title.

go-deeper

GO DEEPER

USSF's Gregg Berhalter investigation explained: Findings, Reynas' involvement, what's next

Tata Martino

Tata Martino arrived at Atlanta United in 2017 after stints with Argentina, Barcelona, Newell’s Old Boys and many others. He helped build the most successful era of the young club’s history, making them immediately relevant by helping recruit Josef Martínez and Miguel Almirón, then winning MLS Cup in 2018 before leaving.

After four years with the Mexican national team, Martino remains without a job. How about a return to MLS?

“MLS is my weakness,” Martino told The Athletic’s Felipe Cárdenas last month. “I was part of an extraordinary project with Atlanta United that had a clear direction, a lot of communication and similar objectives that were established very quickly and executed. After coaching in MLS, I became attracted to it. I like the league. The possibility of returning to MLS is always there.”

Advertisement

Martino would be an all-star hire for any club, but a manager of Martino’s pedigree means any deal would come with conditions of sporting power. His past links to Lionel Messi at Barcelona, Argentina, and his history at Messi’s boyhood club Newell’s could make him a good fit at a certain South Florida club looking to attract the superstar.

go-deeper

Andrea Pirlo

Earlier this month, Andrea Pirlo left Turkish club Fatih Karagümrük with just a couple weeks left in the season and the club comfortably midtable. Interesting timing.

Pirlo spent less than a season in Turkey, with Fatih sitting comfortably in ninth place at the time of his departure. He previously managed Juventus for a season and told The Athletic in 2021 that he’s “not ruling out” coaching in MLS.

Toronto FC considered Pirlo the last time they had a coaching vacancy. With the club in turmoil and led by two Italian stars, Pirlo could make sense if there’s an opening.

The end of Pirlo’s Italian national team career overlapped with the start of Lorenzo Insigne’s. He managed Federico Bernardeschi at Juventus.

Thierry Henry

Once the manager of CF Montreal, Thierry Henry is ready to be a head coach again. MLS could be an option.

The current TV analyst’s time in Canada comprised one disappointing season during the pandemic before returning to the Belgian national team in the lead up to the 2022 World Cup. 

“Being a No 2 is no longer something I would like to do,” Henry said on CBS/Paramount+ in February. “Massive respect for the boss (Roberto Martinez), he gave me an opportunity when no one else did. I’d like to have a crack (at management) again.”

Henry is likely to have options in Europe, but it may be tricky for top clubs. He was manager of Monaco for just 20 matches before he was let go in 2019, then just one season in MLS. Though his name recognition, pedigree and obvious soccer IQ will make him an option at clubs that are beyond his managerial resume, maybe an MLS club could convince him to return stateside. 

The Frenchman had a 9-4-16 record in charge of Montreal across all competitions amid the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

go-deeper

GO DEEPER

Thierry Henry hints he is open to becoming USMNT head coach

MLS assistants

Freddy Juarez

Plucking a lead assistant from a successful MLS club is a tried-and-true strategy. It’s a bonus for candidates who have previous MLS head coaching experience, like Seattle Sounders assistant Freddy Juarez.

Advertisement

Juarez was in charge at Real Salt Lake from 2019-21 before departing to join the Sounders staff. He had an 18W-14D-23L record with RSL.

Ante Razov

Former U.S. international and longtime MLS assistant Ante Razov is expected to be among candidates for MLS clubs as jobs continue to open.

Razov, 49, has been with LAFC since 2018, first under Bob Bradley then Steve Cherundolo. He has won two Supporters’ Shield and one MLS Cup. He had previously worked with the LA Galaxy and the Seattle Sounders as an assistant.

LAFC are currently in the CONCACAF Champions League final.

Razov was interviewed by the Chicago Fire for their head coach vacancy ahead of the 2021 season but ultimately did not get the job. 

Others

Plenty of other current assistants will be involved in interviews. Former MLS head coaches like Juarez and Marc Dos Santos (LAFC), plus rising assistants like Kenny Arena (Cincinnati), Yoann Damet (Columbus) and Pa-Modou Kah (Charlotte) come to mind.

South American standouts

Guillermo Barros Schelotto

Guillermo Barros Schelotto already took a try at coaching in MLS with a failed stint with the LA Galaxy, but could go again.

Schelotto, a former MLS MVP in his playing days with the Columbus Crew, is currently head coach of the Paraguayan national team but admitted there’s a release clause in his contract.

“I have a commitment to fulfill in Paraguay,” Schelotto told Paraguayan outlet ABC. “I have an exit clause, everyone has it, because it is logical, but I never put it on the table. I am one hundred percent with the Paraguayan team.”

Prior to Paraguay, Schelotto won two league titles as manager of Boca Juniors. He started his coaching career with Lanús, where he won a Copa Sudamericana. 

Hernán Crespo

Hernán Crespo is currently manager of Qatari club Al-Duhail, where he won the Qatar Stars League, Qatar Cup and Qatari Stars Cup treble in his first season. He is a candidate that should be on MLS radars, but could be unlikely to sway him from Al-Duhail.

Advertisement

Crespo, 47, previously managed Defensa y Justicia and Banfield in Argentina and Sao Paulo in Brazil. He was a longtime Argentina international during his playing career.

Others

Former Colombia national team manager Reinaldo Rueda and former Sao Paulo boss Rogerio Ceni are both unattached at the moment. There are plenty of other talented managers in South America who could head to MLS that may be difficult to forecast, like when Charlotte hired Miguel Angel Ramirez. 

Employed, but have MLS-connections

Hugo Perez

El Salvador international manager Hugo Perez has long been interested in a chance to manage in MLS and was involved in interviews last winter, including with the Houston Dynamo. No agreements were reached and he remains in charge of El Salvador.

Perez represented the United States during his playing career and was a respected U.S. youth international coach before joining the El Salvador program. He has never been a club head coach.

Mikey Varas

U.S. U-20 head coach Mikey Varas guided the group to qualify for the U-20 World Cup and the Olympics. He’s currently with the group in Argentina as they prepare for a quarterfinal match this week.

Varas was involved in the famed FC Dallas academy then was an assistant on Luchi Gonzalez’s staff at the club. He left in 2021 to take over as U.S. U-20 head coach.

Last winter, Varas was interviewed by the Columbus Crew for their head coach vacancy. He is likely to be in discussions moving forward as well, particularly if the U.S. continues making noise at the U-20 World Cup. 

Veljko Paunovic

Former Chicago Fire head coach Veljko Paunovic just wrapped up his first season with Liga MX club Chivas Guadalajara, guiding the club to the Clausura final.

Paunovic spent four seasons in charge of the Fire from 2016-19, leading the club to their lone playoff berth in the last 12 years. He then spent two years with English side Reading before heading to Mexico.

Advertisement

Others

Jim Curtin said USMNT interim head coach B.J. Callaghan should be in MLS head coaching discussions. Former Fire head coach Rapha Wicky just won a Swiss league title with BSC Young Boys and has expressed interest in returning to MLS one day. Ezra Hendrickson is no longer employed after being let go by the Chicago Fire, but deserves a shout as well. Will Phil Neville remain on MLS radars after Miami?

USL options

Landon Donovan

USMNT legend Landon Donovan had been head coach and vice president of soccer operations of USL Championship side San Diego Loyal until this season, when he moved to the front office full time. Donovan remains in the front office, steering the sporting direction.

Donovan’s playing career makes him U.S. Soccer royalty and as such his name has been floated in previous MLS vacancies. If he wants to continue pursuing coaching, he’ll be among the conversations. His status will be especially interesting with Loyal’s future in flux, as MLS welcomes a separate San Diego expansion team to the league in 2025.

The 41-year-old went 39-17-29 while head coach of the Loyal.

Others

Former U.S. U-20 and Houston Dynamo head coach Tab Ramos is another recognizable name in USL (at Hartford) that could be in MLS coaching conversations. Without a name like Ramos or Donovan, there hasn’t really been a pathway from USL straight to being an MLS head coach. It took Troy Lesense going to the New York Red Bulls as an assistant then Gerhard Struber being let go to get a chance for him to get a crack at the top job in MLS. That said, Louisville City manager Danny Cruz is a young manager who could jump to an MLS staff. 

He doesn’t have a new contract yet…

Jim Curtin

A big domino in the coaching market is the future of Philadelphia Union head coach Jim Curtin. His contract expires at the end of 2023 and, at the time of writing, there is still no agreement for an extension. The longer this goes, the more clear interest outside of Philly has been made.

I’d still be surprised if Jim Curtin wasn’t coaching the Philadelphia Union in 2024, but I’m borderline shocked this deal hadn’t already gotten worked out yet for the two-time MLS Coach of the Year.

Advertisement

The closer Curtin gets to free agency, the more it impacts coaching musical chairs. He would be among the very top options for any club, but perhaps especially so for the Fire, where Curtin spent the majority of his playing career. 

(Photo: ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP via Getty Images)

ncG1vNJzZmismJqutbTLnquim16YvK57k25ubm1ha3xzfJFsZmluX2V%2FcLnLrGSmmZ6WtKa%2BjKinraGfo8Bw