AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Struggling Austin FC fires head coach Nico Estevez and sports director Rodolfo Borel on Monday while the team sits near the bottom of the Major League Soccer standings just one season after returning to the playoffs.
The move was made after a 2-1 home defeat to Sporting KC, who finished last of the 15 teams, on Saturday night. western conference. The previous game against San Diego was the worst 5-0 loss in club history.
After this week’s games, the league will take a two-month break. world cup. Austin currently sits in 13th place and is well out of playoff contention with just three wins in 14 games.
The club expected to compete for a return to the playoffs after reaching the postseason in 2025, Estevez’s first season with the club. Austin has made the playoffs just twice since the franchise began the 2021 season.
“We believe this team can compete for a playoff spot,” said Anthony Precourt, team founder and majority owner. “Based on our past results, changes are necessary if we are to qualify for the playoffs this year and achieve our goal of being a perennial winner in this league.”
Borrell was Josep Guardiola’s top assistant at Premier League powerhouse Manchester City when he was hired by Austin in 2023, and was tasked with overseeing player personnel and roster management using his international expertise.
Borrell often pointed out the difficulty of signing players under the U.S. league’s salary rules compared to the high spending of European clubs. Austin’s second highest player this season is a winger. Facundo Torres ($3.4 million guaranteed) and Milt Uzuni ($1.6 million guaranteed). salary figures This was announced by the league’s players association.
Torres has scored one goal in 14 games. Uzuni leads the club with five players.
“Ultimately, we believe this decision is in the best interest of Austin FC,” Precourt said. “We know our fans and community deserve a winner, and our ownership group will continue to make the decisions necessary to deliver consistently excellent results throughout the competition.”
The club announced that assistant coach Davey Arnaud will serve as interim head coach for Saturday’s game against St. Louis. He did not say whether he would coach the team any further.
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