Matchday

MLS coach carousel: Every change in 2024

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As July rolls around, four clubs have made coaching changes in the 2024 MLS season.

This tracker, sorted in chronological order (of dismissal), will be updated as necessary in the months ahead.

  • Departing coach: Luchi Gonzalez (June 24)
  • Interim coach: Ian Russell
  • Incoming coach: TBD

The San Jose Earthquakes parted ways with head coach Luchi Gonzalez as they sat last in the Western Conference and overall MLS standings (11 points; 3W-14L-2D record). The club's 51 goals against and negative-22 goal differential were league-worst marks.

Gonzalez took over San Jose for the 2023 season and led them to the Wild Card round in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs. Before leading the Quakes, he coached FC Dallas (2018-21) and was a US men's national team assistant to Gregg Berhalter.

Ian Russell enters his second interim stint after overseeing two matches in 2014. He has been an assistant coach with San Jose for parts of 11 seasons.

  • Departing coach: Nico Estévez (June 9)
  • Interim coach: Peter Luccin
  • Incoming coach: TBD

FC Dallas parted ways with head coach Nico Estévez just before the halfway point of their 2024 season. The club was 13th in the Western Conference (14 points; 3W-8L-5D record) and carrying a five-match winless streak.

Estevez, a former US men’s national team assistant, went 28W-27L-28D during his two-and-a-half seasons at the helm of FC Dallas. The Spaniard reached the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs in 2022 and 2023, as well as the Leagues Cup knockout stage last year.

Assistant coach Peter Luccin, a first-team assistant coach since January 2019, takes over as interim coach while the search for a full-time replacement unfolds.

  • Departing coach: Gonzalo Pineda (June 3)
  • Interim coach: Rob Valentino
  • Incoming coach: TBD

After a fifth straight defeat at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta United parted ways with Gonzalo Pineda – their longest-serving coach since entering MLS in 2017. The club was 13th in the Eastern Conference standings, falling short of lofty expectations with a roster led by Thiago Almada and Giorgos Giakoumakis.

Pineda joined Atlanta in August 2021 as a first-time manager after being an assistant coach for Seattle Sounders FC. He went 38W-40L-29D across all competitions, qualifying for the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs in two of three seasons.

In Pineda's wake, Rob Valentino begins a second stint as interim head coach. He previously held the role during 2021, leading Atlanta to a 4W-2L-2D record.

  • Departing coach: Gary Smith (May 16)
  • Interim coach: Rumba Munthali
  • Incoming coach: TBD

Nashville SC hit the reset button in mid-May, parting ways with Gary Smith – their only head coach since joining MLS in 2020. The club was 10th in the Eastern Conference standings.

Smith steered Nashville to four straight Audi MLS Cup Playoffs and the 2023 Leagues Cup final. USMNT center back Walker Zimmerman and Hany Mukhtar, the 2022 Landon Donovan MLS MVP, are the team's cornerstone players.

While a head coach search unfolds, Rumba Munthali leads Nashville on an interim basis. Munthali has served as a player development coach for the club.