The San Jose Earthquakes have parted ways with head coach Mikael Stahre, as well as assistant Alex de Crook.
Assistant coach Steve Ralston has been elevated to interim head coach for the team’s final six matches of the 2018 MLS regular season, while Alex Covelo will serve as an assistant on Ralston’s staff. The Earthquakes have begun their search for a permanent head coach.
“I would like to thank Mikael and Alex for their hard work and professionalism this season,” said Earthquakes general manager Jesse Fioranelli in a team statement. “Mikael has qualities, both as a person and a coach, that will be missed by players, staff and the front office alike.
“We felt we needed a change and decided that the six remaining games represent an opportunity for all of us to begin heading in a new direction and to evaluate our options actively with a single goal in mind: to strengthen our First Team for the upcoming season and beyond.”
It has not been an easy first season in charge of the Quakes for Stahre as the team currently sit bottom of the Western Conference with a league-low 20 points. They have just four wins in the 28 games.
Prior to being appointed Quakes' boss after the 2017 MLS season, Stahre had managerial stints with Swedish clubs Vasby United, AIK and Hacken, Chinese side Dalian Yifang and Greek club Panionios. He led AIK to a league title in his first season while also winning the Swedish Cup in 2009.
Ralston, 44, joined the Earthquakes as an assistant coach in 2015 after four years in the same capacity with the Houston Dynamo.
