While there have already been three coaching changes over the last three weeks, Minnesota United CEO Chris Wright said the Loons won’t be in search of new leadership this offseason.
Despite the club’s struggles – Minnesota are 10-16-3 and in ninth place, 11 points below the playoff line in the Western Conference – Wright has been impressed with what sporting director Manny Lagos and coach Adrian Heath has done to this point.
“Both, in my mind, get a passing grade,” Wright told the Star Tribune Monday. “You’ve got to start there. I think Adrian gets an awful lot out of the team that he has. I think that Manny has put together some really nice pieces for the team that we certainly can build around.”
Wright lauded the pair for signing Designated Player Darwin Quintero, along with complementary attacking pieces in Romario Ibarra and Angelo Rodriguez.
However, Wright said the club needs to improve its depth in the next transfer window. This year, the Loons lost midfielder Sam Cronin and attackers Ethan Finlay and Kevin Molino to season-ending injuries.
Wright, who expects the club to have “an interim affiliation agreement for 2019” with a USL team to help younger players get needed playing time, said Minnesota are in prime position to make offseason additions.
“Our soccer operations staff, first of all, have done a tremendous job of accumulating assets,” Wright said. “Whether that’s roster spots, whether that’s international slots, whether or not that’s GAM and TAM, whether it’s also alleviating payroll now that we can utilize in the future. We have built up what I would consider to be as sort of a small war chest.”
With the opening of Allianz Field set for early next season, Wright said next season will be big – for himself, Lagos and Heath.
“Are we where we want to be? No, we’re not. Do we think we have some really great pieces? Yes, we do,” Wright said. “This next window is very, very important for all of us. I think it’s very important for Chris Wright. I think it’s very important for Manny Lagos. I think it’s a very important window for Adrian Heath. It certainly is important for our team.”
Read the whole Star Tribune article here.
