The trigger has been pulled.
After nearly three years at the helm, Gonzalo Pineda is out as manager of Atlanta United. It’s hard to deny that the decision had been coming given the team’s poor form in Major League Soccer this season, but Pineda’s sacking raises many more questions than answers: what other moves will happen this summer? Can the team turn the season around and make the playoffs? And, probably the biggest one for now, who will become Atlanta United’s next head coach?
The timing of everything is perfect. With the season in Europe mostly wrapped up, the Five Stripes can essentially take their pick of a wide assortment of managers looking for work. Furthermore, with all of the smoke around Giorgos Giakoumakis’ potential transfer to Cruz Azul, the groundwork is set for the next gaffer to potentially influence the team’s next signings and build the squad he needs to be successful.
So let’s take a look at some of the names that could cross Garth Lagerwey’s desk as candidates for the job.
Ronny Deila
Last Club: Club Brugge (BEL)
Honors: Norwegian Cup Winner 2009/10 (Strømsgodset IF), Norwegian Champion 2012/13 (Strømsgodset IF), Scottish League Cup Winner 2014/15 (Celtic FC), Scottish Champion 2014/15, 2015/16 (Celtic FC), MLS Cup Champion 2021 (New York City FC)
Deila’s tactical philosophy lines up with what Atlanta United has been trying to be for the past few seasons. His teams typically play in an attacking 4-2-3-1 that aims to create chances using quick passing movements into spaces on the flanks before working the ball into the box. He also emphasizes using fullbacks to create overloads in the wide areas with overlapping runs to support the attack. This is a practice that the Five Stripes’ current fullbacks, Brooks Lennon and Caleb Wiley, are well familiar with.
But that’s not all the 48-year-old Norwegian can bring. He is a proven manager in MLS having lead New York City FC to its first MLS Cup title. He knows how the league works and now brings some European experience after stints at Standard Liège and Club Brugge.
Honestly, I believe Deila is the most likely candidate from this list. He’s available and likely provides the smoothest transition for this team from a tactical perspective. Most of the players on the current roster would feel right at home in his kind of setup, so it makes the most sense from a practical standpoint.
Giovanni Savarese
Last Club: Portland Timbers (USA)
Honors: NASL Soccer Bowl Champion 2012/13, 2015/16 (New York Cosmos), NASL Regular Season Champion 2012/13, 2015/16 (New York Cosmos), MLS is Back Champion 2020 (Portland Timbers)
Here’s another coach that knows his way around the league. While not the winningest coach on this list, Savarese has experience making deep runs in competitions. Under his management, the Timbers reached two MLS Cup finals, a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup semifinal and a CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal. Throw the right number in his direction, and the Five Stripes might be able to pry him away from his Apple TV job.
While Savarese’s teams have some similarities to the way Atlanta United have played in recent seasons, there are some key differences. For example, Savarese emphasizes building out from the back with the defensive midfielder dropping between the two center backs to aid in ball progression, much like Atlanta does. Savarese’s teams usually don’t play with a lot of possession, but they do tend to press high and use similar formations to Atlanta’s. His teams will typically line up in a 4-2-3-1 when in possession then shift to a 4-4-2 when out of possession, having the attacking midfielder join the striker up top and dropping the wingers back to midfield.
Another thing to consider is that the team consists of several Latin American players, so bringing in a South American coach can have its advantages when it comes to communicating and building a rapport with that demographic. However, Savarese isn’t the only South American coach the Five Stripes should be looking at…
Marcelo Gallardo
Last Club: Al-Ittihad (KSA)
Honors: Uruguayan Champion 2011/12 (Club Nacional); Copa Sudamericana 2013/14 (River Plate); Copa Libertadores 2014/15, 2017/18 (River Plate); Recopa Sudamericana 2014/15, 2015/16, 2018/19 (River Plate); Argentinian Cup Winner 2015/16, 2016/17, 2018/19 (River Plate); Campeón Supercopa Argentina 2017/18, 2019/20 (River Plate); Campeón Trofeo de Campeones 2020/21 (River Plate); Argentinian Champion 2020/21 (River Plate)
By far the most successful candidate on this list and one that would undoubtedly put the Five Stripes back on track for silverware in the long-term, Marcelo Gallardo has to be near the top of Lagerwey’s list of managers to talk to.
After spending a season at the helm of Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia, the 48-year-old Argentinian is ready for different scenery, and what better than the Peach State? After nearly a decade of success with River Plate, multiple top clubs in the world, including FC Barcelona, wanted to sign him. And when you analyze his tactical approach, you can see why.
Gallardo emphasizes building up from the back using short passes and keeping possession. He preaches patience and incisive passing on the attack and an intense high pressure on defense. Another point for Gallardo is his tactical flexibility. He’s tried many different formations: 3-4-2-1, 4-5-1 and 4-2-3-1, but he mostly lines up a narrow 4-4-2.
While the current squad isn’t the most conducive to a 4-4-2 diamond, a few moves in the next few windows could set the team up exactly the way Gallardo wants to play.
As for why he’d end up in Atlanta? Perhaps he’ll want to be closer to his son Matias Gallardo who plays for Atlanta United 2. Or maybe the super cool, modern stadium with a roof that can open and a big halo board will convince him. Just give him a call, Garth. Please.
Xavi Hernández
Last Club: FC Barcelona (ESP)
Honors: Qatari Cup Winner 2019/20, 2020/21 (Al-Sadd SC); Qatari Champion 2020/21 (Al-Sadd SC); Spanish Super Cup Winner 2022/23 (FC Barcelona), Spanish Champions 2022/23 (FC Barcelona)
Ah, yes. We’ve arrived at the “Henry is dreaming and completely out of his mind” part of the article. There’s no way a former FC Barcelona manager would EVER end up in Atlanta, right?
Okay, Xavi is on this list partially because of the name and because I want to be able to brag to my friends that I played with a World Champion and four-time UEFA Champions League winner in next year’s media game. However, Xavi’s tactical philosophy also lines up perfectly with Atlanta United’s in recent years.
Possession, attacking soccer and high pressure are key values that both have in common. Xavi has also been known to make adjustments to his formation depending on his opposition’s pressing structure, which speaks to his tactical flexibility.
And while his tactical prowess stemming from the Pep Guardiola school of players turned genius managers is great, Xavi’s player resume will undoubtedly inspire Atlanta United’s players. Just look at the effect that Messi’s arrival had on many of Inter Miami’s non-former-Barcelona players. Sure, playing alongside the best player of all time and some of his buddies makes them look better by default, but you can tell they gained a degree of confidence from that. It’s the same confidence you’ll get with someone like Xavi on the touchline.
Admittedly, this one is the most far-fetched in this article, but the club could at least ask. The worst he can do is say no.
Now, we’ve discussed four potential managers that the club could bring in from outside, but maybe the answer was inside all along…
Rob Valentino
Current Club: Atlanta United (USA)
I know that many of you reading this are probably rolling your eyes at the thought of hiring an assistant coach when you have the above options and more, but this is a genuine possibility. When Lagerwey addressed the media after the announcement of Pineda’s dismissal, he said the door was open for Valentino to be promoted if he does well as an interim coach. It wouldn’t be the first time Lagerwey has done this. He named Brian Schmetzer Seattle Sounders’ permanent head coach after a big comeback that saw the team rise from 9th to 4th in the West during the 2016 season. The decision paid off big time as the club went on to win two MLS Cups and a CONCACAF Champions League title.
Valentino held a 4-2-2 record when he first held the reigns as an interim, and helped the team begin a turnaround in 2021 that thrust it into a playoff spot. If Valentino can lead Atlanta United up the table, then he should be given a hard look for the job.
Granted, it won’t be easy for him. For the rest of June, the Five Stripes have two home games and two away games against tough opponents. Furthermore, the team will be without Bartosz Slisz, Saba Lobjanidze and Luis Abram for most, if not all, of these games due to international duty. However, if Valentino can find success despite these hurdles, it will speak to his competence as a coach and what he could bring the team long-term. Is he a hidden treasure? Maybe. We’ll have to wait and see.
What do you think of these names? Who would you like to see as the club’s next head coach? Let us know in the comments below.
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[…] Almada, Giorgos Giakoumakis, and Caleb Wiley) show that the club is heading for a full-on rebuild. We covered five managerial candidates last month who could be the next person to take the Atlanta job, but here are seven more candidates that could […]
I’d go with Ronny Delia or Marcelo Gallardo unless Rob turns out to be the next Brian Schmetzer.
A little concerned that several of these guys preach the same as Pineda. Do you think that could get more out of the same guys playing basically the same strategy? I’m not be critical or sarcastic about that. What can the new guy do that Pineda didn’t?
Reading comments from the Club Brugge fans has me concerned about Deila, to be honest.
I still think AUFC should chat with Bob Lilley. Of the list presented in the article, I’d prefer Gallardo.
Similarly Jeremy Gunn may be interesting if he wants to move on from college coaching
No to ANY college coach. Frankly, that is what OTHER teams in MLS would do. Either the org is going to move away from all the “We HAVE to soothe Boca’s ego above all other considerations” bs for once and for all, and hopefully Garth taking charge of the search means just that, or they should just throw in the towel and admit that all they care about is if Boca is happy, in which case it really doesn’t matter who they pick because anybody Boca wants will fail.
You’re “placate” Boca narrative is childish, tiresome, and unfounded. But KOKO, I guess.
Dear Atlantistas, hi.
I was watching some USA x Colombia, Brasil x Mexico, and doing some thinking. There is this old saying here, that from where you least expect, nothing comes out. I was thinking that after Tata Martino, your F.O. gave you de Boer (who had a very, very short stint with the Dutch national team, Heinze, who is unemployed, and Piñeda, who got to coach Atlanta for nearly three years with nothing to show for all this time.
So, why should a different result be expected this time, if they have pretty much failed at every attempt, and not even come close to choosing someone good?
Cause the person picking this time (Lagerwey) is completely different and wasn’t even with the team when those others were picked.
Meanwhile, there is evidence, for now at least, to believe Lagerwey is good at finding the right guys, whether on the roster or the staff.
That´s good to know. I do feel that Atlantistas appreciate the current roster more than I do. But, under a new coach maybe they will be able to show their potential.
On another note, The USMNT had a tough time with Colombia. I do think this is a very young, and talented US team. BUT defending can be pretty bad at times. Top teams won´t forgive.
P.S. Even though Brasil is doing better score wise, I do think we also have defensive weaknesses that could be costly. I do like our new coach, old school guy, knows his football, and I think he migth free us from dreadful Neymar Jr.
I think Brazil would take their 2 best domestic league teams and assemble the national team from that combo, adding maybe one or two from foreign leagues. I was very dissatisfied with Brazils play, very disconnected and no jogo bonito
Two things worth mentioning:
1. It seems the US really doesnt try to play that many high profile friendlies anymore, outside of preparation for major tournaments. Im not sure if this is due to Nations League schedule congestion or other factors. But every now and then we really get caught with our pants down.
2. We have an inflexible moron managing the team.
I don´t see how a team with so much talent can make such basic mistakes. I think I never saw a USMNT with so much quality. You need a coach.
Colombia is a good quality South American team. But you can never do well in a World Cup if you can´t beat at least the second tier European national teams. Brazil often feels good after winning Copa America, and then go to face UEFA and drown.
Our coach kind of sucks. We can beat up on CONCACAF teams just by out-talenting them. We learn little and aren’t pushed tactically. Then we get in a game against national teams that compete at a higher level in CONMEBOL or UEFA and get exposed. I don’t expect much at Copa. We will likely lose to Brazil on Wednesday and I doubt anyone bats an eye short of another thrashing because it’s Brazil.
Then we have Bolivia and Panama (in Atlanta, I’ll be there!). Those should be teams we can handle without a ton of drama. However, the game vs Urugauy will be a big test. And I think we get exposed. The insistence on playing slowly out of the back into Biesla’s press…oof. Then it’s a win or go home game against Brazil or Colombia (our Copa will almost certainly end). I am hopeful that Berhalter is let go following this predicted flat performance in Copa. I am not optimistic that happens, though and then 2026 is a wasted opportunity with a “home WC.”
Really bad defending and howler giveaways that Columbia punished them for every time. It was a relatively close game until the last 20 mins or so.
I don’t know if Miles is still one of the top 2 CBs on the team, but he didn’t play. A couple of the guys they put out there looked like they didn’t belong. If that’s what the coach was trying to figure out, hopefully he is smart enough to have seen the answer before Copa.
Hi, this Brasil is still a work in progress, under a new coach (a guy I really like, not egocentric, not willing to care much about Neymar playing or not), and with some new and very exciting talent, like the 17-year-old Endrick. BUT, it is also a team with weaknesses in defense (Mexico scored twice, and this is a pretty bad Mexico). It should be interesting. And I agree that Uruguay is a good measure. Good luck!
#1 seems true to me. I don’t know enough about tactics to have an opinion on #2.
It seems we really need to face better competition in seriously-taken “friendlies” to really get better. We’re not getting better mostly facing CONCACAF teams.
To be fair about Gabriel Heinze, he did get a job in Argentina with Newell’s Old Boys after leaving Atlanta. Heinze left after a year of disappointing results.
The main reason for hiring Pineda was that the technical director (Carlos Bocanegra) wanted somebody without experience so he (CB) could make all the player decisions without any big input from the manager. I have said before that the entire organization seems designed to cater to Boca’s ego above anything else. As stated below, Garth Lagerwey, the team president, will conduct the new manager search with apparently no or very little input from Boca, so it seems that maybe, just maybe, we finally have a team president who understands that Boca isn’t perfect and shouldn’t be making this decision.
With peace and love I have to ask, this horseshit again? The Boca conspiracies are Q-level nonsense. Just ridiculous. This is not a real-world scenario.
Unless….its true
It’s comical. Kind of.
Marcelo only
We don’t know who will be the next head coach. But we can be grateful it won’t be someone that blinks 7 times every 3 seconds.
Huh?
I’m not necessarily saying Valentino should get the job full time, but I do want to note that he also filled in for Pineda in one match in either 22 or 23 (don’t remember which) and won it, so technically he has had a winning record as AU’s manager over 2 different (interim) seasons.
Im expecting that to come to a crashing end when we get to the games where we’ll have 4-5 starters out on international duty.
But I’ve been wrong before.
GG to Cruz Azul is pretty much finalized…$10 mil guaranteed in the transfer for Atlanta
Man… such a far cry from what I was expecting at the beginning of this year…
still got to look at the positive, we were able to double the value of a player that missed a lot of matches in less than 2 years
We? We didn’t double jack shit. AMB did. We only win if they apply this back to the team player budget. And I’m not sure that’s a given with this new philosophy of austerity.
This isn’t the worst thing. Giako was really productive when he played, but I think everyone was starting to get frustrated with how often he picked up nagging injuries. I also think this is preferrable to giving Giako an extension here, which probably would’ve been necessary if AUFC wanted to keep him really badly. CA is signing him until 2028? I wouldn’t want him locked up as a DP through age 33. He already struggles with fitness. I doubt that ages well over the next 3-4 years.
The Athletic confirms. I expect the official announcement to be tomorrow.
Won’t happen until after the physical
unless he had some unknown ligament tear in the knee, I don’t think there will be any issues with the physical. As much as GG was regularly hurt, it was mostly muscular issues
It’s going to be very interesting to see where the goals come from in the remainder of the season. I don’t have high hopes…
I think it would be beneficial to run a 3-5-2 or some variety of that. Thiare has looked pretty decent and it could be possible the team already has an eye on another striker since they let GG leave. I don’t think the FO sells GG if they didn’t already have a couple strikers in mind.
It would seem likely we bring in a striker…but that window doesn’t open until July. July 18th, I believe.
3-4-2-1 or 3-4-1-2 would seem to be most likely. You run some version of Almada / Thiare / Saba / Xande with defenders behind them.
I’m certain they’ve been speaking with candidates for a while but given the window doesn’t open until 7/18 we are still going to likely be without a DP striker for a while. If Saba can get into form and service to Thiare/Rios improves, we might be OK in the interim against teams who are also weakend by injury/international windows. Regardless, as noted here, other sites, and by the FO, the team is going to have to dig deep during this transition and the remainder of the season.
I wonder how they will handle the always being hurt and laying on the ground than standing.
I think that’s what made them think “this guy is perfect for LigaMX”.
Marcelo Gallardo would make a great choice. Something to do with his name. Marcelos are destined for greatness.
maybe he could convince miggy to come back 😎
I wonder if this one would hate Lennon as much. :0)
If he knows his football, yes.
Is there anything to the rumors linking AUFC to Gremio’s Franco Cristaldo. Sounds like Club America could be involved according to Diego Torbes on X.
Hi! From what I hear, he is staying, as Gremio is moving on to the group of 16 phase of Libertadores. There has been talk of contacts from MLS, but nothing seems very solid. And Atlanta is not in a moment to recruit players, I suppose. They need a coach who will define the players.
Yeah, seemed like a stretch, because with Giako going out we need a striker and he’s a 10, but it would be a good add if Almada is to be sold soon, too.
Thanks and good luck to your Gremio in Libertadores!
Thanks. It will be a difficult year. The huge floods in my home state have affected clubs, and life in general.
poch, gallardo or xavi (not necessarily in any order) would be dream gets imo. but also all highly unlikely. savarese never particularly impressed me in portland, but i do think he’s could be a decent choice…and certainly not the kind of quality hire though where we should pull the trigger now.
no more assistant manager hires please! yes…the shine has rubbed off the club/org over the last few years, but this is still a seriously good and high-profile job! we shouldn’t be offering otj training programs.
For what it’s worth, Alexi Lalas has been saying pretty much the exact same thing you did in paragraph 2 for some years now. Great minds think alike. My feeling is that the main driver of hiring Pineda was the Boca wanted an inexperienced manager so he could push him around and make all the player decisions. With Garth taking over the process of finding the next guy, it appears that finding someone Boca can push around is no longer a priority for the org. Good.
What an…. Okay, I’ll be charitable. Let’s just say a tired take based on some fantasy that the world works like General Hospital (only soap opera name I can think of).
No, Boca didn’t hire Pineda because… I can’t believe I’m having to even write this again… Because he could push him around. Christ.
Then why is Garth giving Valentino a shot? So Bocanegra can push him around?
Bocanegra part of the Atlanta United Deep State! Crimony.
Le sigh.
Boca is not the greatest evil who ever lived. He’s a decent player turned TD who has made a lot of mistakes trying to “go big”, and has benefited from having leadership with a more experienced and direct approach.
Pineda was hired because he has a strong tactical philosophy and has an infectious positivity in his outlook on life and the game. Both were desperately needed. However, though he was hugely successful at creating a team identity and club culture, his on-field results were mediocre. As GL noted in his presser, changing the manager is the most impactful decision the club could realistically make at this point.
I feel like I must be missing something. What accolades does Gallardo have to qualify him as a world class coach?
Edit: Maybe Im being a little harsh for someone who’s managerial success has been limited to a second tier domestic league. Maybe my question is also, would you have considered say Sigi Schmid a world class coach?
It seems like Gallardo is a compelling choice. im just not sure we can say he would be a guarantee to turn the franchise around.
I actually think the fact that he’s a coach that has had success in a country like Argentina is a huge positive over someone who has had success in a Big 4 league because he’s had to learn to make due with key players leaving every year so he understands how to be tactically flexible and build a play style around the players he has, rather than assuming he’ll be able to just go buy a like-for-like replacement at the drop of a hat.
I’ve reassessed a lot of FdB’s issues after watching what Pineda has tried to accomplish and concluded that both guys had a similar failing in trying to implement systems that were only as strong as their weakest link, and in MLS that weakest link is pretty weak indeed. A coach that can make the most of a roster with the structural limitations that MLS imposes will be the real prize.
Note: I do not mean “a coach who builds a style and plays a roster designed for MLS.” That coach would be Jim Curtain and the minute we hired him would be the minute that my neighbors called the fire department because of the giant bonfire with all of my Atlanta United stuff in it in my back yard.
Fascinating perspective, thanks
Wasn’t this the argument for Heinze?
I don’t think so – or at least I don’t remember it that way. I thought the argument for Heinze was that he was a coach on the rise who worked magic at Velez Sarsfield and had his team playing in a style more consistent to the one that we wanted to see. He was the managerial equivalent of the Barco and Almada hires in which the objective as to “be their contract before their European contract”. I think the failure with him was more about the fact that there just wasn’t enough data on what a lunatic he was and he more or less couldn’t handle being at a big club where he couldn’t be a little dictator.
Gallardo, on the other hand, is nearly 15 years into a managerial career, 8 of which were spent at one of the 2 or 3 top clubs in the hemisphere, so he’s a known quantity.
I actually have no idea if Gallardo is the right guy for Atlanta United – FFS, I thought Heinze was a perfect hire! – but I do think it would be incredibly difficult for someone coming from a world of abundant talent into a league that literally prohibits an abundance of talent to understand just how difficult roster construction is in MLS if they want to play the kind of modern soccer you see in a big 4 league. You certainly don’t have to play like Philly or NYRB to be successful in MLS, but equally you can’t have a brittle system that can’t deal with weak links.
beat me to it. big difference btwn gallardo and heinze resumes. and i too though heinze was a good hire (sigh). but there is a MUCH larger body of managerial work to evaluate for gallardo.
Everyone thought Heinze was a good hire. Those were the days when we thought our team was magic and could find little known coaches and players who would change the face of MLS and make our team a shit-ton of money when they all made their way to Europe to make space for the next batch of great discoveries.
I do remember the posts, tweets and articles when he was hired. It was presented as a golazo, Atlanta United has done it again!
Yeah, he seemed like a good idea at the time. Sorta like non-alcoholic beer.
There’s a good article on Gallardo on the Athletic from April 2023, as he was leaving RP. It seems like he gets the importance of connecting with the players and building a culture respect and in doing so, he is able to also demand a lot. His tactical acumen, style and flexibility seem like they would be great assets in MLS. It’s similar to Argentina in a way because it’s not the top of the soccer pyramid. You lose good players constantly and have to adjust and adapt to what you have. He does like to be the aggressor, and I think that would suit what a lot of us want to see in AUFC (in addition to winning, of course).
The Marcelo Gallardo philosophy: ‘I want my teams to take the initiative, be protagonists’ – The Athletic (nytimes.com)
Seems to me that a coach who wants to continue the style Pineda was trying to implement should be disqualified. Unless we believe it could be done here but Pineda didn’t know how?
The players on the roster were presumably acquired to fit a general tactical framework. Bringing a guy that runs a similar system reduces the likelihood of needing to completely gut and rebuild the roster itself.
To play a different system won’t require a gutting and total rebuild.
I tend to agree. Plus, Giako is going out and maybe Thiago (who knows). So we could end up flipping one or two of our highest caliber players. Anyway, I think this team can probably be adapted to other styles of play as is. I’m actually not certain going possession-based was the best fit for some of the players we have.
And I also don’t think that just because it didn’t work under Pineda doesn’t mean another coach can implement something overall similar but better. There were a number of issues that he never cleaned up. Some, outside of the run of play tactics. Our set pieces were just awful on both ends of the field, for instance.
I originally considered Deila as well but the way Brugge dominated the Champions Playoff after he was sacked doesn’t inspire confidence. Pascal Jansen was also on my short list but obviously Gallardo would be cream of the crop if interested.
Jurgen Klopp!!!
Don’t forget Klopp!
I mean, he’ll never do it. But wouldn’t it be hilarious if MLS had both one of the best players on the planet and one of the best coaches on the planet?
I doubt Gallardo comes here, but at least we know Gallardo is already aware of Atlanta because of his son.. and just think about the odds that his son just happens to play for our 2nd team out of all the teams in the world he could play for. And that he coached in the Saudi league, but left/quit/whatever before his contract was up…. The odds of all of those things happening and lining up perfectly so that our coaching vacancy is open while Gallardo is available… It’s real conspiracy theory galaxy brain stuff, but maybe, just maaayyybe it could happen
Imagine: we get a world class manager in Gallardo, but his son turns out to be bad, and we crash and burn because he starts him every match out of nepotism
Alternatively: we get a top-notch manager in Gallardo, and then his son flourishes under his father’s management. AUFC wins a couple of Cups and then they head off to Europe together.
As noted in previous comment threads, I won’t pretend to know enough about who in this list is “best” for salvaging AU and returning us to glory. That said, if they were to hire Xavi, Bocanegra would be done.
You are correct about Boca. There is flat out zero chance Xavi would take this job if he reports to Boca. My guess is that he will take a job in Europe, but yeah, if they want to ask, Boca leaving will definitely be the price to pay to get him.
I think Xavi and Gallardo are both after bigger jobs than Atlanta.
This may be why Garth is preparing us to sit with Valentino for a while. Why would they bring in Delia or zeus forbid Savarese? Why not wait until one of the Xavi / Poch types says yes? Even if it takes months?