With players set to report for the start of training camp in just a few days, the club officially announced the coaching staff who will aid head coach Ronny Deila in his first season with the club. Assistant coach Kenny Miller and goalkeeping coach Elliot Parish will join returning assistant coaches Matt Lawrey and Carl Robinson to form Ronny Deila’s 2025 technical staff.
Deila broke the news that Miller and Parish would join him as part of Atlanta’s rebuilt technical staff during his introductory press conference a few weeks ago. While he planned to bring some of his core staff with him, Deila shared that planned to retain some of Atlanta United’s 2024 staff to help him and his assistants fully integrate into the organization. Retaining Lawrey and Robinson may end up looking like a stroke of genius.
Lawrey, the club’s former Academy Director, will likely continue to focus on the young talent on the team, helping Homegrown Players and draft picks integrate into the side and make the most of their opportunity with a new head coach that values hard work and growth. He has been with the club since 2016 and has worked his way up from the head coach of the U-12s to Atlanta United Academy Director from June 2021 to April 2024 where he oversaw soccer operations for each of the Academy teams and Atlanta United 2.
Robinson arrived midway through the 2024 to help interim head coach Rob Valentino hold the team together and make a run at the playoffs. The former Wales international midfielder began his coaching career in 2012 with Vancouver Whitecaps where he was an assistant for two seasons before being named head coach in December 2013. During his time in charge, Robinson led Vancouver to three MLS Cup Playoff appearances in four seasons, as well as the club’s first-ever Canadian Cup championship in 2015 and its first-ever appearance in Concacaf Champions Cup, including a semi-final appearance during the 2016-17 tournament. He then moved to Australia and worked as head coach for the Newcastle Jets and Western Sydney Wanderers before returning to the U.S. with D.C. United as an assistant coach under Wayne Rooney in 2023. He followed Rooney to Birmingham City for the 2023-24 season and has also assisted the Wales National Team. He holds a UEFA Pro License, earning it in 2013.
Parish will serve as the club’s goalkeeping coach, replacing long-time goalkeeping coach and set-piece specialist Liam Curran. He began his coaching career at St. Johnstone in the Scottish Premiership where he finished his playing career in 2023. The Towcester, England native began his career in Aston Villa’s Academy and made his professional debut for Lincoln City in 2011. Most recenlty, he worked with Deila at Al Wahda FC where he served as goalkeeping coach.
Miller will join the Five Stripes as an assistant coach. Miller also served as an assistant coach on Deila’s staff at Al Wahda FC in the UAE Pro League. The former Scottish international began his coaching career in 2016 as a player at Rangers with its U-20 team, then was a player-manager at Livingston in 2018. Miller has previous experience coaching alongside Carl Robinson, too, as an assistant coach on his staff with the Newcastle Jets and Western Sydney Wanderers in Australia.
This is a fantastic technical staff that brings a lot of experience and proven teaching and coaching skills to support players at every stage of their professional journey. Atlanta United’s players appear to be in good hands.