Latest coaching updates around MLS

As the 2024 MLS season nears its close, the coaching carousel begins to spin. There are four vacancies currently in the league and, by MLS Cup, it’s possible more open.

Here’s a quick runthrough of the latest I’m hearing around various coaching situations.

Chicago Fire

Gregg Berhalter is a finalist for the Chicago Fire FC’s sporting director vacancy, sources tell GIVEMESPORT. The club are considering a dual-role model for the new hire, meaning Berhalter could be named head coach. If that happened, current head coach Frank Klopas is expected to remain with the club.

The Fire and Berhalter have had conversations, sources say. Berhalter is considering his options, including whether or not he wants to hold out for Europe.

Sporting director Georg Heitz is departing this winter, creating an opening for that position. Berhalter also interviewed with the San Jose Earthquakes for their head coaching vacancy. The former U.S. national team head coach previously managed in MLS with the Columbus Crew.

Klopas is a club legend, previously serving as an assistant coach before being named interim head coach during the 2023 season and full-time head coach ahead of this year.

FC Dallas

Interim manager Peter Luccin is the front-runner to be named FC Dallas head coach, sources tell GIVEMESPORT.

No decision has been made or contract agreed with Dallas going through the final stages of their coaching search, but sources are confident Luccin is top choice.

Under Luccin, Dallas are performing at a playoff pace — 1.64 points per game in 14 matches. Over the course of a season, that would put them in fifth place in this year’s West, within touching distance of second. The biggest improvement has been the attack, which is averaging 2.2 goals per game under Luccin after 1.2 under Nico Estevez this year.

LA Galaxy

After officially making the playoffs this season, the contract of head coach Greg Vanney has auto-extended through 2025, a source confirms to GIVEMESPORT.

Corner of the Galaxy first reported the news.

The expectation is the LA Galaxy and Vanney discuss a long-term extension in the offseason. For now, the first-place Western Conference team is focused on building for the playoffs. The group has six wins in their last eight, scoring multiple goals in seven of those games. The attack is peaking as we hit the business end of the season.

Vanney integrated key new signings Gabriel Pec, Joseph Paintsil and Miki Yamane this winter, then Marco Reus this summer. He may be in contention for MLS Coach of the Year ballots.

St. Louis City

St. Louis CITY SC are working through their coaching search, with interim manager John Hackworth firmly in contention to get the job, sources tell GIVEMESPORT.

Hackworth took over for Bradley Carnell this season. He was named director of coaching for STL long before their debut in MLS in 2023. He has previously served as an assistant coach for the U.S. national team and the Philadelphia Union.

Another name on the radar is Louisville City manager Danny Cruz, sources say.

Cruz, 34, has been in charge at Louisville since 2021. Before that, he was an assistant on Hackworth’s staff at the club.

San Jose Earthquakes

The San Jose Earthquakes have interviewed at least four external candidates for their vacant head coaching role: Berhalter, Bruce Arena, Giovanni Savarese and Robin Fraser, as revealed by GIVEMESPORT this week.

Interim manager Ian Russell is also under consideration for the job, sources add.

Arena, the winningest head coach in MLS history, resigned from his role with the New England Revolution last September after he was placed on administrative leave and placed under an MLS-commissioned investigation for alleged “inappropriate and insensitive remarks.”

Berhalter was manager of the U.S. men’s national team until this summer, leading the program to the Round of 16 at the 2022 World Cup, two Nations Leagues titles and one Gold Cup trophy while in charge of the USMNT. He previously managed the Columbus Crew SC in MLS.

Savarese was a long-time, successful head coach of the Portland Timbers. He made two MLS Cup appearances with the Timbers after winning three NASL titles with the New York Cosmos.

Fraser was runner-up in the 2021 MLS Coach of the Year voting after a stellar season with the Colorado Rapids, where he was manager from 2019-23.

Russell is a long-time Quakes staffer, dating back to his playing days. He has had multiple stints on the first-team coaching staff, including being interim manager in 2014 as well as this year. He was an assistant from 2008-16 before returning in 2023.

Atlanta United

Patrick Vieira is a finalist to be the next Atlanta United head coach, as revealed by GIVEMESPORT this week.

Vieira was most recently the manager of Ligue 1 club Strasbourg, but left after one season by mutual consent. They finished 13th in the league in his lone season. Viera was briefly linked with the U.S. national team job that has since gone to Mauricio Pochettino.

Prior to his time with Strasbourg, Vieira was manager of Premier League side Crystal Palace. He also was manager of Nice. His coaching career began in MLS with New York City FC, where he had a successful two-and-a-half year run.