Atlanta United has parted techniques with head coach Gonzalo Pineda, the crew announced on Monday. The 41-year-previous former Mexico worldwide was in the closing 12 months of his 3-and-a-fifty percent-year agreement. Atlanta assistant coach Rob Valentino will just take in excess of as interim manager for the foreseeable upcoming.
“We designed this conclusion in an work to move the staff in a new direction,” Atlanta United CEO and President Garth Lagerwey reported. “As we continue to assess all elements of our sporting operation, Rob will have our total assist to switch our time all over in the next half.”
Beneath Pineda, Atlanta United received 38 online games, drew 31 periods and shed 41 matches. Sunday’s 3-2 decline to Charlotte FC was Atlanta’s fifth straight decline at property. It proved to be the previous straw for Atlanta United’s front office, which have to now retain the services of the club’s fifth head mentor because 2017.
“I consider we necessary these 3 factors. I concur 100 %,” Pineda explained soon after Sunday’s decline. “I think when you review the online games, it’s been form of a comparable story to lots of, numerous video games, particularly the kinds at home…I assume there ended up video games when we have been superior, we developed extra possibilities. We experienced the likelihood to gain these game titles but we didn’t. It is disheartening.”
Pineda was anticipated to be a extended-term use immediately after the club fired Gabriel Heinze midway through the 2021 period. Pineda was a extensive-time assistant with the Seattle Sounders, but he experienced under no circumstances been a head mentor ahead of his appointment in Atlanta. His conversation capabilities and tactical aptitude, nonetheless, received about the hiring committee which consisted of now-former Atlanta United president Darren Eales, latest technical director Carlos Bocanegra and club proprietor Arthur Blank.
Immediately after Heinze’s rigid management model proved troublesome, Atlanta’s front office went in the opposite course with Pineda. Nonetheless, Pineda’s tenure wasn’t with no conflict. In 2022, Pineda was concerned in a locker place altercation with previous MLS MVP Josef Martinez. The club gave Martinez a a person-week suspension for conduct detrimental to the group. Atlanta sooner or later acquired out Martinez’s agreement past winter season.
On the field, Atlanta has struggled to perform regularly. Even with having Argentine playmaker Thiago Almada and a golden boot prospect in Giorgos Giakoumakis, moreover numerous summertime 2023 signings that were being intended to improve the backbone of the workforce, Atlanta United confirmed tiny enhancement from activity to match.
Past Wednesday’s victory at Inter Miami was the club’s initially win absent from Atlanta in 12 tries. That earn snapped a 9-activity winless run that had place Pineda and his workers underneath greater scrutiny.
Soon after profitable an MLS Cup in 2018, its next 12 months of existence, Atlanta United has fallen properly under anticipations. The club has not received a playoff activity due to the fact 2019. The reduction to Charlotte at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday was a blow that Pineda could not recover from.
(Picture: Prosperous von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire by way of Getty Images)
Study the total write-up here