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Minnesota United parts ways with manager Adrian Heath

andy greder, pioneer press
·2 min read

Minnesota United has let go of manager Adrian Heath and technical director Mark Watson with two games remaining in the 2023 season, a source confirmed to the Pioneer Press on Friday morning. The Athletic shared news first.

Assistant coach Sean McAuley will serve as interim head coach for the final two matches. The Loons play L.A. Galaxy at Allianz Field on Saturday, following by Sporting Kansas City on Decision Day, Oct. 21.

After the blowout 5-1 loss to LAFC on Wednesday, Heath twice said he took “full responsibility” for that performance.

The Loons are winless in seven straight games and have sunk to 12th place in the Western Conference standings. Nine teams make the playoffs and MNUFC’s chances hang by a thread.

Heath signed a two-year contract extension before the 2023 season, meaning the club will need to buy him out of the remaining year on his deal for 2024.

The biggest question going forward is who will hire Heath and Watson’s replacement(s)?

CEO Shari Ballard and owner Bill McGuire do not hold soccer expertise.

After the 2019 season, MNUFC promoted Heath from head coach to a managerial role, while his former top assistant coach, Watson, was promoted to the front office. Their departure leaves a void.

In the front office restructuring, Manny Lagos became the Chief Soccer Officer; he remains with the club, but in less of a first-team role.

Heath helmed the Loons throughout its MLS era. Hired ahead of its 2017 expansion season, Heath and MNUFC endured two tough seasons in 2017-18 before they revamped the roster and made four straight MLS Cup Playoff appearances. The Loons currently hold the longest active playoff streak in the Western Conference.

Heath led the club to the U.S. Open Cup final in 2019 and the Western Conference final in 2020, but the Loons came up short in both big matches and didn’t win a trophy during his nearly seven-year tenure.

Heath was a forward in his playing days, famously with Everton in the 1980s, but he often struggled to get the Loons strikers scoring goals on a consistent basis. The club traded away its best early scorer in Christian Ramirez during the 2018 season and weren’t able to find an adequate replacement for years. The latest solution has been Teemu Pukki, who has six goals in 12 MLS games this season.

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