When the New York Red Bulls suffered a crushing late loss to D.C. United on Wednesday night it served as the latest setback in a disappointing season.
It also wound up being Chris Armas’ final match in charge of the Red Bulls.
The Red Bulls have parted ways with head coach Chris Armas, announcing the move on Friday.
“On behalf of the organization, I’d like to thank Chris for his hard work and dedication to the club,” said Red Bulls head of sport Kevin Thelwell. “In this business, we have to make difficult decisions based on performances and, fundamentally, results. At this time, it’s my decision that we must go in a different direction in order to meet the ambitions we have for our football club. We wish Chris and CJ all the best in their future endeavors.”
“We will conduct a wide, thorough search for our next head coach,” said Thelwell.
The move comes just two years after Armas replaced Jesse Marsch as head coach after Marsch left the Red Bulls to become an assistant coach with German Bundesliga side and Red Bulls sister club RB Leipzig. Armas helped guide the Red Bulls to a Supporters’ Shield title that season, but came under fire for his tactical handling of the team’s playoff run, which ended with a loss to eventual MLS Cup winners Atlanta United.
The 2019 season saw the Red Bulls struggle to maintain that level of success, with Tyler Adams leaving via transfer to RB Leipzig before the 2019 season, and with Bradley Wright-Phillips enduring an injury-plagued season.
The Red Bulls endured more roster turnover after the 2019 season, with Luis Robles and Wright-Phillips leaving the club, but the continued lack of high-level reinforcements left the roster a shell of the squad that won the 2018 Supporters’ Shield.
Now Thelwell has the task of finding a head coach capable of bringing together a team that is in the process of incorporating a slew of players from Europe into a team that also consists of several young players.
The Red Bulls are currently in seventh place in the Eastern Conference with a 3-4-2 record.
The Red Bulls will host the Philadelphia Union on Sunday.