The Columbus Crew failed to reach the MLS Playoffs in both seasons since lifting MLS Cup, forcing a head coaching change on Monday.
Caleb Porter was fired as head coach of the Crew following the Eastern Conference club’s Decision Day loss to Orlando City. Porter posted a 45-43-37 regular season record from 2019-22, leading the Crew to MLS Cup in 2020 and the Campeones Cup in 2021.
The Crew failed to reach the MLS Cup Playoffs this season after tying 10 of their last 18 league matches. Despite losing only three matches since the start of July, the Crew lost 24 points this regular season from winning positions, which was ranked among the top-five in MLS in 2022.
“This is not a decision we took lightly, and I need to first and foremost thank Caleb for his tireless efforts for the Crew during his four seasons with the Club,” said Crew President and General Manager Tim Bezbatchenko. “He joined the club ahead of 2019 and provided steady leadership at a critical moment of historic transition for the Crew. Caleb will forever be a part of Black & Gold history as the second star above our crest from 2020 is a testament to his contributions and what we were able to bring home during a special year.”
“We assessed the 2022 season as a whole and it’s clear that we fell short in our collective goals,” he added. “Namely, our goal is to consistently contend for championships. This starts with making the playoffs and then securing a home match as a top-four team in the conference. We all share in the responsibility of the results and unmet objectives this season, including myself. As part of our evaluation, we believe that we have a talented core of our roster in place and felt we needed to make a change this offseason as we position ourselves for success in 2023 and beyond.”
Assistant coaches Pablo Moreira, Tim Hanley, Eric Quill and Blair Gavin will not be returning to the Crew in 2023. The Crew will begin their search for a new head coach immediately.