MLS’ longest-tenured head coach is on his way out of Kansas City.
Sporting KC has mutually agreed to part ways with Manager Peter Vermes, the club announced Monday. Kerry Zavagnin has been appointed as SKC’s interim head coach.
Vermes became SKC’s technical director in November 2006 and assumed head coaching duties in 2009. He helped the club win MLS Cup in 2013 while also lifting three U.S. Open Cups during his tenure.
His 203 regular season victories are ranked as the third-most in MLS history. Overall, Vermes managed SKC in 609 matches.
“It would be hard to list all of the people I want to thank after 20 seasons in managerial positions at Sporting Kansas City,” Vermes said. “I am thankful to everyone, especially ownership for giving me the opportunity of being a steward of this club for the past two decades. I wish the club nothing but the best in the future.”
A Delran, New Jersey native, Vermes earned 67 caps for the U.S. men’s national team as a player.
SKC sits bottom of the Western Conference with a 0-5-1 record.
i was surprised he lasted this long with KC, perhaps out of respect for prior accomplishment. to me MLS constantly evolves and the struggle is to keep up with it. my dynamo had a run as a fairly direct defensive team under kinnear during the hard cap era, but have struggled to match spending in the DP era; kinnear has largely disappeared as a coaching force.
similarly, to me KC’s concept was cheap value offense and not much defense. as spending ramped up teams could shred their weak defense, and a plucky offense simply can’t keep up with miami. i think SKC was at its peak in a lull between the beckham years and the current teams with some superstars.
kind of the bradley/jozy period. vermes then didn’t really update the concepts from what worked in the 2010s, as more talent came in the league.
KC needs to spend more. and then i think in the messi era the plucky MLS team strategy is more obvious — team defense.
we shall see if the man can reboot. it’s interesting because c. berhalter he was held in similar esteem akin to how marsch is now.
What a historic player for US Soccer. A part of the 1st – “modern” generation to get us back on the soccer map by qualifying for Italia 90. Put it between the keeper’s legs against Italy in World Cup 1990, almost equalizing if it were not for Zenga’s read end. Always gave everything to the USMNT. Also– brought home 3 pieces of Hardware as Manager for Sporting KC with the 2012, 2015, and 2017 U.S. Open Cups!