The Columbus Crew have fired head coach Caleb Porter after four seasons in charge.
The final straw for Porter came on the last day of the MLS season, as the Crew lost 2-1 to Orlando City after holding a halftime lead. Columbus missed the playoffs with the defeat, having needed just a draw to reach the postseason.
The second-half collapse continued an unfortunate trend for the Crew in 2022. Under Porter, the club dropped 24 points from winning positions this season — the third-worst mark in MLS — including an incredible 11 points dropped just in second-half stoppage time.
“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. He joined the club ahead of 2019 and provided steady leadership at a critical moment of historic transition for the Crew,” said Crew President and General Manager Tim Bezbatchenko in a statement.
Porter took over in Columbus ahead of the 2019 season after previously serving as Portland Timbers head coach for five seasons.
The 47-year-old missed the postseason in three of his four seasons with the Crew but in 2020, he led the team to the MLS Cup in the pandemic-shortened season. It was the second MLS Cup win for Porter, who also lifted the trophy in 2015 with the Timbers.
The next Crew coach will inherit a team full of talent, namely the dynamic attacking pair of Lucas Zelarayán and Cucho Hernández.
In a statement, Porter said: “We accomplished a lot of wonderful things together, including winning MLS Cup and Campeones Cup, and with a beautiful new stadium and training ground and an amazing fan base, I have no doubt the future is bright for the Crew.
“Our players and coaching staff gave everything we had, but unfortunately the past two years we missed the playoffs on Decision Day. It’s a bottom-line business and I accept responsibility for the club falling short of our goals.”
[lawrence-related id=8006,7917,7706]