The Kansas City Current have announced that head coach Matt Potter has been fired.
In a release announcing the move, the club said the decision was “related to issues around his leadership and employment responsibilities.”
The club did not elaborate any further on what those issues were, but it seems likely that Potter’s dismissal was about more than results after the English coach led the Current to the NWSL title game in his first season in charge.
Potter took over ahead of the 2022 season after the Current — then known as Kansas City NWSL — finished in last place in the league in 2021. After a shaky start to the 2022 season, Potter led the Current to a major turnaround that included a 13-game unbeaten streak.
The Current then beat the Houston Dash and OL Reign in the playoffs to set up a title-game matchup with the Portland Thorns, who would emerge with a 2-0 win.
Incidentally, the Thorns have also since lost their head coach from that game, with Rhian Wilkinson resigning after what she said was an “expression of feelings” for a player on the team.
The Current have gotten off to an unexpectedly poor start in 2023, losing all three of their games so far after an offseason in which the club added a number of high-profile signings, including Debinha.
“We watch the play on the pitch, we keep a pulse on the locker room, and we are constantly evaluating ways to improve our club,” said general manager Camille Ashton. “Through our ongoing process of continuous improvement, we believe now is the right time for this change.”
Assistant coach Caroline Sjöblom will serve as interim head coach, starting with the Current’s opening match of the NWSL Challenge Cup against the Dash on Wednesday.
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