The inaugural MLS NEXT Pro season kicks off on Friday, March 25, in St. Louis, as St Louis CITY2 hosts RNY FC at Hermann Stadium (8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT).
The first-ever class of head coaches features a diverse group of individuals, with 25 percent of the clubs being led by coaches of color. Forty percent of the group features former Major League Soccer players leading the charge, including Laurent Courtois (Columbus Crew 2), Benny Feilhaber (Sporting KC II), Pa-Madou Kah (North Texas SC), Cam Knowles (MNUFC2), Tyrone Marshall (FC Cincinnati 2), Jamison Olave (Real Monarchs), Clint Peay (New England Revolution II) and Wade Webber (Tacoma Defiance).
Get to know the inaugural MLS NEXT Pro coaches class of 2022:
Western Conference
Pacific Division
- Portland Timbers 2
- Head Coach: Shannon Murray
- About: Murray is a USSF "A" license coach who has been with the Timbers organization for seven years. He had been serving as an assistant coach with the Timbers since 2018 before his hire.
"It's an exciting time to reestablish T2 within our club. With Shannon's experience at every level of the professional pathway, he is the ideal head coach to lead the program," said Gavin Wilkinson, Timbers general manager and president of soccer.
- Real Monarchs
- Head Coach: Jamison Olave
- About: Olave has been the head coach of the Monarchs since 2018, with the former MLS player leading them to a 2019 USL Championship final. Olave made over 150 appearances in Major League Soccer between Real Salt Lake and the New York Red Bulls.
“MLS NEXT Pro provides us the opportunity to continue developing our RSL Academy players and those players signed to MLS contracts who are not seeing minutes with the first team, to provide them with game experience and minutes at the professional level,” said Executive Vice President of Soccer Operations Rob Zarkos.
- Earthquakes II
- Head Coach: Alex Covelo
- About: Covelo holds a UEFA "A" license and has been with the Earthquakes organization since 2017. The Barcelona, Spain native originally joined the club as the director of methodology but served as an assistant coach twice.
"We're excited to be a part of this new league by showcasing our local talent," said Earthquakes II head coach Alex Covelo. "Beyond the results on the field, our idea is to implement our club's identity into Quakes II and continue to have our players and youth soccer in the Bay Area feel proud to represent their local team."
- Tacoma Defiance
- Head Coach: Wade Webber
- About: Webber, a former Seattle Sounder from the USL era, has been an assistant coach with the Defiance since 2018. Webber has extensive coaching history in western Washington at the youth and academy in multiple age levels, and he also holds a USSF "A" license.
"We are excited to elevate Wade Webber, who has worked side-by-side with Chris and the rest of our development staff for the past five years. It's always a privilege to be able to promote from within and reward people instrumental to our success with new opportunities," said Sounders FC General Manager & President of Soccer Garth Lagerwey.
- Whitecaps FC 2
- Head Coach: Nick Dasovic
- About: A member of the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame, Dasovic has over thirty years of experience between playing and coaching. He joined the Whitecaps organization in 2019 as the head of their developmental squad and will now lead them as the manager of their inaugural MLS NEXT Pro squad.
"We're pleased to have an experienced coach such as Nick Dasovic leading WFC2 and working with our staff to push the top young players in our club towards the first team," said Axel Schuster, Whitecaps FC sporting director. "Nick understands what it takes to make that jump, and he brings with him experiences from representing Canada on the international level and playing club football both in Canada and overseas."
Frontier Division
- Colorado Rapids 2
- Head Coach: Erik Bushey
- About: Bushey previously served as the head of the Colorado Rapids U-17, U-19, and U-23 teams. His extensive coaching history dates back 25 years with club and academy teams. He also holds a USSF "A" license, NSCAA national diploma, and the Academy Director's license.
“As a club, we have high expectations for the role that MLS Next Pro, and Rapids 2 specifically, will play in helping bridge a gap in our player development pathway. As league play is about to commence, we are energized by the opportunity to compete. We look forward to the season ahead," Bushey said.
- North Texas SC
- Head Coach: Pa-Modou Kah
- About: Kah is the second coach to be appointed since the team was created in 2019. Pa played in Europe and the Middle East before making his way to Major League soccer where he played for the Portland Timbers and the Vancouver Whitecaps FC. He joins North Texas SC from the Canadian Premier League where he led Pacific FC to the 2021 title and was named Coach of the Year.
“I’m very excited to join North Texas SC and to continue my development as a coach,” Kah said. “I would like to thank André Zanotta and the Hunt family for this opportunity and for believing in me. I’m looking forward to lead this young group of men, contribute to their development and help them reach their goals.”
- Houston Dynamo 2
- Head Coach: Kenny Bundy
- About: Bundy has been with the Dynamo organization since 2016. He has served as the head coach of both the U-19 and U-23 teams.
"We are thrilled to have Kenny lead Dynamo 2 as the head coach. During Kenny's six years with the Dynamo Academy, he has proven to be an excellent bridge between the Academy and the First Team. He is a collaborator who understands how to develop players and how Paulo wants to play the game," Dynamo assistant general manager Nick Kowba said.
- Minnesota United 2
- Head Coach: Cam Knowles
- About: Knowles joined the Loons in 2021 as a data video analyst, but before his arrival, he spent nine years with the Portland Timbers organization in various roles, including as an assistant coach to the first team and as head coach for Portland Timbers 2. Knowles holds a USSF Pro License and has a Master's Degree in Psychology.
"We are lucky to have someone as experienced and knowledgeable as Cam Knowles leading this group. He has a great relationship with Adrian Heath and his staff, and we're looking forward to his leadership with this team," said MNUFC Chief Soccer Officer Manny Lagos.
- Sporting Kansas City II
- Head Coach: Benny Feilhaber
- About: Feilhaber, who made 44 international appearances with the U.S. Men's National Team, is a Sporting Kansas City legend whose storied playing career saw him compete in England, Germany, Denmark, and three other MLS sides. Feilhaber made 198 appearances for Sporting, winning the 2013 MLS Cup and the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in 2015 and 2017.
"To be back at Sporting Kansas City as part of the technical staff means everything to me," said Feilhaber, who will report to Manager and Sporting Director Peter Vermes. "This is the club where I experienced the most success as a player. Peter and the staff invested in me back in 2013, and I look forward to working with them once again. I've come to know a lot of great people here in Kansas City—fans, teammates, coaches, and the ownership group—and this is a fantastic opportunity for me to give back to the city and the club. I'm very excited to get to work."
- St Louis CITY2
- Head Coach: John Hackworth
- About: Hackworth, the director of coaching for CITY2, will also serve as the head coach in their inaugural MLS NEXT Pro season. Hackworth spent five seasons in Major League Soccer with the Philadelphia Union, two years as head coach of their MLS team. Hackworth also led the U-17 U.S. Men's National Team to the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup as their head coach.
"It's an unbelievable advantage for our club to field an MLS NEXT Pro team in 2022," said Lutz Pfannenstiel, Sporting Director of St. Louis CITY SC. "Not only does this team serve as the next evolutionary stage between our academy and first team, but it also gives us a full season to identify and acquire players, test innovative ideas, and fine-tune the details of our high-press soccer philosophy ahead of our inaugural MLS season."
Eastern Conference
Central Division
- FC Cincinnati 2
- Head Coach: Tyrone Marshall
- About: Marshall is a former Jamaican International and MLS great who made over 300 appearances with five different clubs while being a two-time winner of MLS Cup in 2002 & 2005 with the LA Galaxy. He is an established winner who claimed the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup title three times during his career, once with the LA Galaxy in 2005 and twice with the Seattle Sounders in 2009 & 2010.
“It’s a great opportunity to lead this team,” said Marshall. “I’ve been fortunate to grow this club from within the Academy, and now to be able to help these guys develop further and go on to higher levels with FC Cincinnati means a lot.”
- Chicago Fire FC II
- Head Coach: Ludovic Taillandier
- About: Taillandier was previously in charge of the Fire's U-19 side, leading them to a 5-0-0 record in the inaugural MLS NEXT Championship in July 2021.
”MLS NEXT Pro completes our professional pathway from academy to the first team and will provide our young players significant minutes in a professional league," said Chicago Fire FC Technical Director Sebastian Pelzer. "This furthers our investment in the best players from our academy and strengthens the bond between our Club and City."
- Columbus Crew 2
- Head Coach: Laurent Courtois
- About: Courtois holds both a USSF "A" and UEFA "A" licenses and recently managed the Crew's U-19 Academy side. Courtois's storied playing career saw him compete in England, France, Spain, and Major League Soccer with Chivas USA and the LA Galaxy.
"Laurent is someone who is not only knowledgeable of the Crew's vision and overall ambition but who also understands the importance of Crew 2 successfully completing the development pathway for players we have in our organization," said Columbus Crew President & General Manager Tim Bezbatchenko. "Laurent is the right person to coach Crew 2 as the team prepares for its inaugural season in MLS NEXT Pro and are excited to see him get to work with this staff and players."
- Inter Miami CF II
- Head Coach: Darren Powell
- About: Powell, who initially joined Inter Miami in 2020 as the director of player development, also led Fort Lauderdale CF to a fourth-place finish in USL League One in 2021 as an assistant coach.
“Really excited to transition to this new opportunity and continue to focus on the development of the impressive young talent at the Club. The work the staff is doing with Fort Lauderdale CF and our Inter Miami CF Academy is important for our development pathway here at the Club as we continue to challenge the young players of South Florida to push themselves within their soccer journey,” said Powell.
- Orlando City B
- Head Coach: Martin Perelman
- About: Perelman joins Orlando after previously being the head coach of Argentine side Club Comunicaciones where his side was crowned Champions of the Torneo Complemento de la Primera B. Perelman has playing experience in Israel, Greece, and his native Argentina.
Northeast Division
- New England Revolution II
- Head Coach: Clint Peay
- About: Peay is beginning his third season as the head coach of Revs II, an organization he is all too familiar with. In his short playing career, Peay made 48 appearances for D.C. United from 1996-2000 while also featuring in the 1996 U.S. Olympic team.
"I have known and worked closely with Clint for nearly 30 years, and there are few people in this game who I trust more when it comes to evaluating and developing rising young talent," Revolution Technical Director Curt Onalfo said. "His championship pedigree as a player, combined with his wealth of experience working with the top young players in North America, make him the ideal leader for Revolution II as we work to redefine and improve our player development system."
- New York City FC II
- Head Coach: Matt Pilkington
- About: Pilkington holds a USSF "A" license and has been with the NYCFC organization since 2016. He has coached the U-15, U-16, and U-19 squads. Every homegrown player who has been signed to the first team has been coached by Pilkington.
Pilkington said: "It's an honor to be part of this new endeavor and write the next chapter in the history of this Club. I'm passionate about helping players grow and develop, I look forward to the opportunity to do so. I think this is a really important step in the evolution of our Club, and I'm excited to use my experience to connect with players and help them achieve their goals. MLS NEXT Pro will provide a competitive and professional environment for these players to master their craft with a pathway into our First Team as the ultimate goal."
- Philadelphia Union II
- Head Coach: Marlon LeBlanc
- About: LeBlanc joined the Union organization in 2020 after previously managing the West Virginia men's program for 14 years. In two years with the Union II, six homegrown players who played under him were signed to the first team.
“Philadelphia Union II is a place where top, young talents will have a platform to show their talents and grow in a competitive and exciting environment,” said Union II head coach Marlon LeBlanc.
- Rochester New York FC
- Head Coach: Bruno Baltazar
- About: Baltazar has a storied coaching career where he's managed in England, the Philippines, Portugal, Cyprus, and Saudi Arabia. The 36-year-old was most recently an assistant manager with Nottingham Forest in the EFL Championship in England.
"As a group, we were extremely impressed with Bruno's presentation, which outlined his coaching philosophy – something that was in sync with the club's own vision and style of play." said co-owner and current Leicester City & England national team forward Jamie Vardy.
- Toronto FC II
- Head Coach: Gianni Cimini
- About: Cimini has been with the Toronto FC organization since 2012, where he has managed the U-12, U-16, and U-17 age groups. He holds a USSF "A" license.
Upon the announcement, Cimini said, “It’s a great honor to play a critical role in the continued development of these young professional athletes in the city I grew up in and for the club that I love. MLS NEXT Pro will provide a new professional platform for talent to emerge, and I look forward to using my experience in development to foster this growth and support our first team.”
Cimini also praised several young players, including Kobe Franklin; “He is coming off a fantastic 2021 season where he earned Young Defender of the Year Award in USL League One. He has technical qualities that allows the group to be fluid in possession. He continues to develop his defensive awareness and we are looking forward to him providing stability to our back line in 2022.” He also spoke highly of Julian Altobelli and Steffen Yeates, “they will look to continue their run of form from last year. Julian is a player who looks to receive passes in dangerous positions and looks to generate assists from midfield. Steffen has the capacity to cover ground and really connect the dots in midfield areas.”
