After nine years, Atlanta United has decided to show Vice President and Technical Director Carlos Bocanegra the door.
It was a move that surprised many observers, but the underperforming club decided it was time for a fresh start. President and CEO Garth Lagerwey will take over Bocanegra’s position for the rest of the season.
“We are deeply appreciative of Carlos’s dedication and success over the last nine years with Atlanta United. However, I believe it’s time for our club to move in a new direction,” said Lagerwey in a statement released this morning. “While we will continue to fight for a playoff spot down the final stretch of the season, this gives us a clean slate and a runway to properly assess all vacancies in our sporting operation ahead of what will be an extremely important offseason for our club.”
Adds team owner Arthur Blank, “I will always have great affection for Carlos and his beautiful family, and deep gratitude for the passion and dedication he brought to our club over the years. I wish him all the best in his future endeavors.”
Atlanta United is striving to keep pace in the MLS Eastern Conference, holding at #9 in the standings with 31 points accumulated so far and a 8-12-7 record. They are six points below round one of Best-of-3 Series qualification line.
The club fired head coach Gonzalo Pineda in June and sent starters Thiago Almada, Giorgos Giakoumakis, and Caleb Wiley packing over the summer. The team reportedly now has $50 million to spend thanks to these departures.