FC Dallas General Manager Michael Hitchcock announced today that the contract of Head Coach Colin Clarke, who had been the club's head coach since the end of the 2003 season, will not be renewed when it expires at the end of the month. Current assistant coach Steve Morrow will serve as the team's Interim Head Coach and will oversee personnel decisions in conjunction with Hitchcock while the world-wide search for the fourth head coach in FC Dallas team history is conducted, a process that will begin immediately.
"This was not an easy decision to make," said Hitchcock. "I felt we had a great season this year both on and off the field, however, we did not reach our ultimate goal, which is to win a championship for our fans. We have a great mixture of young, exciting players and experienced veterans and I felt that a change is necessary to reach our potential. I want to thank Colin for all his hard work and dedication during his six seasons with the club and wish him and his family all the best in the future."
Clarke came to Dallas in March 2001 as an assistant coach under then-head coach Mike Jeffries. He was named the Interim Head Coach on Sept. 15, 2003 and posted a 2-3-1 record in the final six games of that season. On December 4, 2003, Clarke officially became the team's third head coach and in three plus seasons posted a record of 41-39-20 during regular season play. In July 2005, Clarke and his staff coached the MLS All-Star team to a 4-1 victory over Fulham in the Sierra Mist MLS All-Star game. Clarke also led FC Dallas to the MLS Cup playoffs in each of the last two seasons.
Of the 28 players on FC Dallas' roster at the end of the 2006 season, defender Bobby Rhine was the only one that was acquired before Clarke became a member of the coaching staff in 2001. Jeff Cassar, Chris Gbandi, and Ronnie O'Brien each joined the team while Clarke was an assistant coach while the other 24 players were acquired with Clarke at the helm.
FC Dallas achieved many milestones during the 2006 regular season in posting a record of 16-12-4 (52 points): The 16 wins led MLS and equaled the most wins in regulation in team history; the 52 points were a team single-season record; the 12 home wins and 37 points earned at home led MLS; and the team finished in first place of its conference for the first time in team history, having held on to first place for all but four days during the regular season.
DALLAS COACHING HISTORY
-------- Regular Season ----- -------Playoffs -------
Year Coach W L T OT ShO PTS W L T OT ShO 1996 Dave Dir 17 15 0 0-0-0 5-3 41 1 2 0 0-0-0 0-1 1997 Dave Dir 16 16 0 0-0-0 3-2 42 2 2 0 0-0-0 1-0 1998 Dave Dir 15 17 0 0-0-0 4-2 37 0 2 0 0-0-0 0-0 1999 Dave Dir 19 13 0 0-0-0 3-6 51 3 3 0 0-0-0 1-0 2000 Dave Dir 14 14 4 0-0-4 0-0 46 0 2 0 0-1-0 0-0 2001 Mike Jeffries 10 11 5 2-1-5 0-0 35 0 2 1 0-0-1 0-0 2002 Mike Jeffries 12 9 7 3-0-7 0-0 43 1 1 1 0-0-1 0-0 2003 Mike Jeffries 4 16 4 0-1-4 0-0 16 0 0 0 0-0-0 0-0 Colin Clarke 2 3 1 0-0-1 0-0 7 0 0 0 0-0-0 0-0 2004 Colin Clarke 10 14 6 0-0-0 0-0 36 0 0 0 0-0-0 0-0 2005 Colin Clarke 13 10 9 0-0-0 0-0 48 0 1 1 0-1-0 0-0 2006 Colin Clarke 16 12 4 0-0-0 0-0 52 1 1 0 0-1-0 0-0 TOTALS 148 150 40 5-2-21 15-13 454 8 16 3 0-2-2 2-1
