The 2023 MLS season has involved seven head coach changes – split across five Eastern Conference clubs and two Western Conference clubs.
This running tracker, sorted in chronological order, will be updated as warranted in the months ahead.
- Departing coach: Bruce Arena (Sept. 9)
- Interim coach: Clint Peay
- Incoming coach: TBA
Bruce Arena resigned as New England Revolution head coach and sporting director after Matchday 31. The decision followed how Arena, on July 30, was placed on administrative leave pending a review into allegations he made insensitive and inappropriate remarks.
Arena, who joined New England midway through 2019, memorably led their 2021 squad to the MLS single-season points record (73) and a Supporters' Shield title. He is the all-time winningest coach in league history, highlighted by five MLS Cups across previous stints with the LA Galaxy and D.C. United.
With Arena out and New England sitting third in the Eastern Conference standings, the Revs were temporarily led by interim head coach Richie Williams (part of Arena's staff). Four days after Williams was formally appointed, Clint Peay was elevated from MLS NEXT Pro side Revolution II to first-team interim coach.
- Departing coach: Robin Fraser (Sept. 5)
- Interim coach: Chris Little
- Incoming coach: TBA
Coming off Matchday 30, the Rapids parted ways with head coach Robin Fraser – ending a four-year stretch for him in Colorado. Chris Little, who was an assistant on Fraser’s staff, was named interim head coach until the club appoints a permanent successor.
Colorado were MLS’s last-place team (19 points; 3W-13L-10D record), sitting bottom of the Western Conference table with eight games to go. They boasted a league-low 16 goals scored and were on pace for a second straight Audi MLS Cup Playoffs miss.
A new hire is expected in the buildup to 2024, when Colorado try to recapture their 2021 heights.
- Departing coach: Giovanni Savarese (Aug. 21)
- Interim coach: Miles Joseph
- Incoming coach: TBA
The Portland Timbers parted ways with head coach Giovanni Savarese after Matchday 27 and installed assistant coach Miles Joseph as interim head coach for the remainder of the 2023 season. The change came with Portland sitting 12th in the Western Conference table with 10 games to go, five points off the Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs pace.
Savarese led the Timbers since the 2018 MLS season, compiling a 74W-62L-47D record in five-plus years at the helm. His tenure was highlighted by two MLS Cup appearances (2018, '21), as well as the MLS is Back Tournament title in 2020.
Long-term, general manager Ned Grabavoy said the Timbers will "begin our process to identify who will help lead our team in the years ahead."
- Departing coach: Phil Neville (June 1)
- Interim coach: Javier Morales
- Incoming coach: Tata Martino (June 28)
Inter Miami CF parted ways with head coach Phil Neville after Matchday 16, all as the club sat last (15th place) in the Eastern Conference table. Neville originally joined Miami ahead of the 2021 campaign, their second-ever MLS season. The Englishman compiled a 36W-43L-11D record across all competitions, only reaching the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs in 2022.
Javier Morales, a legendary MLS No. 10 during his Real Salt Lake days, took over Inter Miami on an interim basis after being an assistant on Neville's staff and working with their academy teams.
Miami formally hired Neville's replacement four weeks later, naming ex-Atlanta United boss Gerardo “Tata” Martino their new head coach. The Argentine, who reunited with Lionel Messi from their FC Barcelona and Argentina days, was available after leading Mexico at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Martino won MLS Cup 2018 at Atlanta.
- Departing coach: Bob Bradley (June 26)
- Interim coach: Terry Dunfield
- Incoming coach: John Herdman (Aug. 28)
Toronto FC parted ways with head coach and sporting director Bob Bradley after Matchday 21, hitting reset on their project that began when the US coaching legend joined ahead of the 2022 campaign. Bradley assembled a 14W-26L-19D record at the club and couldn't reclaim the Reds' glory days while revamping their roster, a strategy spearheaded by acquiring Italian national team forwards Lorenzo Insigne and Federico Bernardeschi as Designated Players last summer.
Former MLS midfielder Terry Dunfield was appointed interim head coach after leading the club’s U-17 academy team, hoping to salvage 2023. Then, effective Oct. 1, Toronto appointed John Herdman after he left the Canadian men's national team.
With Bradley holding dual responsibilities at TFC, the club also promoted longtime MLS defender Jason Hernandez from assistant general manager to general manager in a reshuffling of their front office.
- Departing coach: Ezra Hendrickson (May 8)
- Interim coach: N/A
- Incoming coach: Frank Klopas
The second coaching change of the 2023 MLS season arrived hours after the first, as Chicago Fire FC parted ways with head coach Ezra Hendrickson after Matchday 11. The club was 14th in the Eastern Conference table (second from last) with 10 points from a 2W-3L-5D record.
Rather than installing an interim coach, Chicago gave the reins to club icon Frank Klopas (an assistant under Hendrickson) for the remainder of the 2023 season. Klopas was previously Chicago’s head coach from 2011-13, plus held a brief interim stint at the end of 2021.
Hendrickson took over the Fire before the 2022 campaign and amassed a 13W-19L-14D record across all competitions, unable to steer a postseason return. Before joining the Fire, the former MLS defender developed a reputation as one of the league’s top assistant coaches during his time at Seattle Sounders FC, LA Galaxy and Columbus Crew.
- Departing coach: Gerhard Struber (May 8)
- Interim coach: N/A
- Incoming coach: Troy Lesesne
The New York Red Bulls and head coach Gerhard Struber mutually parted ways on May 8. The change arrived with New York sitting last in the Eastern Conference table with a 1W-4L-6D record and seven goals scored (second-worst in MLS), hoping to keep alive their co-league-leading streak of 13 straight Audi MLS Cup Playoffs trips.
In the same announcement, the Red Bulls named Troy Lesesne as head coach through the end of the 2023 MLS season – skipping an interim role. Lesesne joined the club as an assistant coach in January 2022. The former USL Championship Coach of the Year previously served as head coach and technical director of New Mexico United.
Struber initially joined RBNY in late 2020 from English Championship side Barnsley, succeeding Chris Armas. The Austrian coach ultimately went 33W-31L-23D across all competitions.
