Nine coaching changes during 2018 season is MLS record

Oscar Pareja crouching - March 2018

In 2017, a record was set for the most coaching changes during an MLS season at five. 


A year later, that record was broken as Carl Robinson became the sixth MLS coach to leave his post during the 2018 campaign when he was dismissed by the Vancouver Whitecaps two months ago. Now, that record has been extended further after Gerardo "Tata" Martino confirmed he would move on from Atlanta United after the season as well as news in November that Oscar Pareja and FC Dallasmutually agreed to part ways. Gregg Berhalter became the ninth coaching change in MLS this season when he left Columbus Crew SC to take over the US men's national team job.


Prior to Robinson’s exit, there were two other Western Conference head coach departures in September — Sigi Schmid at the LA Galaxy and Mikael Stahre at the San Jose Earthquakes.


Earlier in the season, struggling Orlando City SC parted ways with Jason Kreis. And New York City FC's Patrick Vieira and the New York Red Bulls’ Jesse Marsch both left the Big Apple on their own accord for jobs in Europe.


Here's a rundown of the most coaching exits in a season before the 2018 record was set:


2017


Jay Heaps (New England Revolution)
Pablo Mastroeni (Colorado Rapids)
Dominic Kinnear (San Jose Earthquakes)
Curt Onalfo (LA Galaxy)
Jeff Cassar (Real Salt Lake)

1999


Ron Newman (Kansas City)
Octavio Zambrano (LA Galaxy)
Walter Zenga (New England)
Brian Quinn (San Jose)

1998


Carlos Cordoba (Miami Fusion)
Thomas Rongen (New England)
Alfonso Mondelo (MetroStars)
John Kowalski (Tampa Bay Mutiny)