Mayra Madrigal
Charlotte FC’s performance so far in its inaugural season in Major League Soccer has been inconsistent, posting five wins, one draw and eight losses in 14 games. The arrival of Spanish strategist Miguel Angel Ramirez to the team was meant to pave the way for the formation of a solid project, but it appears that the North Carolina team’s owner, David Tepper, was impatient and opted to sever the ties.
Miguel Ángel Ramírez was removed from his post after the 2-1 loss against the Seattle Sounders, in a match corresponding to Week 14 of the 2022 season.
However, there are no details that warrant the Spaniard’s removal. We can assume that the fact that the team was eliminated from the US Open Cup in the middle of the week after losing 3-1 to the New York Red Bulls, as well as the weekend’s loss to the Sounders, were sufficient grounds for dismissal.
The news was released through a statement issued by the owner of the franchise.
“This is a difficult decision, but we believe it is in the best interest of the team at this time. I want to thank Miguel and his coaching staff for their hard work during our first season and wish them well in their future endeavours.”
Who will be Miguel Ángel Ramírez’s replacement on the Charlotte bench?
Assistant coach Christian Lattanzio will serve as interim coach for the remainder of the 2022 season. Additionally, the assistant coach Mikel Antia, the head physical trainer Cristóbal Fuentes Nieto and the first team video analyst Luis Piedrahita were also fired.
Goalkeeping coach Andy Quy will remain in the team next to Lattanzio. Sports director Zoran Krneta also thanked Miguel Ángel Ramírez:
“We appreciate the contributions of Miguel and his staff to our Club, and we wish them the best in their careers.”
On the other hand, Krneta said that they are excited about the idea of Lattanzio being the one to stay on the bench:
“We are excited about this opportunity for Christian. He is a very experienced coach who has had a tremendous impact on our team this season.”
The Italian-born strategist already has a career in MLS: between 2016 and 2018 he was an assistant for New York City FC. The first test for the interim coach, Christian Lattanzio, will be next June 10 against the New York Red Bulls in Week 15 of the MLS.
Charlotte FC fans, for one, were not pleased with the team’s social media choice, given that Miguel Ángel Ramírez had a decent performance throughout his debut season in Major League Soccer. In this way, they protested by using memes in response to the team’s announcement.
Only time will tell if this was the right decision for the future of Charlotte FC.
