ST. LOUIS — Less than a year after being named a coach of the year finalist, St. Louis CITY SC has parted ways with head coach Bradley Carnell, the team announced Monday.
The team said Technical Director John Hackworth will manage the team on an interim basis while the team searches for a new head coach.
CITY has struggled to follow up on the success of its first season. After failing to hold on to a two-goal lead on Saturday in Vancouver, the team fell to 3-7-10 on the season. They are in 12th place in the 14-team Western Conference and nine points out of the final playoff spot.
In a press conference Monday afternoon, CITY SC Sporting Director Lutz Pfannenstiel said Carnell would not have been fired if the team had won on Saturday.
“Given Bradley’s many contributions to the club, this was not an easy decision,” CITY SC Sporting Director Lutz Pfannenstiel said in a press release announcing the move. “Unfortunately, based on our Year 2 results to date, we believe a coaching change is in the best interest of the club as we regroup and look to improve both our performance and our results.”
Carnell was a finalist for the Sigi Schmid Coach of the Year award after leading the team to a first-place finish in the Western Conference in its inaugural season. They lost in the first round of the playoffs to rival Kansas City.
The team announced a contract extension for Carnell before the start of the 2024 season, but the terms of the deal were not disclosed.
According to the press release, Hackwork has nearly 30 years of coaching experience across multiple levels, including as Philadelphia Union head coach from 2012 to 2014 and multiple stints as an assistant coach with the U.S. Men's National Team.
In a press conference Monday afternoon, Pfannenstiel said they are planning to continue with the team's pressing playing style that saw historic success in the team's inaugural season. He said he expects to have a new coach in place by the end of the season.
CITY SC President and GM Diego Gigliani said in the press conference that team leadership is still hopeful that the team can turn things around and make the playoffs.
It will be a quick turnaround for CITY, who will host the San Jose Earthquakes on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. San Jose has the worst record in MLS.