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Jeff Carlisle, U.S. soccer correspondentSep 4, 2024, 12:02 PM ET
- Jeff Carlisle covers MLS and the U.S. national team for ESPN FC.
Atlanta United FC vice president and technical director Carlos Bocanegra has been removed from his post, effective immediately, the team said on Wednesday.
Team president and CEO Garth Lagerwey, who has team-building experience having served as GM at Real Salt Lake and the Seattle Sounders, will take over Bocanegra’s duties.
Starting in 2015, Bocanegra was part of the executive team — a group that eventually included president Darren Eales, VP of soccer operations Paul McDonough and former manager Gerardo Martino — that helped get Atlanta off to a blazing start in MLS, with the Five Stripes claiming the 2018 MLS Cup title.
That was one of three trophies the organization won in its first three years of existence.
But the ensuing years proved more difficult, with Bocanegra spearheading a player-recruitment strategy that included some high-priced players who fell well short of expectations, including Ezequiel Barco and Santiago Sosa. This coincided with a period in which Atlanta failed to reach the postseason in two of the last four seasons.
Carlos Bocanegra helped Atlanta United win the 2018 MLS Cup. Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images
There was also an expectation that Lagerwey, who joined the club in 2022, would eventually make his own pick to fill that role.
“We are deeply appreciative of Carlos’ dedication and success over the last nine years with Atlanta United,” Lagerwey said in a statement from the club.
“However, I believe it’s time for our club to move in a new direction. While we will continue to fight for a playoff spot down the final stretch of the season, this gives us a clean slate and a runway to properly assess all vacancies in our sporting operation ahead of what will be an extremely important offseason for our club.”
