The 2024 Major League Soccer regular season is nearing its conclusion with teams gearing up for the postseason while others could look to make a change on the touchline.
Teams like Inter Miami, FC Cincinnati and Columbus Crew are solid on the coaching front. Miami lifted Leagues Cup last year and look certain to take home the Supporters' Shield, Columbus is aiming for a second consecutive MLS Cup and Cincinnati is one season removed from winning the 2023 Supporters' Shield.
However, there are still teams near the bottom of both the Western and Eastern Conference that have failed to meet expectations. With the final stretch of the season upcoming, a handful of current MLS coaches could be shown the exit door depending on how the rest of the campaign shakes out.
4. Jim Curtin - Philadelphia Union
Jim Curtin has instilled consistency in Philadelphia Union ever since he took over in June 2014. The Union have become playoff regulars and was a penalty shootout victory away from being crowned MLS Cup champions in 2022.
Curtin has been in charge a little too long to only have one Supporters' Shield to his name, the 2020 MLS is Back season that was shortened because of COVID-19. Sticking with Curtin wouldn't be a bad idea by any means, but the Union could benefit from a fresh start at Subaru Park with the team sat 11th in the Eastern Conference.
3. Frank Klopas - Chicago Fire
Chicago Fire opted to relieve then-head coach Ezra Hendrickson of his duties naming Frank Klopas as the interim boss early in the 2023 MLS season. Fast forward to December of last year and the Fire moved to appoint Klopas as the team's new head coach.
Klopas, who helped the Fire to MLS Cup glory in its inaugural 1998 campaign, is a Chicago legend, but his interim stint proved that it simply wasn't going to work at Soldier Field. The Fire already tried the Klopas coaching experiment over a decade ago and the second stint hasn't exactly worked out with the team on course for another bottom of the barrel finish.
2. Peter Vermes - Sporting Kansas City
Peter Vermes has been in charge at Sporting Kansas City since November 2009 and has delivered one MLS Cup along with three US Open Cups. Vermes has proven to be a great motivator after turning around SKC's terrible start in 2023, but that hasn't been the case this season.
Sporting KC is feeling the effects of a rough stretch early on in the season and with the team in 12th place in the Western Conference, a change could be coming in Kansas City this offseason for the first time in well over a decade.
1. Josh Wolff - Austin FC
Josh Wolff's seat at Q2 Stadium just might be one of the hottest in all of professional sports in North America. Wolff has been Austin FC's head coach since its debut campaign in 2021 and has guided the team to the playoffs just once in three seasons.
Austin is still alive in the hunt for a playoff spot in the final stretch of the season. Should Austin miss out, Wolff could find himself looking for another job in November.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as MLS Coaches on the Hot Seat as Regular Season Nears Conclusion.
