Ex-USWNT’s Andonovski named new KC coach

Former U.S. women’s national team manager Vlatko Andonovski is the new manager and sporting director of NWSL side the Kansas City Current, the club announced on Monday.

Kansas City had been without a permanent manager since April 19, when it fired Matt Potter. The team had been managed on an interim basis by Caroline Sjoblom, with the team failing to make the NWSL playoffs after finishing in 11th place out of 12 teams. The season of struggle comes just one year after the Current reached the NWSL final, losing to the Portland Thorns, 2-0.

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“We are thrilled to welcome Vlatko to the Current,” said Kansas City Current co-owners Angie Long and Chris Long. “We talk all the time about our desire to be the best women’s football club in the world, with Vlatko that brings us one step closer to that goal. His football acumen and his penchant for developing talent will keep this team competitive on the world stage and make Kansas City a destination club for players across the world.”

A native of Skopje in what is now North Macedonia, Andonovski, 47, returns to the same city where he previously won consecutive NWSL titles in 2014 and 2015 with the side then known as FC Kansas City. The team was effectively relocated to Utah for three seasons before returning to Kansas City as an expansion team ahead of the 2021 season, in which it inherited Utah’s players.

Andonovski will get plenty of financial support this time around. Owners Chris and Angie Long as well as Brittany and Patrick Mahomes have made a considerable investment in the club, spending $15 million on the team’s training center that opened in June of 2022, as well as $120m on CPKC Stadium which is set to be completed in 2024.

“Kansas City is home, and always will be,” said Andonovski. “This club is very ambitious, and they have an ownership group willing to do what it takes to meet their goals. I am grateful to Angie, Chris, Brittany and Patrick for this opportunity to lead my hometown team. The fans here have always been passionate, and it has been so exciting to see them grow and make Kansas City one of the best atmospheres in the NWSL, and it will only get better in the new stadium.”

The appointment is the first for Andonovski since he resigned as manager of the USWNT last August. His resignation came the wake of the team’s round of 16 exit at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, the worst finish at a major tournament in the program’s history. While Andonovski’s record with the U.S. was 51-5-9, his record in major tournaments was just 3-2-5 (games decided by penalties are officially recorded as draws).

Andonovski’s previous managerial experience came at club level, both indoors with the Missouri Comets, FC Kansas City and Reign FC (now OL Reign) in the NWSL.