D.C. United Set to Hire Troy Lesense as Head Coach
D.C. United is on the verge of finalizing a deal to appoint Troy Lesense as their next head coach, according to sources familiar with the negotiations. Lesense, who previously served as the head coach of the New York Red Bulls, is expected to bring his expertise and leadership to the team.
Lesense took over as head coach of the Red Bulls in May 2023, after being promoted from his role as an assistant. Under his guidance, the Red Bulls secured a record-breaking 14th consecutive postseason appearance, finishing with a respectable 10 wins, 9 losses, and 4 draws. However, the Red Bulls decided not to renew his contract for the upcoming season.
D.C. United considered several candidates for the position, including Dome Torrent, former head coach of NYCFC, and Hugo Perez, former manager of El Salvador. However, negotiations with Torrent fell through due to salary disagreements.
One of Lesense’s notable achievements with the Red Bulls was rebuilding a fractured locker room and earning the respect of his players. He implemented a high-pressing, transition style of play that aligned with the global Red Bull philosophy.
The appointment of Lesense is a significant move by newly appointed general manager Ally Mackay, who has been tasked with rebuilding the club. Already, thirteen players have departed from the 2023 roster. Wayne Rooney, the previous head coach, failed to lead D.C. United to the playoffs in 2023, finishing 12th in the Eastern Conference with 40 points.
In other coaching news, Rooney recently left D.C. United to take charge of Birmingham City but was subsequently fired after just 15 games in charge.
D.C. United’s current squad is led by forward Christian Benteke and midfielder Mateusz Klich. The team has also made notable acquisitions, including Brazilian youth international Gabriel Pirani, who joined the club permanently after initially being on loan last summer. Additionally, D.C. United acquired right back Aaron Herrera from CF Montréal and traded for Garrison Tubbs from the Atlanta United academy.
Prior to joining the Red Bulls as an assistant in 2022, Lesense served as the head coach of New Mexico United from 2018 to 2021. His impressive performance earned him the title of USL Championship co-coach of the year in 2020.
With Lesense at the helm, D.C. United hopes to revitalize their team and make a strong comeback in the upcoming season.