Patrick Vieira officially bid adieu to NYCFC Monday, leaving MLS to coach French club OGC Nice.
“I would like to thank City Football Group and New York City FC for the opportunity to have coached this tremendous football club,” he said in a statement. “Leaving New York is an incredibly difficult decision for me and for my family and one that has not been taken lightly.”
Vieira spent two and a half years at the helm for NYCFC, after heading the Manchester City Elite Development squad. He amassed a 39-22-22 MLS record. A former French international, Vieira earned 107 caps and won the 1998 World Cup with his national team.
NYCFC assistant and performance coaches Christian Lattanzio, Kristian Wilson, and Matt Cook are set to follow Vieira to Nice.
NYCFC announced Monday afternoon that Domènec Torrent will replace Vieira. Torrent leaves Manchester City, where he served as Pep Guardiola’s assistant, to fill the position. He had coached under Guardiola for 11 years, at Barcelona, Bayern Munich and City, winning 24 titles in that span.
“Although I have enjoyed a wonderful 11 years working alongside my colleague and close friend Pep Guardiola,” Torrent said in a team release, “it has always been my ambition to lead a team again, and I really couldn’t have hoped for a better opportunity than at this football club.”
Lodeiro responds to World Cup snub
Sounders designated player Nicolas Lodeiro’s comments on being left off Uruguay’s 23-man World Cup roster were future-focussed, and his play on the field sent a similar message.
“I’m happy to be back here,” Lodeiro told reporters through a translator after ending a 363-minute scoring drought in league play for Seattle Saturday. “Obviously I would have preferred, and my peers would have preferred, for me to be at the World Cup, but what happened, happened, and now I have to compose myself and recover and be here with my team.”
In the 57th minute of Seattle’s 2-1 win over D.C. United, Lodeiro one-timed the equalizer from the top of the box into the corner of the net.
Lodeiro not only played a role in Uruguay’s qualification for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, but he has also represented his nation in two previous World Cups.
Christian Fuchs wants to move stateside
Leicester City defender Christian Fuchs told Goal.com that he wants to continue his career in MLS.
Fuchs, who helped Leicester City to an unlikely Premier League title in 2016, has one more year on his contract with the English club. He hopes to make the move to the United states to be closer to his wife and three children in New York.
“My goal now is to make the right step and come to MLS,” Fuchs told Goal.com. “I’m trying to figure out what options are out there. I’d love to come to New York, but I don’t want to limit myself. The only limit for me is I’d prefer to be on the East Coast, because when you talk about the West Coast I’d rather stay in England since it’s the same distance as England.”
Power rankings
1. Atlanta United (Previously: 2) • Atlanta forced a draw at Yankee Stadium Saturday, as Brad Guzan made nine saves.
2. New York City FC (4) • Alexander Callens delivered in the 77th minute to give NYCFC a 1-1 draw against Atlanta, despite being the aggressor for most of the match.
3. Sporting Kansas City (7) • Tim Melia made a one-handed save to stop Fanendo Adi’s header and force a scoreless draw at Portland.
4. New York Red Bulls (1) • The Red Bulls have dropped into a three-match winless slump.
5. Los Angeles FC (5) • LAFC claimed its fifth road win of the season with a goal in the 7th minute of stoppage time.
6. Columbus Crew SC (6) • The Crew took 18 shots but only scored one in a 1-1 draw with the Red Bulls.
7. Portland Timbers (3) • The Timbers moved back above the playoff line thanks to a scoreless draw a with Sporting Kansas City.
8. FC Dallas (8) • Dallas logged its fourth straight win, shutting out a struggling Montreal team Saturday.
9. Toronto FC (9) • Jonathan Osorio’s brace propelled Toronto over Philadelphia.
10. Houston (10) • Houston handed the Rapids their eighth straight loss.