VANCOUVER – Marc Dos Santos is out as head coach of the Vancouver Whitecaps, and sporting director Axel Schuster believes the transfer could possibly be the turmoil the membership wants as they battle for a playoff place.
“I’m satisfied that it could possibly be simply the fitting second for the wake-up name to return and in addition think about the little issues that aren’t good for us,” mentioned Schuster on Friday in a video name crew introduced that Dos Santos was fired.
“We determined this morning that this undertaking wants one other enhance, that this undertaking wants some new life.”
Phil Dos Santos, Marc’s brother and assistant coach on the membership, was additionally relieved of his duties.
Whitecap’s methodology director Vanni Sartini will lead the crew as performing head coach. Assistant coach Ricardo Clark and goalkeeping coach Youssef Dahha will stay of their posts, the crew introduced.
Sartini mentioned he had developed a friendship with the Dos Santos brothers because the trio arrived in Vancouver in 2018.
“I understand how a lot you labored and the way a lot power you place into the membership and the crew,” he mentioned.
The information of regime change got here after the Whitecaps (5-7: 8) suffered a 4-3 loss to Pacific FC of the Canadian Premier League on Thursday and have been eradicated from the Canadian championship for the second time beneath the management of Dos Santos.
The Whitecaps have been on the backside of the Main League Soccer Western Convention earlier this season after dropping 5 video games in a row, however have lately recovered and are operating an eight-game straight run within the MLS. The membership was three factors forward of a playoff spot on Friday.
Dos Santos’ sacking wasn’t nearly the results of Thursday’s sport, Schuster mentioned, noting that he had lately spoken to the teaching employees about what must be modified.
“We’re doing properly right here when it comes to outcomes, however we may presumably be even higher,” he mentioned.
“Nor do I wish to await the outcomes to repeat what we see on the pitch or seen in a number of video games on the pitch.”
One space the place the crew wants to enhance is protection, mentioned Schuster.
The Whitecaps have conceded the third most objectives (30) within the Western Convention this season and common goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau has made 50 saves in simply 15 video games.
“I feel we now have the talents, we’ve the standard to attain objectives,” mentioned Schuster. “If we maintain conceding objectives like we conceded objectives, we’ll all the time be in bother.”
Followers should not count on any huge adjustments on the sphere on Sunday, nonetheless, when the Whitecaps host Actual Salt Lake at BC Place.
Sartini mentioned he did not plan to do something “loopy or in any other case” for the sport as a result of the crew was getting outcomes. The interim coach mentioned if adjustments are made they are going to come subsequent week.
The Whitecaps completed three factors beneath the playoff bar final yr with a 9-14-0 report, lacking the postseason for the third straight yr.
Reaching the playoffs this yr is vital, mentioned Schuster.
Whether or not the Dos Santos capturing will distract from that aim stays to be seen, he added.
“We’ll discover out later,” mentioned the sports activities director. “Once more, it is a wake-up name to make everybody within the locker room conscious that we’ve to do higher than previously few weeks.”
Dos Santos, 44, was with Vancouver for the ultimate yr of his contract. He took over as coach in November 2018 after spending a yr as an assistant at upstart Los Angeles FC.
The Montreal-born coach repeatedly mentioned the results of the COVID-19 pandemic have been tough for the Whitecaps, who have been compelled to give up the 2020 marketing campaign from Portland and began taking part in house video games in Sandy, Utah this yr.
Life exterior of his household has taken a private toll, Dos Santos mentioned.
“It’s not simple. It’s not simple for the crew, it’s not simple for the gamers,” he mentioned. “And naturally it’s simpler if you win rather a lot, however if you happen to do not, it’s after all much more tough.”
Regardless of the membership’s poor report earlier this yr, Dos Santos mentioned he didn’t really feel beneath any strain. He claimed that there could be actual strain if he could not feed his household or if he had most cancers or a mind tumor.
“The strain to get fired? It is a part of each coach’s journey, you recognize? In reality, it is essential {that a} coach get fired alongside the way in which, ”he mentioned on June 24, the day after Vancouver misplaced a 2-1 win to LA Galaxy for his or her fifth straight defeat.
“I’ve by no means been fired in my life. I feel it is an essential step in your manner as a coach to develop. So I do not really feel any strain, simply frustration. “
Previous to becoming a member of MLS, Dos Santos labored for the San Francisco Deltas of the North American Soccer League, the place he was named Supervisor of the 12 months in 2017. In 2015, he additionally led the Ottawa Fury to the NASL finals, his second and closing yr with the roster.
Weeks earlier than Dos Santos took over the Caps roster, gamers and the crew’s common supervisor mentioned the group suffered from a “shared” dressing room – a problem that worsened after coach Carl Robinson and his employees have been sacked mid-season.
The twin Canadian-Portuguese citizen mentioned he knew he was arriving at a “tough second” for the membership and admitted that it might not be simple to make change and forge a brand new identification.
“It is not a PowerPoint presentation for the gamers or a motivational speaker or Harry Potter with a wand and now we’ve tradition. It occurs day-after-day, day-after-day, ”he instructed reporters at his first press convention because the Whitecaps head coach.
The Whitecaps ended the 2019 season on a dismal 8-16-10 report and have been ousted from the Canadian Championship after they dropped a 2-1 determination towards CPL’s Cavalry FC.
Followers hoping to see a makeover behind the ‘Caps’ financial institution this season could also be disillusioned. Schuster mentioned he was in no rush to discover a alternative and that he had no particular candidates in thoughts.
“We by no means wish to rent the primary one. We wish to rent the fitting individuals, ”he mentioned.
This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed on August 27, 2021.
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