Atlanta United name Ronny Delia as new head coach

Field Level Media|published: Fri 20th December, 13:47 2024

Oct 20, 2021; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; New York City FC head coach Ronny Delia walks off the field after a draw against Atlanta United at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Atlanta United tabbed former New York City FC head coach Ronny Deila as their new bench boss on Friday.

Deila, 49, won the MLS Cup with NYCFC in 2021 before leaving the league in favor of Belgian outfit Standard Liege. He most recently managed UAE side Al Wahda.

Deila will replace Gonzalo Pineda, who was fired on June 3 after the team's home winless streak reached five matches. The Five Stripes, however, rebounded and advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinal last month before dropping a 1-0 decision to Orlando City.

"We're thrilled to welcome Ronny as the new head coach of Atlanta United," club president and CEO Garth Lagerwey said. "He has a proven track record of winning in multiple leagues around the world, including the 2021 MLS Cup with NYCFC, and his knowledge of MLS was a key factor in our search.

"We believe his style of play aligns with the club's philosophy as we look to build a team that will compete for trophies consistently."

Deila posted a 46-29-15 record in all competitions with NYCFC and reached the 2022 Concacaf Champions Cup semifinals.

"I want to thank (owner) Arthur M. Blank and Garth Lagerwey for this opportunity and couldn't be more excited to join Atlanta United," Deila said. "This is a club with great ownership, excellent facilities and the ambition to succeed and continue to drive the league forward.

"I'm happy to return to MLS, a competitive league that I enjoy, and I'm eager to arrive and get to work with our group of players."

--Field Level Media

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