Minnesota United part ways with head coach Adrian Heath

Field Level Media|published: Fri 6th October, 11:45 2023

Sep 16, 2023; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota United head coach Adrian Heath speaks to media following a loss to Sporting Kansas City at Allianz Field. credits: Matt Blewett-USA TODAY Sports

Minnesota United FC fired long-time head coach Adrian Heath and technical director Mark Watson on Friday.

Assistant coach Sean McCauley will serve as interim head coach for the final two matches of the regular season.

Heath and Watson had been with the MLS club since its inaugural 2017 campaign, leading Minnesota United to the playoffs in each of the past four seasons.

"We are grateful to Adrian for his dedication to our club and for all that we have accomplished over the last seven seasons. This was a difficult decision, but we believe that the time is right to move in a new direction," MNUFC CEO Shari Ballard said in a news release.

"Whenever a club decides to make a coaching change, there is a tendency to focus only on the end of that coach's tenure; however, the conclusion of Adrian's time with MNUFC should not diminish his significant contributions to our club. His passion and hard work have been enormously impactful, and we thank him for all that he has done for MNUFC and for our community."

Minnesota (9-12-11, 38 points) is in 12th place in the 14-team Western Conference, tied with two other teams who are three points behind FC Dallas for the ninth and final playoff spot.

Heath, 62, led Minnesota United to a runner-up finish at the 2019 U.S. Open Cup. His teams fell in the first round of the MLS Cup playoffs in 2019, 2021 and 2022. MNUFC lost 3-2 to the Seattle Sounders in the semifinals in 2020.

He compiled a 91-101-56 record in all competitions.

Watson, 53, originally joined Minnesota as an assistant coach in 2017.

Assistant coach Ian Fuller and goalkeeping coach Stewart Kerr will remain in their current roles.

—Field Level Media