GOAL takes a look at three managers whose seats are heating up in the second half of the MLS campaign
D.C. United's Troy Lesense in the latest to get caught up in the MLS coaching carousel, with the former RBNY assistant fired after the team's elimination from the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup last week. He joined Sporting Kansas City manager Peter Vermes, CF Montreal coach Laurent Courtois, and St. Louis CITY manager Olof Mellberg among the coaches dismissed this season.
There is little margin for error as the second half of the campaign begins, with each Conference race heating up.
Eric Quill, the first-year head coach with FC Dallas, has looked somewhat out of his depth in recent weeks, and heading into Matchday 25, FCD sit 13th in the standings and eight points outside a guaranteed playoff spot in the West.
New England Revolution boss Caleb Porter and Atlanta United manager Ronny Deila have both had underwhelming stretches, and both will be under pressure considering how competitive the East is this season.
GOAL takes a look at MLS coaches on the hot seat.
Get the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games nowGetty Images SportEric Quill: FC Dallas
Quill, in his first year at FCD after joining from USL side New Mexico United, has faced mounting concerns this season. Injuries haven't been kind to his roster at times, and some key players have missed minutes. But as it stands, FCD isn't seen as a threat by their Western Conference competitors.
In 21 matches, they've only taken 21 points and sit 13th in the West. They have the second-worst goal differential in the conference at minus-12, with just 23 goals and 35 conceded. Notably, they're the worst-performing home team in the West this year so far.
They only have one home win on the season, taking five points from a possible 30, with a mark of 1-7-2. Mellberg, who was fired by CITY earlier this season, was also a first-year manager in MLS – and was removed just months into his new role. Things must turn around for Dallas if Quill hopes to escape that fate.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportRonny Deila: Atlanta United
Deila, a former MLS Cup winner with NYCFC, was expected to take Atlanta United to new heights in 2025 after the club spent big this offseason – that included MLS-record signing Emmanuel Latte Lath from Middlesbrough and club legend Miguel Almiron from Newcastle United.
The duo joined as Designated Players alongside a former Europa League winner from Atalanta in Alexey Miranchuk. The trio – arguably the most star-studded DP group outside of Inter Miami's ex-Barcelona group of Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba, and Sergio Busquets – cost the nearly $50M. With that, expectations were enormous.
Fast forward to the season's mid-point, and Atlanta is on just 19 points through 21 games and has yet to win a single road match. They're 12th in the Eastern Conference, 12 points back from a guaranteed playoff spot, and 25th in the race for the Supporters' Shield.
Seemingly everything has gone wrong for Deila this season, from struggling to figure out his tactical setup to individual defensive errors plaguing his squad. As it stands, Atlanta – the league's highest-spending team in 2025 – is going to miss out on the postseason by a wide margin.
Getty Images SportCaleb Porter: New England Revolution
It's been a familiar theme over the past 18 months: Caleb Porter on the hot seat in New England.
He managed to last the entire 2024 campaign. The club turned over their roster in the offseason, and things looked to be trending positive through the first 15 weeks – including a stretch in which they won five straight across all competitions.
Since that stretch, however, the Revs have played 12 matches and they've won just once – that came against CF Montreal, who were in last place in the East at the time. They're winless in six at the moment, and things are not looking good for the club.
The positive spin is that are in the thick of the playoff race. Just four points separate the Revolution from ninth-place Charlotte, and six from the final guaranteed playoff spot in the East.
For Porter and the Revs, qualification for the playoffs is the bare minimum.
USA Today ImagesOthers to watch
+ Ben Olsen and the Houston Dynamo missed the playoffs from 2018 through 2022, made the Conference semifinals in 2023, and exited the 2024 version in the opening round. However, they have stagnated in 2025. As it stands, they're competing for a play-in spot, and are hoping to climb into a guaranteed postseason position.
+ Pablo Mastroeni has an important transfer window ahead of him for Real Salt Lake. It's make or break for a club that is in desperate need of reinforcements. Factor in that there there is European interest in Diego Luna, and the window becomes even more important. If Mastroeni and the RSL front office can't bolster their roster ahead of a playoff push, things could take a turn for the worse.
