St. Louis CITY SC has announced the departure of their head coach, Bradley Carnell. The club's Technical Director, John Hackworth, will take over as interim head coach while CITY SC begins their search for a new coach.

CARNELL'S IMPACT AND HISTORIC FIRST SEASON

Carnell was hired as the first manager of St. Louis CITY SC in January 2022. Under his leadership, the team had a successful inaugural campaign, finishing as the 2023 Western Conference Regular-Season champions with a record of 17-12-3. This achievement made them the first expansion team to win a conference regular-season title and record 17 wins in the post-shootout era.

SOPHOMORE STRUGGLES LEAD TO DECISION

However, in their second season, CITY SC has found it difficult to replicate their earlier success. With a current record of 3-7-10 and an average of 0.95 points per game, the team sits 26th in the Supporters Shield standings. After evaluating the performance of the team in their second year, the club has decided that a coaching change is necessary to improve both their performance on the field and their overall results.

STATEMENTS FROM CLUB OFFICIALS

CITY SC Sporting Director, Lutz Pfannenstiel, acknowledged Carnell's contributions to the club and explained that the decision was not an easy one given his many contributions. However, based on the team's underwhelming results in their second season, the club believes that a coaching change is in the best interest of the team as they regroup and seek improvement.

CITY SC President and GM, Diego Gigliani, expressed gratitude towards Carnell for his time with the club and highlighted his integral role in the team's success during their historic first campaign. Gigliani also extended best wishes to Carnell, his wife Claudia, and their family as they move forward.

INTERIM HEAD COACH JOHN HACKWORTH

Effective immediately, John Hackworth, a long-time member of the U.S. soccer ecosystem, will assume the role of interim head coach for St. Louis CITY SC. Hackworth brings nearly 30 years of coaching experience to the team, including assistant coaching assignments with the U.S. Men's National Team, as well as head coaching positions with the Philadelphia Union and the USL's Louisville CITY FC, where he led the team to the 2018 USL championship.

NEXT MATCH AGAINST SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES

St. Louis CITY SC, currently with a record of 3-7-10 and 19 points, will return to the pitch on Wednesday, July 3, at 7:30 PM Central Time. They will face the San Jose Earthquakes at CITYPARK as they aim to turn their season around under the guidance of interim head coach John Hackworth.