The New York Red Bulls have parted ways with manager Gerhard Struber, the team announced on Monday morning.
Struber took over at the end of the 2020 season after less than two seasons at English champions club Barnsley. He was criticized in April for failing to remove a Red Bulls player, Dante Vanzeir, from a game against the San Jose Earthquakes after Vanzeir allegedly racially abused an opposing player.
Assistant coach Troy Lesesne will serve as coach until the end of the 2023 season.
“I would like to thank Gerhard especially for his commitment to this club and the personal sacrifices he made, especially in the separation from his family,” said sports director Jochen Schneider in a club statement. “He has guided our players through a difficult time and kept everyone in good spirits as he continued our playoff streak. After many discussions with Gerhard over the past few weeks, we agreed that a change now would be beneficial for both sides.”
Assistant coach Bernd Eibler also left the club.
“I enjoyed my time with the New York Red Bulls,” said Struber in a club statement. “It was also clear to me that I wanted to return to Europe by the end of this season at the latest. It was extremely difficult for me to live here without my family. I informed the club of my wishes early enough and we agreed to go our separate ways. I wish the organization and the players the best of luck for the future.”
Struber’s successor Lesesne joined the Red Bulls’ staff as an assistant before the 2022 season. Before joining RBNY, the 39-year-old was the head coach and technical director of USL championship club New Mexico United. He was New Mexico’s first coach when they entered the USL in 2018 and was named USL Assistant Coach of the Year in 2020.
The Red Bulls are currently bottom of the MLS Eastern Conference after eleven games with nine points. The team finished sixth in the conference in 2020, seventh in 2021 and fourth in 2022. The club was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs in all three seasons.
This is an evolving story. It will be updated.
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