Lower than a 12 months after teaching the Washington Spirit from spoil to its first Nationwide Girls’s Soccer League championship, Kris Ward was fired Monday amid a 15-game winless streak.
Washington
Washington Spirit fires coach Kris Ward
The group introduced the transfer in a tweet Monday morning however didn’t situation any further remark. Reached instantly, Ward stated he didn’t wish to remark.
Kris Ward has been relieved of his duties as head coach.
— Washington Spirit (@WashSpirit) August 22, 2022
The Spirit plans to call an interim coach, pending background checks, a course of that might take just a few weeks. Angela Salem, a first-year assistant, will run practices and presumably oversee Saturday’s match at Houston.
Spirit Common Supervisor Mark Krikorian, who gained three NCAA championships teaching Florida State earlier than departing early this 12 months, shouldn’t be anticipated to interchange Ward, one particular person near the state of affairs stated.
Ward’s relationship with a number of gamers had been deteriorating this 12 months, two folks accustomed to the state of affairs stated. Over the weekend, after a battle at follow, Ward was disinvited from a crew retreat, one particular person stated, requesting anonymity to talk on the matter.
Ward’s ouster comes just a little greater than a 12 months after the Spirit suspended, and later fired, Richie Burke after allegations of verbally abusing gamers surfaced in a Washington Submit story. An assistant on the time, Ward was appointed interim coach.
Credited with stabilizing the crew and restoring confidence, Ward guided the Spirit to the No. 3 seed within the playoffs and three postseason victories, culminating with a 2-1 extra-time conquer Chicago in Louisville.
He additionally publicly supported the Spirit gamers in gaining better energy within the league and the sports activities world, talking eloquently on the subject and sporting T-shirts with slogans supporting their trigger.
Ward was rewarded with a two-year assured contract, plus a one-year membership choice, to develop into the everlasting coach.
Washington returned virtually its complete roster this 12 months, however a congested early schedule, accidents and nationwide crew call-ups set the crew again. The Spirit, although, additionally struggled to regain the attacking type that it displayed late final 12 months and, defensively, squandered a number of late-game leads.
In its most up-to-date match, towards the first-place Portland Thorns, Washington conceded two objectives within the waning moments at house and misplaced, 2-1.
Washington is tied for final within the 12-team league and must win its remaining six video games to have any probability of qualifying for the six-team playoffs.
This can be a growing story and can be up to date.