MIAMI – There might not be a league for the club to play in, but Miami FC has hired a new coach anyway.
The North American Soccer League team announced Thursday that it had hired veteran caoch Paul Dalglish as its head man.
“Paul brings an extraordinary pedigree and knowledge of the game to Miami FC,” Miami FC CEO Sean Flynn said in a statement. “His playing and coaching experience from Europe and North America at multiple levels will have an immediate impact on our club. Paul shares the vision of what we want to accomplish as a club and I’m excited for the brand of football we will see on the pitch this season.”
Dalglish succeeds Alessandro Nesta, who agreed with the team to part ways.
“I am delighted to join the Miami FC family,” Dalglish said. “It is an organization I have admired from afar and to now to be working within in it is an honor. The time spent with Riccardo Silva and Sean Flynn has left me convinced that this is the perfect team for me to continue my coaching journey with and I am confident I can continue to build on the wonderful job that Alessandro, his staff and the players have done so far.”
There are no concrete plans for the NASL in 2018. The NASL is waiting for a ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit that will determine its future.
The league is seeking preliminary injunction against the U.S. Soccer Federation that rescinded its Division II status. The NASL wants to overturn a ruling by Judge Margo K. Brodie in the U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of New York in November so it could continue as a Division II league in 2018. If not, the NASL claims it will go out of business.
The son of legendary Scotland international, Celtic and Liverpool forward Kenny Dalglish, Paul enjoyed a successful playing career in the Premier League and the Scottish Premiership before heading to Major League Soccer in 2006. He won the MLS Cup twice with the Houston Dynamo in 2006 and 2007.
After working in the Houston Dynamo Academy in 2009, Dalglish began his coaching career as manager of the Tampa Bay Rowdies in 2010. From 2012 to 2013, he managed the Austin Aztex of the the PDL. Under Dalglish’s tutelage, the Aztex reached the 2012 conference finals and won the league championship in 2013, a year in which was was named the PDL coach of the year.
Dalglish became an assistant coach with Real Salt Lake in 2014, before returning to lead the Aztex in 2015. In November of that year, Dalglish was named head coach and general manager of Ottawa Fury FC. After two seasons with Ottawa, Dalglish has joined Miami.
In 2017, Miami FC reached the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals, winning the NASL fall and spring season titles and finishing as the NASL’s overall points leader. The club’s season ended in the NASL Championship semifinals with a shootout loss to the Cosmos.
