Chris Armas is ready for a new chapter in his life.

By Michael Lewis
FrontRowSoccer.com Editor

It looks like there will be a reunion at Leeds United.

Long Island native Chris Armas, who was an assistant coach under and succeeded Jesse Marsch as Red Bulls head coach, will take a similar position at the English Premier League club, according to several reports emanating out of England.

British newspapers said that a deal for thhe 50-year-old Armas already had been made and that he is waiting for his visa approval.

Leeds had lost Mark Jackson to MK Dons earlier this season and the team has been looking for a new assistant coach.

A Brentwood, N.Y. native, Armas had a difficult two stints as an MLS head coach. He took over for Jesse Marsch during the 2018 season as the Red Bulls went on to capture the Supporters’ Shield. He was sacked late in the 2020 campaign.

He resurfaced as the boss at Toronto FC, but was fired earlier this year as the Canadian side got off to a slow start.

Armas, a star with the Long Island Rough Riders, LA Galaxy and Chicago Fire, in which he spent most of his career, most recently was an assistant coach with Manchester United under Ralf Rangnick.

An Adelphi University graduate and former coach of the school’s women’s team, Armas made 66 appearances with the U.S. men’s national team.

Besides Marsch, Leeds United has two American players – former Red Bulls midfielder Tyler Adams and one-time Philadelphia midfielder Brenden Aaronson.

Leeds (4-9-5, 17 points), which is in 14th place out of 20 teams in the EPL, sits two points above the relegation zone (bottom three teams) to the English Championship.

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.