Head coach Tom Sermanni and the Orlando Pride come to a mutual decision to part ways
The Orlando Pride released that head coach Tom Sermanni and the seventh place NWSL team, agreed to part ways after three seasons.
“It’s been a great honor to have been the inaugural coach of Orlando Pride and to have been a part of this wonderful organization. I’d like to thank all of our players, staff, fans and community for their tremendous support throughout my time here,” Sermanni said. “I want to wish the team and the organization great success moving forward. I look forward to being an avid supporter and following the Club’s fortunes.”
Sermanni has years of coaching under his belt as the Australia Women's National Team coach and was recruited as the USWNT head coach from 2013-2014. He was the first head coach for Orlando in 2015 and in his three seasons has a 25-30-13 record.
In 2017, he led the team in one of their highest seasons where they competed in the playoffs, but took a 4-1 loss to the Portland Thorns. They finished the 2017 season in third place with 45 goals. Sermanni was also a finalist for the NWSL Coach of the Year award.
This 2018 season was a rough one as the team finished in seventh out of nine teams. They recorded 8-10-6. (wins, ties, losses)
“I want to thank Tom for all that he has done for the Club, the community and for helping to build Orlando Pride over these first three seasons. He will forever be a part of the Orlando Pride family. We want to extend the best wishes to Tom in the next steps of his career,” Orlando City SC GM Niki Budalic. “Our goal for the Pride remains to field a playoff team that will bring an NWSL championship to our community and supporters.”
Although the details of the decision weren’t released, the Pride have called it a “mutual agreement” between the two.
With the regular NWSL season at a close, the hunt for a new head coach in Orlando now takes place.
