The San Jose Earthquakes have fired head coach Luchi Gonzalez, the club announced.
San Jose is bottom of MLS with just 11 points after 19 games. They have conceded a league-worst 51 goals, including 17 over their last four games.
Gonzalez joined the Quakes ahead of the 2023 season, guiding the team to the playoffs in his first year. This season has not gone to plan with the Quakes struggling mightily defensively.
“We want to thank Luchi for his hard work, commitment to the club and professionalism,” said general manager Chris Leitch.
“Luchi and his staff have worked extremely hard the past year and a half, but we have not met expectations this year as a club. We felt that we needed to make a change, and it was in the best interests of the club to move in a different direction.”
NEWS: Earthquakes part ways with head coach Luchi Gonzalez.
— San Jose Earthquakes (@SJEarthquakes) June 24, 2024
“I want to thank ownership, leadership and our fans for the opportunity and the support they gave me during my time managing the Earthquakes,” said Gonzalez.
“I am very grateful to all the staff and players that worked hard every day to improve our situation and wish them the very best moving forward. I plan to take some time with my family to reflect and prepare for the next step in my journey.”
Assistant coach Ian Russell has been named interim head coach, while assistant coaches Steve Ralston, Luciano Fusco and Adin Brown will remain in their current roles.
Russell, 48, has been an assistant coach for parts of 11 seasons overall with San Jose and had a stint as interim head coach for two matches in 2014.
“Ian is a very experienced coach who knows our club better than anyone,” said Leitch.
“He had a great run as head coach at Reno for four years, winning a lot of games and making the playoffs every season. We’re confident that he’s ready to lead us, starting with this Saturday’s game against LA at Stanford Stadium.”
The Quakes have twice set a new club-record transfer fee under Gonzalez, first to sign Carlos Gruezo last year then Hernan Lopez this year.
Gonzalez began his senior coaching career in charge of FC Dallas and was an assistant coach on Gregg Berhalter’s U.S. national team staff between Dallas and San Jose.
(Photo: Bob Drebin/ISI Photos/Getty Images)