Hot Seat Alert: Evaluating MLS Managers' Early Season Performances
After the recent dismissal of Orlando City's Oscar Pareja, the pressure is on for other struggling MLS managers. From Greg Vanney's challenges at LA Galaxy to Bradley Carnell's woes at Philadelphia Union, let's dive into the early season hot seat evaluations.

Less than a month into the season, a club has already fired their manager. And that might just leave the door open for a few others who could be feeling the heat. It was immensely harsh that Orlando City fired Oscar Pareja. Sure, Orlando had endured a pretty miserable start, but three games is nowhere long enough for any manager, never mind the fact that he had been there since 2019. This was a restart, a new season, and The Lions lost their best player, Alex Freeman, two months ago. What, exactly, is this guy supposed to do?It's a ruthless game, especially in the harsh world of professional soccer coaching, and whatever credit Pareja had in the bank had clearly run out. There is some clear fallout here. Orlando now need a new head coach. And Orlando’s decision might make it easier for other clubs to justify an early-season firing of their own. But who is already feeling the heat? There are a few seats that are, admittedly, warming up. There was a pretty compelling case for Greg Vanney to be let go this winter, and he hasn't exactly helped his chances so far. Meanwhile, there are questions to be asked in St. Louis and Philadelphia. None of these things really should happen. Still, it's a cruel world. And with the caveat that GOAL is always pro-manager - especially this early in the season - here's a look at where some key faces stand after a poor start to the season...There are perhaps two reasons Vanney still has a job. The first is that he has been without his best player for more than a year. Riqui Puig, without question, carried the LA Galaxy to MLS Cup in 2024. They are nowhere near the same team without him and could face another full campaign in his absence after the Spaniard required a second knee surgery in as many years. The second reason is that he still has plenty of credit. The Galaxy were a struggling franchise until Vanney took charge, and even if he is hardly a tactical visionary, the American brought them back to the top of MLS. It is difficult to let go of that.After a morbid start in 2025, the Galaxy handed him a new contract. At the time, it seemed fair enough. This was, after all, the coach who had won MLS Cup less than six months earlier. But now there appear to be few excuses. Vanney’s record in charge stands at 80 wins, 51 draws and 74 losses, and his winning percentage has dropped below 40 percent. Injuries are certainly a factor, but the Galaxy missed the playoffs by 11 points last year and are not tracking to do much better this season. It may not be fair, but Vanney feels one bad run away from the sack.This year feels like a complete reset for St. Louis. Change is afoot across the organization. The club lost its high-profile sporting director midway through last season and has been steadily rebuilding since. In November, St. Louis appointed Corey Wray as sporting director and tasked him with turning things around after the team finished 14th in the Western Conference.His first move was hiring Damet, Wilfried Nancy’s top assistant during a successful run with the Columbus Crew. It has been a difficult start for Damet. St. Louis has drawn one and lost two of its first three games and has scored just once this season.There are complications, though. For one, the squad is lacking attacking punch. There is little goal threat, and the team could use more creativity from wide areas. The other issue is that the fixture list has not been kind. Charlotte, San Diego and Seattle make for a brutal opening stretch for a new manager. Realistically, how many points could St. Louis expect from those three matches? Dismissing him now would be immensely harsh.For now, the focus will be on bouncing back and picking up a few positive results. Otherwise, the pressure will arrive soon enough.How frustrating must it be to coach the Philadelphia Union? One moment, you are top of the Eastern Conference, MLS Cup favorites and in position to make a deep playoff run. The next, you have lost some of your best players, failed to fully replace them and are managing a squad that suddenly looks far thinner. So yes, Carnell will feel he has been dealt a difficult hand. But some of the results this year have been inexcusable.D.C. United may have invested this winter, but they are still an inferior side — yet the Union lost 1-0. They should certainly be picking up points at home against San Jose (Timo Werner notwithstanding). They also shot themselves in the foot with a needless red card against NYCFC.The only real hope may be the CONCACAF Champions Cup, but the Union lost 1-0 to Club América at home in the first leg of their round-of-16 matchup. A struggling side now needs to win in Mexico. Good luck with that.Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting+ Tata Martino, who is winless in his return to Atlanta United after three games. He backed himself to succeed in a second stint, but his sophomore album is not exactly off to a flyer.+ Henrik Rydström, who has discovered that impressive credentials in the Swiss league do not necessarily translate to MLS success. His Columbus Crew are struggling to gel. + Marco Donadel. Yes, Montreal got rid of a coach last year, but Donadel has been there in some capacity since 2023. They have struggled for a few years now, and a fresh face may be required at some point. Fans in Montréal have witnessed a revolving door of leaders since the club joined MLS in 2012, cycling through 10 coaches in that span.
Greg Vanney's Rocky Road at LA Galaxy
Greg Vanney, despite past success, is facing mounting pressure at LA Galaxy. The absence of key player Riqui Puig and a string of poor results have left Vanney treading on thin ice. With a subpar winning percentage and the team failing to secure a playoff spot last season, Vanney needs a turnaround to secure his position.
Damet's Early Challenges with St. Louis
St. Louis' new coach Damet is navigating a tricky start, with the team struggling for goals and points. Despite facing tough opponents early on, Damet needs to find a way to spark his team into action. With factors like squad depth and fixture difficulty in play, patience may be key as St. Louis aims to turn things around.
Bradley Carnell's Struggles at Philadelphia Union
Bradley Carnell is feeling the heat at Philadelphia Union following a series of underwhelming performances. Despite facing setbacks like player departures and lackluster displays, Carnell needs to find solutions quickly to keep his job secure. Results in both domestic and international competitions will be key for Carnell's future at the club.
Other Managers Under the Spotlight
Not just Vanney and Carnell, other MLS managers like Tata Martino, Henrik Rydström, and Marco Donadel are also facing challenges early in the season. From winless runs to struggling team performances, the pressure is on for these managers to deliver results and turn their seasons around.



