{"id":2520,"date":"2016-11-29T12:48:49","date_gmt":"2016-11-29T17:48:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsoccer.com\/?p=2520"},"modified":"2016-11-29T12:48:49","modified_gmt":"2016-11-29T17:48:49","slug":"adrian-heath-named-minnesota-united-head-coach","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/soccer\/2016\/11\/29\/adrian-heath-named-minnesota-united-head-coach\/","title":{"rendered":"Adrian Heath Named Minnesota United Head Coach"},"content":{"rendered":"

MLS<\/strong>\u00a0expansion outfit Minnesota United<\/strong> have hired Adrian Heath<\/strong><\/a> as the\u00a0first head coach in club history. This will be the second MLS expansion team Heath has taken control of. He was in charge for the first season and a half of Orlando City’s<\/strong> MLS life before he was replaced by Jason Kreis\u00a0<\/strong>in July.<\/p>\n

Adrian Heath Named Minnesota United Head Coach<\/h2>\n

Before coming to the\u00a0United States<\/strong>, Heath coached at Burnley<\/strong>, Sheffield United<\/strong>, and Coventry City<\/strong> in England<\/strong>. He had been in charge at Orlando City since their USL PRO<\/strong> days as the Austin Aztex<\/strong>. He started\u00a0in the Texas<\/strong> capital in 2008, stuck with them as they moved to Orlando in 2010, and won USL titles in 2011 and 2014 before overseeing the transition to MLS.<\/p>\n

His 16-20-18 record in charge of an MLS team may not be the best, but his experience in bringing a team up to the top tier is why Minnesota brought him. Sporting director Manny Lagos<\/strong> said as much in the press conference announcing Heath’s hiring: “His experience in Orlando City, helping that organization grow and build the right way and the way he immersed himself in the fanbase and in the community was a critical factor in making this decision. We are thrilled to have someone with Adrian’s talents and expertise at this club.”<\/p>\n

He now takes over a team coming to MLS from the second tier NASL<\/strong>. The club finished fifth in the combined table last season and missed the playoffs by six points.<\/p>\n

Heath had been considered the favorite<\/a> to land the job for some time. He was first linked to the job as recently as September, shortly after Minnesota’s 2017 start date was officially announced<\/a>.<\/p>\n

His first task will be working with Lagos to select five players in the\u00a0MLS Expansion Draft<\/strong> on December 13, followed by using the first pick in the\u00a0MLS SuperDraft<\/strong> a month later. His training camp will open on January 23.<\/p>\n

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Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n