David Critchley will become St. Louis City’s third different manager in an 11-month span when he takes the sideline Saturday afternoon against the visiting San Jose Earthquakes.
Critchley takes over for Olof Mellberg, who was fired Tuesday after just 15 games. Mellberg had replaced John Hackworth, who went 7-7-4 from July 1, 2024 until the end of last season.
St. Louis (2-8-5, 11 points) is 14th out of 15 teams in the Western Conference and has scored just 11 goals, tied with Austin FC for fewest in MLS. The team has dropped its last three matches, including a 1-0 road loss to the Colorado Rapids last Saturday.
“As a club, we have certain standards we need to meet and believe a coaching change was necessary to improve the overall performance and return to a winning culture,” said St. Louis sporting director Lutz Pfannenstiel. “Our fans deserve a better-performing team, and we intend to give them one.”
Critchley had been managing CITY2, the club’s entry in the MLS NEXT Pro, and had compiled a 6-4-1 record.
Critchley’s first match as interim head coach comes against seventh-place San Jose (6-6-4, 22 points), which is unbeaten in its last eight matches (5-0-3) in all competitions. The Earthquakes are coached by Bruce Arena, who won his 269th regular-season match, a record for MLS coaches, on Wednesday night with a 1-0 victory over the LA Galaxy in Carson, Calif.
Ousseni Bouda scored the game-winner in the 74th minute off a Preston Judd cross and backup goalie Earl Edwards Jr. made six saves, including a highlight-reel swat of a Maya Yoshida header from the edge of the six-yard box late in stoppage time, to lead San Jose.
“That game could have gone either way,” Arena said. “Obviously, a huge goal. Very good play by Judd and great finish by Bouda. We’re pleased anytime you win a game on the road in MLS.”
–Field Level Media
