New York City FC is making a big change to start the offseason, firing head coach Nick Cushing after two and a half seasons and a playoff run in 2024. NYCFC announced the change on Tuesday, just days after dropping out of the MLS Playoffs had fallen with a disappointing 2-0 defeat to the rival New York Red Bulls.
Cushing joined the organization in 2020 as assistant coach to Ronny Deila and was part of the team’s MLS Cup-winning run in 2021. Cushing became interim head coach in 2022 after Deila left midseason and ahead of the 2023 season was promoted to permanent head coach. .
5 years, For The City.
Thanks, Nick 💙
— New York City FC (@newyorkcityfc) November 26, 2024
The team reached the MLS semifinals in Cushing’s gap year, but missed the playoffs last year after falling behind late in the season.
This season, NYCFC finished in sixth place with a 14W-8D-12L record. Prior to the loss to the Red Bulls, NYCFC stunned No. 3 seed FC Cincinnati in Round 1, forcing a Game 3 for the best-of-three series and then sealing the 0(6)-0(5) victory in penalty kicks achieved.
Before leaving for New York, Cushing coached the Manchester United women’s team for seven seasons. In 2016, he led the team to a Women’s Super League title and an FA Women’s Cup title in the same year.
Cushing’s firing is just the latest coaching change, even among teams that made the playoffs this season. On Monday, the Vancouver Whitecaps fired Vanni Sartini after three seasons with the team, despite advancing to Round 1 of the playoffs. Inter Miami FC head coach Tata Martino announced he was leaving for personal reasons after leading the team to a record-breaking Supporters Shield finish and was replaced by Javier Mascherano, a former teammate of Miami star Lionel Messi.
