Charlotte FC parted ways with head coach Christian Lattanzio, officially announcing the move on Wednesday.
Lattanzio was fired despite leading the team to the 2023 MLS Cup playoffs. Charlotte FC finished the regular season at No. 9 in the Eastern Conference before suffering a 5-2 loss to the New York Red Bulls in the wild-card game.
Charlotte’s president, Joe LaBue, said in a statement that the decision to move on from Lattanzio was made in the club’s best interest. The MLS side intends to start the search for their new head coach immediately.
“We undertook an offseason evaluation of our organization, and we’re confident this move is in the best interest of the Club for 2024 and beyond,” Charlotte president Joe LaBue said in a statement. “Our Club will continue to be ambitious and strive to progress both on and off the pitch.”
Christian Lattanzio started his coaching career with Manchester City’s youth academy before serving as Patrick Vieira’s assistant with New York City FC and Ligue 1 side Nice. In 2021, Lattanzio joined Miguel Ángel Ramírez’s staff after he was named Charlotte FC’s head coach.
Ramírez lasted only 14 games in charge of Charlotte before being fired due to poor relationships with players. Lattanzio stepped in as an interim head coach before being handed the job on a permanent basis after the 2022 campaign. Overall, Lattanzio led the club to 22 wins, 17 draws, and 24 losses.
