Ronny Deila Leaving New York City FC for Belgium’s Standard Liege

Ronny Deila holding Scottish Premier League trophy in 2016
Ronny Deila holding Scottish Premier League trophy in 2016. Photo by Jeff Holmes/BPI/Shutterstock

Ronny Deila is leaving MLS after three years in charge of New York City FC. Deila’s new destination is Belgium, where he’ll take over as the head coach of Standard Liege.

NYCFC confirmed the news on Sunday while announcing that assistant Nick Cushing will be installed as the team’s interim head coach. Cushing, who signed a new deal as part of the package, will reportedly have a chance to keep the job long-term if he performs well in his new role.

Deila, who previously coached Scottish powerhouse Celtic to two consecutive domestic titles, was named New York City FC’s head coach ahead of the 2020 season. After an inconsistent first season in charge, the Norwegian led the club to its first MLS Cup title in 2021. He leaves NYCFC at the top spot in Eastern Conference with an 8-2-3 record.

“We know this was not a decision Ronny took lightly, but we understand his desire to return to Europe and be closer to home,” said NYCFC in a statement. “He has been a true leader since joining the club, and we wish him well for the next challenge in his career.”

Standard Liege has been Belgium’s champion 10 times while also winning eight cup trophies. However, the club struggled in recent seasons and had a disastrous campaign in 2021-22 that saw them finish 14th out of 18 clubs on the standings. 

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