The Houston Sprint have parted methods with head coach Fran Alonso three months after his disappearance from the sidelines, the membership introduced on Tuesday.
Alonso has not coached a match for the Sprint since June 22. Houston initially described his absence as attributable to an “sickness” earlier than extra not too long ago calling it a go away of absence.
The Sprint mentioned on Tuesday that the choice to half methods was “in lieu of a return from [Alonso’s] go away of absence.”
Ricky Clarke will stay the interim coach for the remainder of the season, as has been the case since he assumed the position for the June 28 match in opposition to the Kansas Metropolis Present.
Houston mentioned in its assertion that the crew will quickly rent a basic supervisor, who will likely be tasked with hiring the following head coach. Houston has been and not using a basic supervisor since firing Alex Singer in late July.
Sprint president of enterprise operations Jess O’Neill, and crew representatives, have repeatedly declined to elaborate on the explanation for or circumstances round Alonso’s three-month hiatus from the crew.
“As everyone knows there’s room for hypothesis and rumors, however we’re very cognizant of respecting coach’s privateness,” O’Neill instructed The Equalizer in July. “And finally anyone else from a staffing standpoint who’s on a go away of absence, we do the identical no matter their place.”
ESPN beforehand reported that former Orlando Satisfaction basic supervisor Erik Ustruck is working in an advisor position for the Sprint to supervise roster strikes.
Houston sits final within the NWSL with 4 video games to play. The Sprint have simply 4 wins and 17 factors from 22 video games.
Clarke is the sixth completely different particular person to teach the Sprint because the begin of 2022, together with interims.
“I believe the primary seven years of the Sprint’s existence is one thing that’s behind us and in numerous methods don’t wish to replicate,” O’Neill beforehand instructed The Equalizer. “We all know that it was not resourced equally to different golf equipment throughout the league. We’ve delivered on that from an funding standpoint and can proceed to do this. It’s a very completely different Houston Sprint from the purpose that [owner] Ted Segal got here on board.”