Ex-USA coach Vlatko Andonovski set for KC Current - sources - ESPN

Former United States women's national team manager Vlatko Andonovski is returning to the managerial ranks, having been hired to coach the NWSL's Kansas City Current, club sources confirmed to ESPN.

The Washington Post was first to report the news.

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Kansas City had been without a permanent manager since April 19, when it fired Matt Potter. The team had been managed on an interim basis by Caroline Sjoblom, with the team failing to make the NWSL playoffs after finishing in 11th place out of 12 teams. The season of struggle comes just one year after the Current reached the NWSL final, losing to the Portland Thorns 2-0.

Andonovski, 47, returns to the city where he previously won consecutive NWSL titles in 2014 and 2015 with the side then known as FC Kansas City. The team was effectively relocated to Utah for three seasons before returning to Kansas City as the Current ahead of the 2021 season.

The Equalizer reported Andonovski is also expected to take the sporting director title.

The appointment is the first for Andonovski since he resigned as manager of the USWNT in August. His departure came the wake of the team's round-of-16 exit at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, the worst finish at a major tournament in the program's history.

While Andonovski's record with the U.S. was 51-5-9, his record in major tournaments was just 3-2-5 (games decided by penalties are officially recorded as draws).

Andonovski's previous managerial experience came at club level, both indoors with the Missouri Comets and with FC Kansas City and Reign FC (now OL Reign) in the NWSL.

He succeeded Jill Ellis as USWNT manager in 2019, as the team was celebrating its second consecutive World Cup title. At