Atlanta United have announced the departure of vice president and technical director Carlos Bocanegra, who leaves the club with immediate effect.
Bocanegra joined Atlanta as technical director in 2015 and oversaw their roster construction upon entering MLS as a 2017 expansion team.
But after lifting the MLS Cup in 2018 and the Campeones Cup and US Open Cup in 2019, the club has experienced a downturn in fortunes, missing out on the MLS Cup Playoffs in 2020 and 2022 and currently sitting ninth in the Eastern Conference with seven matches of the regular season remaining.
A statement released by the club on Wednesday confirmed that President and CEO Garth Lagerwey will assume Bocanegra’s duties on an interim basis for the remainder of the 2024 season.
“We are deeply appreciative of Carlos’ dedication and success over the last nine years with Atlanta United. However, I believe it’s time for our club to move in a new direction,” Lagerwey said.
“While we will continue to fight for a playoff spot down the final stretch of the season, this gives us a clean slate and a runway to properly assess all vacancies in our sporting operation ahead of what will be an extremely important offseason for our club.
“I want to personally thank Carlos for his many contributions to the success of Atlanta United on and off the pitch,” added owner and chairman Arthur Blank.
“He was here from the beginning and deserves much credit for our MLS Championship; other trophies we’ve won over the last nine years; and the way our team captured the heart of this city even before we launched in 2017.
“Several dynamic players signed by Carlos have been foundational to our success, including some who have moved on to opportunities in elite leagues and clubs across the world. I will always have great affection for Carlos and his beautiful family, and deep gratitude for the passion and dedication he brought to our club over the years. I wish him all the best in his future endeavors.”
A search for a new technical director will begin immediately, while Atlanta are still in the market for a new permanent head coach after Gonzalo Pineda was dismissed in early June and replaced by assistant Rob Valentino in what is his second interim stint.