7 candidates for the Atlanta United head coach vacancy

Atlanta United are on the hunt for a new head coach and there are plenty of free-agent managers on the market to look at.

It's been about a month since the Five Stripes parted ways with Gonzalo Pineda, who had been in charge of the Eastern Conference club since August 2021 and shown some progress but it was nowhere near enough for Atlanta. Rob Valentino was named interim head coach, and you can bet that Atlanta are working behind the scenes on bringing in Pineda's successor.

First off, we must stop and remember that Atlanta is still a good destination for coaches. Outside of the league's roster rules, Atlanta has no problem with paying out huge transfer fees to acquire top talent while they also have three open Designated Player slots on their roster. The team really isn't that far off from being great, either, it's just missing a few difference-makers and someone that knows how to get everyone pulling in the same direction.

When you add in the fact that Atlanta play in the gorgeous Mercedes-Benz Stadium and have a huge, passionate fanbase, there's already a few reasons as to why it should be an attractive option.

With Garth Lagerway at the helm, we can expect Atlanta to go after a proven coach with a track record of winning -- which is exactly what Pineda was not as the 41-year-old was hired before Lagerway was named the club's CEO.

There have been rumors that Lagerway isn't all too interested in continuing the theme of hinging the team's success on buying talented players from South America and selling them on for profit down the road -- the signings of Tristan Muyumba, Bartosz Slisz, Stian Gregersen and Saba Lobjanidze all proved that.

That doesn't mean Atlanta won't every sign a young player from that region again, it's just that Lagerway knows what it takes to build a winning team after his success with Seattle Sounders. With this idea in mind about players, what kind of coaches might Atlanta look at as they aim to reestablish themselves as a top club in Major League Soccer?

7. Mark van Bommel

If Lagerway hopes to bring in an experienced head coach from Europe, look no further than Mark van Brommel.

The former Netherlands international is coming off a rather successful stint with Royal Antwerp in Belgium where he guided the team to a domestic double in the 2022/23 season while also lifting the Belgian Super Cup in the previous term.

It's more likely that van Bommel holds out for another gig in Europe, but maybe he would want to become the second Dutchman after Frank de Boer to lead Atlanta on the touchline.

6. Scott Parker

This one is a bit out of left field, but it makes sense when you think about it.

Scott Parker rose through the coaching ranks in his native England after his playing days in the Premier League, taking the touchline at Fulham and Bournemouth before joining Club Brugge in late 2022.

It's safe to say that his spell in Belgium was disappointing as he was in charge for just 12 matches before getting sacked in March 2023. This could scare Atlanta from seriously considering him, but there's a genuine chance he could revive his coaching career in MLS with a team that has three open Designated Player spots.

5. Miguel Herrera

Miguel Herrera could prove to be an interesting option for the Five Stripes if they're looking to hire a coach that knows the region.

While Herrera's recent spells in Liga MX haven't been all that great, he still knows a great deal about the CONCACAF Champions Cup -- and that is where a club like Atlanta should be competing after all.

This is probably a more short-term deal that Atlanta would be looking to avoid, but Herrera is still a viable option.

4. Niko Kovac

If Atlanta is looking to hire someone like van Bommel but with more experience, Niko Kovac could be a sensible option.

The former Croatia national team boss is used to dealing with pressure as he was in charge of Bayern Munich for just over a season, so you'd imagine the pressure in MLS wouldn't really get to him.

Kovac also has experience in France with AS Monaco and another stint in the Bundesliga with VfL Wolfsburg and could be looking for a reset in MLS.

3. Bradley Carnell

If Lagerway and Co. are looking for someone with knowledge on MLS, then Bradley Carnell could be a good fit.

Yes, he was just fired by St Louis CITY but he kind of had his hands tied behind his back. The team just brought in a new shiny midfielder that looks certain to be star in the league, but Carnell didn't even get the chance to work with him.

As stated previously, Carnell would have three open DP slots to work with and could eye a return to the top of the table like he did in St Louis' inaugural 2023 season.

2. Bruce Arena

Bruce Arena may not be the exciting option on the market for a number of reasons -- most notably the idea that he may not want to stick around for a rebuild and the fact that he resigned as the New England Revolution boss due to his "inappropriate and insensitive" remarks that the league was investigating.

However, Arena does make sense when you think about his time in MLS. He's the winningest coach in league history and knows all about MLS' unique roster rules. If there's one coach who could stabilize this Atlanta team in a short amount of time, it's Arena.

1. Marcelo Gallardo

Just a few days ago Marcelo Gallardo was finally let go by Saudi Pro League side Al Ittihad after he reportedly wanted to get rid of Karim Benzema.

Gallardo is an interesting option for a few reasons. He could potentially get the best out of Atlanta's young Argentinian midfielders like Franco Ibarra and Santiago Sosa should they return from their respective loans -- but who's to say he couldn't get a tune out of players like Xande Silva and Jamal Thiare?

Gallardo is also considered one of the greatest coaches in River Plate history. He might not be able to spend as much as River is able to on players, but once again, there are three DP spots open in Atlanta and a team that isn't afraid to pay out hefty transfer fees.

There's also the aspect that his son, Matias Gallardo, plays for Atlanta United 2, the team's MLS Next Pro affiliate. Could we really see a father-son duo in Atlanta? Gallardo might take a bit of convincing to join, but it would be an absolute home-run hire for the Five Stripes.