Utah Royals fire head coach Amy Rodriguez, along with team president and goalie coach, after tough start to season

The expansion team sits at the bottom of the NWSL table with 11 losses, but earned a well-fought draw against Portland the day before the firings

·Contributing writer

30 June 2024 at 1:29 pm·2-min read

SANDY, UT - JUNE 29: Amy Rodriguez head coach of the Utah Royals calls in a play during the second half of their game against the Portland Thorns FC at America First Field on June 29, 2024 in Sandy, Utah. (Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images) — Head coach Amy Rodriguez led the Utah Royals to a 0-0 draw at home against the Portland Thorns on June 29. (Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)

The Utah Royals made some vast changes this weekend, firing head coach Amy Rodriguez and goalkeeper coach Maryse Bard-Martel on Sunday, according to a team news release.

Per the release, the team is also letting go of team president Michelle Hyncik, who will "begin transitioning to a new opportunity" within the office of team owner David Blitzer. Assistant coach Jimmy Coenraets will serve as interim head coach for the remainder of the season.

AMY RODRIGUEZ FIRED AS UTAH’S HEAD COACH 🚨

Former USWNT & NWSL forward leaves expansion team Utah Royals with a record of 2W-11L-2D sitting last in the standings in her first season.

GK coach Maryse Bard-Martel & president Michelle Hyncik were also fired from their roles. 😳 pic.twitter.com/MMBIgP0QCK
— The Women's Game (@WomensGameMIB) June 30, 2024

Utah currently sits at the bottom of the NWSL table with 11 losses. Worse, the team has a real problem with scoring and getting scored on: The Royals have scored only seven goals this season, by far the fewest in the league, while also allowing a league-high 27 goals.

Sunday's announcement, however, comes on the heels of a 0-0 draw to the Portland Thorns, pulling a point against a solid opponent in one of the team's strongest games this season.

Rodriguez, a former NWSL forward in her first coaching job, becomes the second coach fired this in seven days after San Diego Wave FC let head coach Casey Stoney go last Monday. On the same day, the general manager of expansion team Bay FC, Lucy Rushton, resigned unexpectedly, marking an unusual cluster of dismissals a little more than halfway through the season.

The Royals have 11 matches remaining in the season, including games against tough opponents like the Kansas City Current and NJ/NY Gotham FC. A playoff run would be highly unexpected at this point, but Royals management clearly believed Rodriguez, Bard-Martel and Hyncik could not get Utah there.

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