Vlatko Andonovski steps away from coaching to focus on Global Sporting Director

The Kansas City Current announced that Vlatko Andonovski will transition into a new role as the club’s global sporting director. In addition, Ryan Dell has been promoted to general manager after joining the organization as the head of soccer operations in December 2024.

Andonovski and the Current have planned this move throughout the season and were discussing it as far back as when he initially signed with the Current.  They see this as the next phase of its long-planned staffing model. It will consist of an expanded technical leadership structure of separate executives occupying the roles of sporting director, head coach, and general manager. Andonovski was performing the role of sporting director and head coach, but will now focus on the sporting director role but with a global view.

The search for the next head coach has already begun, but Andonovski will continue in the role as head coach until his successor is named. The Current have two great candidates for the head coach role on staff already. Freya Coombe and Milan Ivanovic will immediately be strong candidates for the next head coach job. The club will naturally consider other candidates as well.

As global sporting director, Andonovski will work with the head coach and newly formed head of player development role to implement the long-term vision for the club’s technical and athletic success, as well as be responsible for player recruitment, roster strategy and scouting. In other words, Andonovski will be able to focus on growing the club from their new youth alliance, through the second team, the first team, and globally.

Dell will assume the general manager role effective immediately.  Dell has led many of the efforts to grow the club already and will be positioned to continue those efforts while also managing salary cap, contract negotiation, and player transfers, and will continue to oversee all soccer operations and youth development. Dell’s appointment as general manager coincides with the club’s decision to part ways with Caitlin Carducci, who had previously served as general manager since November 2024.

“We thank Caitlin for her contributions to the Current, and we wish her the best,” said Angie and Chris Long. “This is an important time for our club, and we look forward to building upon the incredible foundation that has been set.”

What happened? 

The move comes as a surprise to Current fans. Andonvski is a leading candidate for coach of the year. The team just came off a record-setting season.  The Current won their first-ever NWSL Shield and was the fastest team to clinch it, doing so with five regular-season games remaining. Kansas City set NWSL regular season records for points (65), wins (21), home wins (11), road wins (10), clean sheets (16), consecutive shutouts minutes (869), consecutive shutouts (9), shutouts at home (8), multi-goal wins (15), multi-goal games (18), fewest minutes trailing (109) and fewest goals conceded (13). Kansas City also became the sixth team in league history to finish the regular season undefeated at home.

While the Current came up short in the playoffs, coaches who lead teams to those kinds of records do not usually step away, even with first-round losses. It has been reiterated that he is not stepping down or away. He is taking a promotion. While Andonovski did an incredible job building and coaching the team to amazing regular-season success, he also wanted to focus on the entire organization. He loves coaching but also wants to build the organization.

The Current recently launched the Teal Rising Alliance, which is intended to create a clear player pathway from local academies to professional opportunities within the Kansas City Current ecosystem, including the KC Current, KC Current II and HB Køge. The Current intends to build the club and the organization at every level, from grassroots development to an international leader.

For Andonovski to build and lead the entire organization, he needs to spend the time to do that, Being the full-time head coach just does not allow that commitment and focus.

“Kansas City is, and always will be, home,” said Andonovski via press release. “It’s vital to move into this role to keep growing this club with the aim of being a perennial contender on the global stage and a top developer of talent. From world-class soccer to the first stadium in the world purpose-built for a women’s team to the best fans in the country, I am proud of what has been built here in the city that means so much to me. The potential is limitless for this club, the foundation for further success has been laid, and the best is yet to come.”

Co-owners Angie and Chris Long commented, “To continue the club’s upward and global trajectory, we must put in place an organizational structure that reflects the growth of what we’re doing within the KC Current ecosystem and beyond. These changes will allow us to further carry out our mission of staying at the forefront of women’s soccer globally.”