Coach Josh Wolff still part of Austin FC future as club tries to rebound after disappointing season
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — At the close of a disastrous season where the club didn't make the playoffs, Austin FC Sporting Director Rodolfo Borrell insists he is laying the groundwork for long-term success.
That includes keeping embattled coach Josh Wolff and creating a new scouting department to build talent pipelines from Europe and South America.
Borrell said Tuesday he and the club remain committed to Wolff, a former United States men’s national team player. Wolff has been the team’s only coach since the franchise played its first match in 2021.
“I understand we are in a world where results matter, and matter a lot, but I have a responsibility beyond results,” Borrell said. “(Wolff) is very dedicated, very knowledgeable, and very much committed to the city and to the club. Believe me, I come from some of the best clubs in the world, so I know what I’m talking about when referring to coaches.”
Borrell came to Austin after nine seasons at Manchester City, where he was the Premier League club’s global technical director before being named first team assistant coach under manager Pep Guardiola in 2016. He also has been in club operations at Liverpool in Barcelona.
Wolff's future has been an open question as Austin fell from the Western Conference final in 2022 to near the bottom of the standings in 2023. And this season has been one of slow and steady disintegration, with just one MLS victory since July 15 and a quick exit from the new Leagues Cup competition. Austin ends the season Oct. 21 at San Jose.
Borrell said he has wanted to build a global scouting program since he first arrived at Austin. The club has had four part-time scouts and will now have five, all based in Europe and South America. Big clubs in Europe may have 80, he said.
“In a salary cap environment, we have to be very smart when signing players. It's one of the pieces we are missing here,” Borrell said. “This takes a lot of work. It takes people with many years experience with a good eye for players. ... This piece is key.”
Austin also spent half the season without a sporting director at the helm after former U.S. national team star Claudio Reyna was moved out of the job in January after his family’s spat with U.S. men’s coach Gregg Berhalter.
Even with that turmoil, the fall from a berth in the Western Conference final in 2022 to missing the playoffs was a shock to fans.
“The team overachieved last year," Borrell said. “The team underachieved this year.”
Borrell must now navigate offseason roster evaluations, changes and league salary cap rules with a lot of money already tied up in contracts for aging and arguably underperforming forwards.
“We will improve the team. It will take time. In Europe, you can say ‘This didn’t work,’ and make as many changes as you want,” Borrell said. “Here it’s not that easy. We will improve the roster as much as we can.”
Argentine striker Sebastian Driussi, 27, remains one of the league's best players, but he missed several matches with injuries and has 13 goals this season after scoring 25 in 2023. He is one of the league's highest paid players at more than $6 million per year.
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
