Dean Smith's first words after Aston Villa hero becomes Charlotte FC boss
The former Aston Villa boss has found a new role after leaving Leicester City at the end of last season
Dean Smith is back in football – with Charlotte FC having signed a ‘multi-year’ contract with the MLS outfit.
The former Aston Villa head coach will make the move pending receipt of his visa and becomes the club’s third boss – just two years into their existence. Charlotte reached the MLS play-offs for the first time this year but parted ways with Christian Lattanzio at the end of the campaign.
The Birmingham-born boss – and self-professed Villa fan – started his managerial career at Walsall before moving on to and having success with Brentford. That earned him a crack with his boyhood club and he oversaw their promotion from the Championship in 2019. However, he struggled at Norwich City and was unable to prevent Leicester City losing their top flight status in May.
It’s a fresh start for Smith, who told the Charlotte website : “I’m honored to be appointed as the next head coach of Charlotte FC and cannot wait to start preparations for the 2024 season. Throughout the interview process, it was clear that this is an ambitious club with the right ingredients for success and I’m delighted to begin a new chapter in Charlotte.
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“This is a unique opportunity to be part of a project with so much potential to take to new heights in Major League Soccer. I’d like to thank Mr. Tepper, Zoran, Joe and the rest of the Charlotte FC leadership for entrusting me to lead this team and I look forward to meeting everyone involved with Charlotte FC.”
Owner David Tepper said: “We’re excited to welcome Dean and his family to Charlotte to become the next head coach of Charlotte FC. We’re confident his leadership and experience will help elevate our Club beyond its first playoff appearance into a championship team.”
Sporting Director Zoran Krneta added: “Dean is a well-respected manager with over a decade of professional coaching, including at the highest level of the game in the Premier League, and we’re delighted to welcome him to Charlotte FC.
“He has proven track record of sporting success across multiple levels of professional football and his man management style will be welcomed by our locker room. Dean’s excited to hit the ground running in Charlotte and we look forward to welcoming him and his family soon.”