CINCINNATI — FC Cincinnati announced on Monday that Pat Noonan, current assistant coach for the Philadelphia Union, will become the team's new head coach.
Noonan has been with the Philadelphia Union for four seasons; new Cincinnati general manager Chris Albright also worked for the same team.
"We are proud to introduce Pat as the new head coach of FC Cincinnati," said Albright in a press release. "He has demonstrated a track record of coaching success and we are excited to bring his leadership to FC Cincinnati."
During his own MLS playing career, Noonan won the MLS Cup twice — once with the Columbus Crew in 2008 and again with the LA Galaxy in 2012. He ended his playing career after the 2012 season and became an assistant coach for the U.S. Men's National Team.
“It’s an honor to be named the Head Coach of FC Cincinnati,” Noonan said in a press release. “Thank you to Chris, Jeff Berding, Carl H. Lindner III and the ownership group for putting their faith in me. I’m thrilled to take on this opportunity at FC Cincinnati and to get started.”
A new era begins today... pic.twitter.com/hUmNJf68Yo
— FC Cincinnati (@fccincinnati) December 14, 2021
In September, the team relieved former head coach Jaap Stam of his duties. Since then, Tyrone Marshall, the head coach of FC Cincinnati's U-19 squad and future U-23 team, has served as interim head coach.
The club also decided to part ways with assistant coaches Said Bakkati, who came with Stam in 2020, and Yoann Damet. Damet began his tenure with FC Cincinnati in 2017 and was part of the Open Cup run to the semifinals that year and also assisted in the club's USL Supporters Shield in 2018. Damat served as interim head coach on two occasions.
Since the team joined the MLS in 2019, it has lost three head coaches. Alan Koch coached the team through the end of its time in the USL and into its 2019 MLS season before he was fired in May 2019. Then-general manager and president Jeff Berding cited on-field performance and off-field matters for the dismissal.
Following him, Ron Jans was hired that August, only to resign in February 2020 amid an investigation into his alleged use of a racial slur.
Stam was announced as head coach in May 2021 and was relieved the following September.
"During our nearly two-month process to identify the next general manager for FC Cincinnati, it was apparent that a head coach change was necessary," Jeff Berding, FC Cincinnati president, said in a news release announcing Stam's termination. "Therefore, after a great deal of deliberation, the club has made the decision to now move to the future with Jaap no longer serving as head coach."
