First, I want to take the opportunity that the club has presented me to write an open letter to the fans of Minnesota United and do the obvious: say thank you. One of the things that most drew me to the club was the culture created among the fan base, the incredible passion for our game that exists in Minnesota despite its saturated sports market, and, of course, the unique atmosphere felt every game day at the spectacular Allianz Field. Having now experienced all of this over the course of a season, I can safely say that any expectations I had have been greatly surpassed. I am genuinely humbled to have had the opportunity to be one of the club’s leaders. My wife, Sioned, and I, as well as our two young children, have, at every turn, been made to feel incredibly welcome by everyone we’ve encountered. I imagine most football clubs would label themselves as ‘family clubs,’ some without much thought as to how that should feel. In our club’s case, we’ve felt warmth and openness from the very beginning, and this season has given us some unforgettable experiences as a family.
With some time now having passed since our defeat in the Western Conference semi-final, I can look back on the season with a real sense of pride and satisfaction. Those of you who are tuned in to our weekly press conferences will have heard me say on countless occasions that this has been three seasons in one: a flying start, a rocky middle, and a really strong finish with a group of players that has often been in a state of flux. In my position as a head coach for the first time, this arc to the season has represented the perfect set of conditions for my development. While the summer was difficult, and the momentum lost to the Copa America and its collateral damage was frustrating, it was a period in which we were able to learn more about the club as a whole and test our resolve as a newly-formed staff. We used thirty-six players this season—more than any other MLS club—and, in light of the club’s ambition to strengthen its player development pathway, I’m sure this will serve as an impetus to help realize that vision.
I am most proud of how, after the Leagues Cup and the summer transfer window, we were able to bring together what felt like a new group of players and finish the season with such conviction. It felt as though we had a series of cup finals and very little margin for error for three months as we sought to first regain ground in our pursuit of the play-offs and then push for a more favorable seeding. The players and staff handled this pressure with real poise and put together a set of performances and results that positioned us as the form side in our conference going into the postseason.
While the manner of our season’s ending left everyone with a sour taste—a chaotic loss to LA Galaxy that we’d intended to be anything but—overall, it was a finish to the season that should make everyone associated with the club proud. The final three home games—vs. Real Salt Lake, St. Louis, and Colorado Rapids—represented this club at its best: a team on the pitch playing with real energy, competitiveness, and dynamism, and an atmosphere in the ground like no other in this country.
I’d like to end by publicly sharing my gratitude to the coaching, performance, and support staff at the training ground in Blaine that helped make my transition to the club so smooth, the wider club staff that have been so supportive, and Dennis Lawrence, who joined with me from the UK and has been invaluable to this year’s progress. I would also like to place on record my deep appreciation for Bill McGuire and the wider ownership group, Shari Ballard, and Khaled El Ahmad for their vision, trust, collaboration, and support throughout the season.
There is something special that has been created in Minnesota, and I am so pleased that all of us—fans, players, staff, and families—can look back with a genuine sense of having added to that.