Ronny Deila will bring six trophies to Atlanta United, a club desperate to win something for the first time since 2019.
Of course, the hardware is the result. How Deila coached Strømsgodset in his native Norway, Celtic in Scotland and NYCFC, which led to the title in 2021 and a record of 46-29-15, in MLS to franchise-defining moments is what will also define his tenure with the Five Stripes, a club flush with money and ambition. Deila said he will be demanding but clear to get the best out of himself and the rest. He described it as a constant circle of learning through experiences, combined with clear messaging.
A group of Apple’s MLS analysts, including one very familiar with Atlanta United, provided their take on what supporters can expect from Deila’s previous experiences and the club’s current personnel and likely signings.
“The first and most important thing that stands out to me is that he is a proven winner in MLS,” said Dax McCarty, who played for Atlanta United last season. “That shouldn’t be overlooked because that’s invaluable experience when coming in to take over a big club in the league. Already knowing the unique intricacies of MLS without needing an adaption period is a massive advantage for someone like Deila.”
That experience in MLS, with roster-building, travel and climate challenges, was among the nuggets of knowledge that President Garth Lagerwey and Sporting Director Chris Henderson said they hoped the hire would have.
Another aspect of Deila that stood out to McCarty, Marcelo Balboa and Taylor Twellman is how he coached his teams to have an edge with and without the ball.
NYCFC wanted to play with the ball, from back to front, usually out of a fluid 4-2-3-1 formation that Balboa and McCarty said will require each player to have a certain level of comfort with the ball. NYCFC put it together in 2021. It finished third in expected goals per 90 minutes (1.73), tied for first in key passes per 90 (11.5), and second in progressive passes per 90 (47.0), per fbref.com.
Atlanta United last season finished 20th in goals scored (46). It finished 13th in expected goals per 90 minutes (1.51), sixth in key passes per 90 (11.0) and 17th in progressive passes per 90 (38.3).
“I think when you get a coach like this, he likes to play football, he likes to keep the ball in the ground, he likes to move it, but he likes to attack quickly,” Balboa said. “And I think that that’s what you’re going to get with the group he has now. He’s got a lot of talented players.”
Defensively, Twellman said Deila gave NYCFC an edge that it lacked under previous manager Dome Torrent. McCarty, who was with Nashville in 2021, said he knew that when NYCFC lost the ball, players were going to swarm to win it back as quickly as possible. NYCFC in 2021 finished first in expected goals against per 90 (1.08), second-best in key passes allowed per 90 (7.01), and first in limiting progressive passes per 90 (29.3).
Atlanta United last season finished 14th in expected goals against per 90 (1.44), fifth-worst in key passes allowed per 90 (11.1) and ninth-worst in progressive passes per 90 (42.9).
“I think that will be the biggest difference with how he coaches this Atlanta United team,” McCarty said. “He will be more demanding of every player when the team is out of possession. I think the team will become a lot more effective at high pressing the opposition.”
Deila has pieces to work with. Returning from a team that knocked off Inter Miami in last year’s playoffs are goalkeeper and captain Brad Guzan, starting centerbacks Stian Gregersen, Derrick Williams and Luis Abram, fullbacks Brooks Lennon, who will miss the beginning of the season after undergoing shoulder surgery, and Pedro Amador, midfielders Bartosz Slisz, Tristan Muyumba, Jay Fortune and Alexey Miranchuk, wingers Saba Lobjanidze and Xande Silva, and striker Jamal Thiare. The team acquired midfielder Mateusz Klich in a trade Friday morning.
“I think they’re going to add players,” Balboa said. “There’s no butts about it. But (they have) a lot of talented players, and just imagine when they add three more pieces to that, to that team, it’s going to be a team that’s going to be very, very competitive in the Eastern Conference.”
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Atlanta United’s 2025 schedule
Feb. 22 vs. Montreal, 7:30 p.m., Apple
March 1 at Charlotte, 2 p.m., Apple, Fox
March 8 vs. New York Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m., Apple
March 16 vs. Miami, 7 p.m., Apple
March 22 at Cincinnati, 2:30 p.m., Apple
March 29 vs. NYCFC, 7:30 p.m., Apple
April 5 vs. Dallas, 7:30 p.m., Apple
April 12 vs. New England, 2:30 p.m., Apple, FOX
April 19 at Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m., Apple
April 26 at Orlando, 7 p.m., Apple, FOX
May 3 vs. Nashville, 2:30 p.m., Apple, FOX
May 10 at Chicago, 2:30 p.m., Apple
May 14 at Austin, 8:30 p.m., Apple
May 17 vs. Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m., Apple
May 25 vs. Cincinnati, 7 p.m., Apple
May 28 vs. Orlando, 7:30 p.m., Apple
May 31 at Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m., Apple
June 12 at NYCFC, 7:30 p.m., Apple
June 25 at Columbus, 7:30 p.m., Apple
June 28 at Miami, 7:30 p.m., Apple
July 5 at D.C. United, 7:30 p.m., Apple
July 12 at Toronto, 7:30 p.m., Apple
July 16 vs. Chicago, 7:30 p.m., Apple, FS1
July 19 vs. Charlotte, 7:30 p.m., Apple
July 26 vs. Seattle, 7:30 p.m., Apple
Aug. 9 at Montreal, 7:30 p.m., Apple
Aug. 16 at Colorado, 9:30 p.m., Apple
Aug. 24 vs. Toronto, 5 p.m., Apple
Aug. 30 at Nashville, 8:30 p.m. Apple
Sept. 13 vs. Columbus, 7:30 p.m., Apple
Sept. 20 vs. San Diego, 4:30 p.m., Apple
Sept. 27 at New England, 7:30 p.m., Apple
Oct. 5 at LAFC, 10:30 p.m., Apple
Oct. 18 vs. D.C. United, 6 p.m., Apple
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