Atlanta United hires Sounders’ Gonzalo Pineda as next manager

Citing his values, his tactics, his knowledge and success in MLS, Gonzalo Pineda was named Atlanta United’s fourth manager Thursday. Because he tested positive for COVID-19 last week, Pineda’s first training session will be Aug. 19. The deal between the two parties is through the 2024 season.

“We have confidence that this team has what it takes to make the playoffs this season,” club President Darren Eales said. “Gonzalo does as well. We have a half a season left, and we are going to work hard to get above the line.”

Pineda joins Atlanta United after four years as an assistant coach with Seattle. Under manager Brian Schmetzer, Pineda and Seattle went to the MLS Cup in 2017, ‘19 and ‘20. With Pineda on staff, the team won the title in 2019. Pineda was effusive in his praise of Schmetzer, saying he helped him learn how to treat people off the field and how to learn how to control what he can control.

Pineda succeeds Gabriel Heinze, who was fired in July after only 17 games in charge. Rob Valentino and Liam Curran will remain on Pineda’s staff. He is adding Diego de la Torre, who recently served as coach at Cafetaleros de Chiapas in Mexico. The other vacant assistant spot will be filled after Pineda develops a better idea about what he wants to do with the position.

Valentino will remain the team’s manager for the next two games. The team currently is in 10th place in the East and six points behind Columbus for the seventh and final playoff spot. Atlanta United will host LAFC on Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium and Toronto on Aug. 18.

“It’s a dream to be at a club like Atlanta United,” Pineda said. “A very, very talented group of players. I’m thrilled to teach them and eager to be next to them.”

Winning is the bottom line.

Pineda played an important role in developing Seattle’s tactics. It was his idea for the Sounders to switch to playing with three centerbacks for the first time in franchise history this season. The team is second in the West with 33 points. It was atop the Supporters Shield standings for most of the season.

Pineda said he isn’t going to change the attacking style the team is attempting to play now under Valentino to take advantage of the talents of striker Josef Martinez, midfielders Ezequiel Barco, Marcelino Moreno and Luiz Araujo and wingbacks Brooks Lennon and George Bello. Valentino was able to re-install those tactics in the past five games, during which the team was 1-2-2.

Pineda would seem to be willing to continue those ideas.

“Try to always be on the front foot,” Pineda said. “Try to create more and better chances than the opponent and playing with energy.”

Pineda already has met virtually with the players, who he said are eager to try to make the playoffs.

The hiring of Pineda represents a significant pivot in Atlanta United’s history of hiring managers.

Its previous hires were global names in the game: Gerardo “Tata” Martino (2017-18), Frank de Boer (2019-20) and Heinze. They came new to MLS and were not as versed in the peculiarities of the league’s rules, structure, players and playing styles, and the demands of the travel and weather conditions. Martino and de Boer had success with an MLS Cup in 2018 and U.S. Open Cup and Campeones Cup in 2019. Heinze failed, winning only two of his 13 league games, and his training methods resulted in grievances filed by the MLSPA to MLS. The league has yet to disclose the results of its investigation.

After his termination, Eales and Vice President Carlos Bocanegra said the team was going to move quickly in its efforts to hire a new manager because they believed the season could be salvaged.

Pineda said though his resume may not be like the team’s past managers, he knows what he is doing. His coaching badges were earned in Europe, adding to a knowledge base formed in Mexico and the U.S.

“I’ve been preparing my whole life for these opportunities,” he said. “It’s not like I’m new and don’t know what to do in these situations. The experience I think will help me manage better situations.”

Unlike the hiring of Heinze, which had limited in-person interviews because of COVID, Pineda met with many of those at Atlanta United and in owner Arthur Blank’s circle face-to-face. To talk to Blank, Eales and Pineda flew to Alaska and then took a boat to Blank’s yacht because that’s where he was.

That’s how important the face-to-face meetings were. It may have taken on added importance because Blank said last month that more homework should have been done regarding Heinze.

“Gonzalo, when he comes to join us, he is a leader of our business,” Eales said. “It’s important he espouses our values.”

The team also wanted someone who knows the idiosyncrasies of MLS. In addition to helping Schmetzer, Pineda played in MLS with Seattle in 2014-15 after a long career (2003-13) in Mexico’s first division, LIGA MX, in which he made 298 appearances. He also made 44 appearances for the Mexican men’s national team.

From those experiences, Pineda has a very good knowledge of the league’s rules, salary cap and travel demands. He will be considered a collaborator in the team’s personnel decisions, according to Eales.

Pineda said he had no qualms that he is the team’s sixth manager, counting interims, since 2018. He said he feels the club is stable, citing its stadium, supporters, training facility and academy. He said sometimes when there is a disconnect between a coach and the players, everything can look like a mess.

So, the club didn’t have to sell him on the opportunity.

“When you are offered Atlanta United, you go for it,” he said. “We have a fantastic group of players, stadium, fans, the training facilities. It’s a whole package. It’s attractive for many coaches, not just in MLS but in the world.”

For more content about Atlanta United

Follow me on Twitter @DougRobersonAJC

On Facebook at Atlanta United News Now

On Instagram at DouglasDavidRoberson

Atlanta United coverage on the Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Atlanta United’s 2021 MLS schedule

April 17 Atlanta United 0, Orlando 0

April 24 Atlanta United 3, Chicago 1

May 1 New England 2, Atlanta United 1

May 9 Atlanta United 1, Inter Miami 1,

May 15 Atlanta United 1, Montreal 0

May 23 Atlanta United 1, Seattle 1