Houston Dash still in search of Structure Stability

Texas is home to just one women’s professional soccer team, and that squad is based right here in Houston.

The Dash has seen some success, such as making it to the National Women’s Soccer League playoffs the previous season, but there has also been significant controversy and upheaval, particularly in recent times.

The Dash fired head coach Sam Laity on Wednesday morning, less than nine months after he was brought on as the team’s fourth manager in history. That was the most recent headline.

Dash general manager Alex Singer said in a statement, “We have high ambitions and continuously work to build a competitive team that will represent the city at a high level.” “We decided to make a change after giving it careful thought to what would be best for the squad right now. I would like to express my gratitude to Sam on behalf of the Club, the community, and our team for his commitment and contributions to our organization. We truly hope the best for him.”

The Dash, who last season hosted a NWSL playoff game, are going through a difficult soccer stretch. The team hasn’t triumphed in a NWSL game since June 3 under Laity’s direction in 2023.
With four games remaining in the regular season, the team sits in third-to-last place in the standings but still has a chance to reach a second-straight postseason.

In an interview on Wednesday afternoon, Singer stated, “I think it didn’t make any sense in my mind to continue because this potentially wasn’t the long-term solution.” “Rather than go about the process and the rest of the season, since we did know, we felt it was best to make a timely decision.”

Singer clarified that Laity’s sudden termination was not connected to player abuse, even if it was the result of both on-and off-field inadequacies.

The team suspended head coach James Clarkson in April 2022. After eight months, a joint inquiry by the players union and the NWSL found that Clarkson had acted inappropriately emotionally.
Consequently, the team declined to extend his contract and expressed regret to all players, past and present, who were affected by the misbehavior of Clarkson and 2018 head coach Vera Pauw.

After suspending Clarkson during the 2022 postseason, the Dash hired acting head coach Sarah Lowdon and interim head coach Juan Carlos Amorós. Singer stated that her team needed “stability and structure” at Laity’s press conference on December 21. The squad is looking for a new head coach less than nine months later.

After terminating Laity before finishing his first season, Singer said, “I still stand behind that,” in response to a question concerning stability. “I will admit that it is frustrating that this didn’t work out.

Long term, I do feel this group and the team in general need stability and structure in order to achieve everything we want to.”

Dash president Jessica O’Neill continued, “The core group of players that were here last year and experienced some coaching changes and are still here now – they are incredibly resilient.” “On the field, these athletes are the greatest in the world. They have incredibly broad shoulders and are devoted to their work.”

Following Laity’s firing, the team will soon announce its newest temporary head coach, with the goal of hiring a full-time head coach with previous head coaching experience by November.

Read more on sportchannel.co.uk

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