This Monday, September 16, Mikey Varas was officially announced as San Diego FC’s first manager in franchise history.

Varas was the former USMNT interim head coach and Gregg Berhalter’s former assistant manager with the U.S.

Varas was previously the U.S. U-20 head coach and also worked with FC Dallas and Sacramento Republic. The California native has experience working in youth academies, which is essential to what SDFC is trying to accomplish with Right to Dream.

However, Varas’ lone games managing a senior squad were very uneventful in his recent stint with the USMNT. The U.S. lost to Canada and tied to New Zealand with Varas at the helm, and there were many doubts surrounding the team.

SDFC is taking a gamble with an inexperienced manager, but were clearly looking for someone that fit into the youth setup at the club. SDFC Chairman Sir Mohamed Mansour commented on the appointment, “We believe Mikey is the perfect choice to lead San Diego FC as the club’s first head coach. As we prepare for our inaugural season, Mikey’s leadership, desire to win now, and his deep understanding of player development make him the ideal choice to guide our club forward.”

𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧. 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲. 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩.

Mikey is bringing it all to SDFC. pic.twitter.com/A7dOcgBvRV

— San Diego FC (@sandiegofc) September 16, 2024

SDFC sporting director Tyler Heaps also commented on the Mikey Varas hiring. “His ideas on the game and how it should be played align with ours, and his commitment and energy throughout the process is one that we feel connects with this community and our vision for the club. We have big aspirations for SDFC, and we believe Mikey has the right drive, passion, and leadership to help us build a winning culture”, said Heaps.

San Diego FC has currently signed Hirving “Chucky” Lozano, Paddy McNair, Alex Mighten, Marcus Ingvartsen, Jeppe Tverskov, and Duran Ferree. The months go by, and the MLS expansion draft quickly approaches, where SDFC will sign the bulk of their players. Varas and San Diego’s front office will need to work together to build the ideal team to start their inaugural season in 2025.

“The opportunity to build something special from the ground up, with such ambitious and committed ownership and in a city with such a passionate fan base, is truly exciting,” Said Varas.

The new SDFC  coach certainly does not have a winning history, but he will have a golden opportunity to try and make a name for himself in San Diego.

Francisco Velasco

Francisco, 26, Chula Vista/Tijuana. I have been a Padres fan all my life, did most of the series previews and recaps in the Padres’ 2016 season for EVT. Now I focus more on the local soccer scene. Tijuana Xolos, San Diego Loyal, San Diego Wave.