Nashville SC Part Ways with Manager Gary Smith Shortly After 2-0 MLS Victory against Toronto FC

Following a challenging start to the 2024 Major League Soccer season, Nashville SC has officially announced the departure of their manager, Gary Smith.

By: Anna Ciao

05/17/2024 03:35

Nashville SC Manager Gary Smith

Despite securing a significant 2-0 triumph over Toronto FC with late goals from Shaquell Moore and Teal Bunbury, the announcement of Gary Smith's departure as manager of Nashville SC comes as a surprise. The victory marked only the third win for the team in 12 games this season, leaving them in 10th place in the Eastern Conference table. Nashville SC currently trails the league leaders, Inter Miami, by a considerable 14-point margin.

Nashville SC announced today the departure of Head Coach Gary Smith and Assistant Coach Steve Guppy from the Club.

Former player and current Player Development Coach Rumba Munthali will step up as Interim Head Coach while the club conducts the search for the next head coach.
— Nashville SC (@NashvilleSC) May 16, 2024

In addition to manager Gary Smith's departure, Nashville SC has also seen assistant coach Steve Guppy leave the club as part of the managerial shakeup. Rumba Munthali has been appointed as the interim coach while the search for a new permanent manager is underway. The team hopes that this coaching change, the first of the MLS season, will help secure their spot in the playoffs for the fifth consecutive year.

Smith had been the only manager for Nashville since their entry into MLS in 2020, previously leading them for two seasons in the USL Championship. Under his guidance, the team reached the final of the 2023 Leagues Cup, where they were defeated by Inter Miami, led by Lionel Messi.

Munthali's first task as the interim boss of Nashville is a home match against Atlanta United on Saturday. This will be followed by an away trip to Montreal the following weekend. If Munthali can secure six points from these two matches, the club's leadership may consider him as a potential permanent option for the managerial position.

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Written by: Anna Ciao

Anna Ciao is a sports content contributor at Betimate. Born and raised in a rural village in China, I have had a passion for football and various sports such as basketball, volleyball, badminton, from a young age. Along with diligent studies, I achieved an IELTS score of 8.0 in the English language, and I have become a content contributor specializing in sports, particularly football, as I am today. I hope that my articles are helpful to readers.