D.C. United fire Lesesne, hires academy director as interim coach for floundering club

D.C. United have fired coach Troy Lesesne and hired Academy Director Kevin Flanagan as interim coach, the club announced Thursday.

United rank 12th in the MLS’s 15-team Eastern Conference after amassing just four wins in their first 21 regular-season matches this season.

Their run in the Open Cup — the nation’s most prestigious knockout tournament — ended on Wednesday with a 5-2 loss to Nashville SC. United had opened up a 2-0 lead.

The club also fired top assistant coach Zach Prince following the loss.

Lesesne posted a 16-26-19 record with United after taking over the position in 2024.

“We want to thank Troy for his dedication over the last two seasons,” Ally Mackay, D.C. United’s general manager and chief soccer officer, said in a statement. “After internal discussions, we have decided to part ways with Troy and go in a different direction as a club.

United’s next coach will be their fourth in five years. Hernan Losada and Wayne Rooney lasted just 15 months each. Lesesne kept his job for 18 months.

Mackay said the search for a new coach has already begun — the club is looking for “a leader who aligns with our club’s identity and long-term vision.”

“This is a pivotal moment for D.C. United, and we are committed to making the right decision for the future of our team,” Mackay said. “In the meantime, I have full confidence in Kevin Flanagan to lead the group. I’ve worked closely with Kevin for many years, and we will give him all the support he needs as we move through this transition.”

Flanagan joined the club in February after five seasons in Nashville. Though he has held several developmental and youth coaching positions, this will be Flanagan’s first stint as an MLS head coach.

The interim may not have the job for long. According to the Washington Post, United have agreed to hire Swiss coach Rene Weiler.

Weiler will not officially take over until he receives a work visa, the report said. The 51-year-old has previously coached clubs in Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, Egypt and Japan.

He most recently spent two seasons with the Swiss club Servette FC. He worked as the club’s head coach for one season, leading the team to the Swiss Cup. Weiler stepped down after the season and pivoted to a role as the club’s sporting director.

United officials have reportedly been considering a managerial change for several weeks. MLS analysts routinely tied the club to former Philadelphia Union coach Jim Curtin, who has been without a job since November. 

Curtin led Philadelphia to a 176-111-133 record across 10 seasons. 

A coaching change may not be enough to revitalize a United club that has struggled to field competitive squads for several years. 

“If you think this solves their issues… then you will be mistaken. Even Jim Curtin won’t rectify that roster and other issues,” Taylor Twellman, an MLS analyst who scored more than 100 goals in his playing career, wrote on X. “@dcunited needs to return to where they were in the first 12 years of @MLS.”

The team won three of the first four MLS Cups from 1996 through 1999. They added a fourth title in 2004 but haven’t appeared in the league’s championship match in the 20 years since.

United return to action on Saturday against the Los Angeles Galaxy.