ATL Standard

Atlanta United has appointed Ronny Deila as its new head coach, marking the second major leadership position filled by the club this week. Club president and CEO Garth Lagerwey emphasized the need for experienced winners in these roles, leading to the hiring of Chris Henderson as chief soccer officer and sporting director earlier this week.

Deila, a Norwegian manager with previous Major League Soccer (MLS) experience, joins Atlanta United from Al-Wahda in the United Arab Emirates Pro League. He has a record of 5-2-3 with his former team. Before that, he managed Standard Liege in Belgium's top division.

"Like Henderson, Deila is a proven winner," said Lagerwey. In his 17-year career as a head coach across various countries and leagues, Deila has secured six trophies. His adaptability and knowledge have been demonstrated in American soccer and the Scottish Premiership.

This isn't Deila's first time coaching in MLS; he previously led New York City FC for two and a half seasons. During his tenure there, NYCFC finished fourth in the Eastern Conference and won the MLS Cup in 2021.

Deila's coaching honors include winning the Norwegian Football Cup in 2010, being named Kniksen Coach of the Year in 2013, claiming two Scottish Premiership titles (2014-15, 2015-16), winning the Scottish League Cup (2014-15), becoming Eastern Conference Champion (2021), and securing an MLS Cup Championship (2021).

Before transitioning to coaching, Deila had a lengthy playing career spanning over two decades as mostly a center back. He made 352 professional appearances and scored 32 goals. Notably, during his final years at Sparta Bragerøen, he also served as head coach while still playing.

With both Deila and Henderson now on board at Atlanta United, they bring a combined total of 34 years of leadership experience to their roles. Their task will be to evaluate Atlanta's current roster and make strategic additions aimed at consistent trophy contention under Lagerwey’s vision for success.