COLUMBUS, Ohio — After four seasons with Columbus Crew, the club announced it fired Caleb Porter as its head coach.
What You Need To Know
- The Crew announced it fired head coach Caleb Porter
- Columbus went 45-43-37 in four years under Porter
- The club won the MLS Cup in 2020 and the 2021 Campeones Cup
- The Crew missed the playoffs for the second-consecutive year
Under Porter’s leadership, the Crew won its second MLS Cup title in 2020 and the 2021 Campeones Cup, while going 45-43-37 during Porter’s tenure.
After winning the MLS Cup in 2020, however, the Crew failed to reach the playoffs in the following two seasons, including Sunday on Decision Day when the Crew lost to Orlando City, 2-1, to miss the 2022 playoffs.
“I want to thank Dee and Jimmy Haslam, Whitney and JW Johnson, Dr. Pete Edwards, Tim Bezbatchenko and the entire Columbus Crew staff for all their support these past four years,” Porter said. “We accomplished a lot of wonderful things together, including winning MLS Cup and Campeones Cup, and with a beautiful new stadium and training ground and an amazing fan base, I have no doubt the future is bright for the Crew.”
The Crew missed the playoffs despite the club’s eight losses being the second-least in Major League Soccer behind just Eastern Conference No. 1 seed Philadelphia. The club, however, struggled throughout the season to close out games, tying or losing matches, giving up goals late in the match and stoppage time.
With just 10 wins and 16 draws, the most in the league, Columbus dropped 11 points after the 90th minute throughout the season, an MLS record.
“Our players and coaching staff gave everything we had, but unfortunately the past two years we missed the playoffs on Decision Day,” said Porter. “It’s a bottom-line business and I accept responsibility for the club falling short of our goals.”
The club’s front office thanked Porter for his role in winning trophies and the transition from Historic Crew Stadium to Lower.com Field.
“This is not a decision we took lightly, and I need to first and foremost thank Caleb for his tireless efforts for the Crew during his four seasons with the Club,” Crew President and General Manager Tim Bezbatchenko said in a press release. “He joined the club ahead of 2019 and provided steady leadership at a critical moment of historic transition for the Crew. Caleb will forever be a part of Black and Gold history as the second star above our crest from 2020 is a testament to his contributions and what we were able to bring home during a special year.”
Thank you Caleb for your contributions to the Club, your leadership during the historic transition for the Crew, and the second star above our crest. You will forever be a part of Black & Gold history.#Crew96 | #VamosColumbus pic.twitter.com/kIC3BPbt3h
— El Crew (@ColumbusCrew) October 10, 2022
Bezbatchenko said the front office assessed the season and decided collective goals were not met, including consistently contending for championships by making the playoffs and securing a home match as a top-four team in the conference.
“We all share in the responsibility of the results and unmet objectives this season, including myself,” said Bezbatchenko. “As part of our evaluation, we believe that we have a talented core of our roster in place and felt we needed to make a change this offseason as we position ourselves for success in 2023 and beyond.”
Crew Investor-Operators Dee and Jimmy Haslam and Edwards also expressed their thanks to Porter.
“We would like to thank Caleb for his commitment and his leadership of our team. He holds a special place in our club’s history,” they said in a joint statement. “We will forever be grateful for his hard work and guidance in perhaps the most unique circumstances while capturing the 2020 MLS Cup. We wish Caleb and his family only the best moving forward.”
Porter thanked the team and fans as part of his departure.
“The Crew has a passionate fanbase and I sincerely appreciate all they have done to support not only the club, but myself and my family,” he said. “Lastly, I want to thank the players, technical staff and my coaching staff for all they gave. I will miss being in the locker room with these amazing people who do so much every day to push this club forward and I wish everyone the best moving forward.
Bezbatchenko announced assistant coaches Pablo Moreira, Tim Hanley, Eric Quill and Blair Gavin also would not return in 2023. Gavin’s departure for a new coaching position was previously announced and Hanley’s contract is up at the end of 2022, the club announced.
The club said its search for its next head coach is underway.
