Houston Dash faces turmoil again as coach Fran Alonso exits amid a disastrous season

Head coach Fran Alonso resigned, signaling yet another turbulent chapter for the already rocky recent history of the Houston Dash. It is the third time in two years the club is seeking a new leader. Alonso was hired in December 2023, and in June this year, he went on leave, reportedly for health reasons as the season wasn't going well. Now, with the announcement of his permanent departure, the Dash finds itself in another precarious situation.

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Fran Alonso: A Short and Trying Chapter

There had been much hype when Alonso was hired, with many hoping he would bring an exciting style of play into the Dash. He had an impressive European soccer credential to his name, having managed Celtic's women's team, where he won three titles in as many seasons. The coach, however, went on medical leave during a very important time in the season.

His absence is felt as the Dash never could seem to get consistent and tumbled to last place in the NWSL standings. A 3-0 loss to the Washington Spirit at home in September was indicative of growing frustration within the team. Forward Diana Ordóñez publicly voiced her frustrations regarding the absence of the coach in Desde La Línea Podcast, where she noted that the team either needed Alonso back or a new coach to refocus the team. It has seemed to take its toll on the team that no clear-cut direction has come from the technical staff.

Instability Continues to Plague Dash

Alonso's departure only heightens the extent of chronic instability the Houston Dash have had. That makes a third time inside two years the club are searching for a new coach. Since 2022, the Dash have experienced six coaching changes, including interim managers, and that is surely going to make it hard to establish a clear-cut and firm identity that ought to characterize the team.

Even though the team reached the playoff in 2022, it has not managed to sustain success. Poor performances and relentless changes of managers followed the next couple of years. Instability characterizes the 2024 season, where only four wins were gathered in 22 games with a negative goal differential of 20, one of the worst cases in the league.

ESPN reports that the Dash have not had a full-time GM since Alex Singer left in July, and the club is actively looking for someone to fill the position. It's expected that the new GM will also oversee the hiring of the next head coach, an important move in the organization's quest to find stability and clear direction.

A Team in Transition

While the coaching situation has been unstable, Dash has been quite busy on the player market in search of talent to help them long-term. Recently, players such as Michelle Alozie, Bárbara Olivieri, and Paige Nielsen signed contract extensions, showing the desire of the club to build a strong foundation for the future.

That finally came in 2023 when Mexican star María Sánchez left the team. Having signed the largest contract in NWSL history, Sánchez requested a trade and was subsequently dealt to San Diego Wave FC. That move, on top of jettisoning Alex Singer, showed a complete lack of stability from top to bottom. The addition of interim general manager Erik Ustruck hasn't been enough to bring in the much-needed stability the club is looking for.

The new general manager will be expected to play an integral role in the club. Among the crucial matters, Houston Dash is urged to find a new general manager. The new person should not only select a new head coach but also reorganize the entire sporting structure of the club. Since Singer's departure, the Dash has been operating with Ustruck in an interim capacity awaiting the appointment of a permanent leader.

This will be a pivotal moment for the organization, as the selection of a new GM and head coach will determine what direction the team takes in the coming years. With a roster that has promise but is void of any true leadership, this could be the start of a new era with the Houston Dash-or continue the issues that have haunted the team thus far.

At a Crossroads

This could be the breaking point this season, 2024. The team currently sits on the bottom of the standings in the NWSL with four remaining games of the season in their effort to end on a respectable note. Interim coach Ricky Clarke faces an uphill job trying to motivate his squad in the absence of consistent performances.

If Dash is to recover, the first port of call would be putting stability in place at management level. The only way that will happen is when a new general manager comes in and appoints a coach who brings cohesion and confidence into the side. Secondly, the club has to learn from past mistakes: the constant changing of coaching not only affected the team on the field but also damaged the club's image in front of fans and sponsors.