FC DALLAS ANNOUNCES DEPARTURE OF HEAD COACH NICO ESTÉVEZ
Personally, I like Nico. He’s well liked and showed strong leadership for these young men. He was a breath of fresh air when he got the head coach job ahead of the 2022 season. He even came out of the gates strong, taking the club to the playoffs. But much like anything else, over time that freshness wore off and the love was lost. Fans have been calling for his firing for many weeks now. I cringe when the boos start. I stand and clap for Nico instead. Give the man some respect. He came here and did a solid job for two season and had a bad run right now. This season has been rough. Not enough scoring, not enough winning. The writing seemed to be on the wall, so it’s no surprise that at this halfway point in the season, the ‘international break’, the club announces his departure.
Here’s the official release:
FRISCO, Texas (June 9, 2024) – FC Dallas has announced the departure of Nico Estévez as head coach of the club. Assistant coach Peter Luccin will manage the club on an interim basis as the search for a new head coach begins immediately.
“It is always a difficult decision to part ways with your head coach. A great deal of thought and deliberation went into this move as it is still early in the season. We believe a coaching change is in the best interest of the club,” said FC Dallas President Dan Hunt. “I want to thank Nico for everything he has done for the club, including some great playoff memories.”
FC Dallas hired Estévez on December 2, 2021. He led Dallas to two consecutive playoff appearances in 2022 and 2023 and to the inaugural Leagues Cup knockout stage last season. He had a 28-27-29 MLS regular season record as head coach, including a 3-8-5 record in 2024. Estévez joined Dallas from U.S. Soccer where he served as an assistant coach for the U.S. Men’s National Team under Gregg Berhalter.
Details regarding Luccin’s interim coaching staff will be announced at a later date.
“Peter Luccin has been a part of this club at all levels – a player, an Academy coach and a first team assistant,” said Hunt. “He knows our players and understands the culture of our club, and we appreciate his willingness to step up and lead during this transition.”
