It’s a New Year and North Carolina FC of the USL has a new head coach.
Dave Sarachan, whose professional coaching career has often been that of a loyal assistant, replaces Colin Clarke, who was NCFC’s head coach for seven seasons. The first six in the North American Soccer League and the 2018 season in the USL.
Sarachan, 64, was Bruce Arena‘s assistant after Arena replace Jurgen Klinsmann as USMNT coach. After the team failed to earn a berth in the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, Arena resigned, and Sarachan took over as the interim national team coach as US Soccer began a new direction for the national team program, mainly with a younger generation of players.
Sarachan was the man in charge for the last 12 games in 2017-18. The USMNT posted a 3-5-4 record over that run of a dozen games. Ironically, his first win after assuming the reins was a 1-0 win over Paraquay at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary,NC, home of NCFC. Sarachan’s young Americans drew 1-1 with Portugal and France and defeated regional rival Mexico 1-0. Under Sarachan, 23 players earned their first international cap.
“I am very excited to be joining NCFC as its head coach,” said Sarachan in a statement from the club. “To have an opportunity to be aligned with quality people, excellent facilities, a soccer-rich community and a shared philosophy in terms of vision and ambition is every head coach’s wish.”
Sarachan is not entirely without head coach experience. He coached the MLS Chicago Fire from 2002-2007, leading that club to US Open Cup titles in 2003 and 2006.
Clarke, a native of Northern Ireland, coached North Carolina FC for seven seasons, but was not retained after going 13-13-8 this past season, finishing in ninth place and missing the playoffs.