Chris Armas Returns To MLS As Next Colorado Rapids Manager
The Colorado Rapids have hired their 10th manager in club history, Chris Armas. During the 2023 MLS season, the Colorado Rapids fired Robin Fraser and hung on to the rest of the season with Interim Manager Chris Little. Both managers did not do well last season and the Colorado Rapids are looking to be one of the toughest managerial jobs within the entirety of Major League Soccer. Well, we now know who will look to turn around one of the worst clubs in MLS last season. Former Supporters’ Shield winning Manager Chris Armas will make his return to the United States.
During the 2018 MLS season, the New York Red Bulls saw Jesse Marsch leave the club to go be an Assistant Manager at RB Salzburg in Austria. In the corresponding move to that, the New York Red Bulls promoted Armas to be full time Manager and Marsch’s replacement. There was so much excitement about the hiring during the time as there were many reports he was “loved” in the locker room. 2018 continued pretty well as this was when Armas won his lone trophy as a manager, the 2018 Supporters’ Shield. The Red Bulls would go on to lose in the Conference Finals that season to Atlanta United, the eventual champions. Armas would be the manager of New York Red Bulls until the summer of 2020 when the club was clearly struggling, all-be-it during a tough global situation. Armas finished his New York Red Bulls managerial career with a record of 35 wins, 14 draws, and 37 losses in 86 games.
Armas’s time as a Manager in MLS would continue when in 2021 he was hired as Manager of Toronto FC to replace Greg Vanney. Armas would only last 15 games in charge of Toronto FC as he finished with a record of 2 wins, 3 draws, and 10 losses. Things were not going well for him within MLS and he decided to take a step back from being a Manager. In December of 2021, Armas was hired as an Assistant Manager for Manchester United (yes… that Manchester United) until he left the club in May of 2022. Armas would continue his career in England, joining Leeds United in January of 2023. Armas would be an assistant manager with Leeds United only for a few months as his time ended there in May of 2023.
Why Armas for the Rapids? My argument would be league experience and hope. The Rapids at this point look like a club that won’t go make that exciting splash in the market. They will play their managerial hirings “safe”. Armas is safe. He has been a Manager in MLS for 86 games, he has won a trophy, and in the past has been known as a guy players like to work with. I think the thing that hurt him during his time as a Manager in MLS is the on-field tactics. This is where the hope comes in for the Colorado Rapids front office. Hope that during his time in England with Manchester United and Leeds United, Armas has taken something in order to progress as a top tier Manager in the league. If he has and he can unlock something within this organization, then it’s almost a bargain bin homerun here for the club. But, we will have to hold our breath and wait to see if we get to experience a brand new Chris Armas in Major League Soccer.
