The Colorado Rapids named Chris Armas as their next head coach, the 10th in team history, in an announcement Friday morning.
The announcement confirms what club sources told The Denver Post earlier this week. Since the principle agreement, final contract details were ironed out over the last 48 hours.
Armas, 51, has a strong résumé as a player and coach. He most recently was an interim co-head coach at Leeds United in February and also spent time as an assistant at Manchester United.
“I’m incredibly proud and excited to take the role as the head coach of the Colorado Rapids,” Armas said in a club statement. ” … I’m as hungry as ever to deliver this success to our fans and our club. I’ve always been eager to implement my style of play at a club that plays and trains at altitude. This advantage, along with high energy, attacking and entertaining football, can help our team and fans return to home field dominance.”
Club sources said Colorado interviewed a total of 11 domestic and international candidates, and five finalists met with team executives over a two-day span. KSE vice chairman Josh Kroenke was kept informed throughout the search, sources say, from receiving detailed analysis on every coach, to having in-depth conversations with key club figures.
For Rapids club president Pádraig Smith, Armas stood out above a crowded field for a number of reasons.
“We were looking for three things: Leadership, game models or the tactical structure, as well as player development. As we went through the process, Chris continued to tick all of the boxes,” Smith told The Post. “When we came together, we had a unanimous choice. Chris has got not only the personal qualities, but he’s got the experience to back that up.
“It’s impossible when you meet him not to be blown away by his energy and positivity,” Smith continued. “He comes with an energy every day that’s infectious and I felt that’s something the locker room needs. He holds people, himself accountable and is going to create a demanding culture. … We want to return to being dominant in transition and at altitude. Chris has worked with elite pressing coaches and has his own ideas he’s ready to implement. We need to continue developing quality, young players who can provide on-field success with (Armas’) style of play.”
In a 13-year playing career, Armas won five trophies including four U.S. Open Cups and an MLS Cup, all of which were with the Chicago Fire. He also made 66 appearances for the United States Men’s National Team.
Beginning in 2015, he was at the New York Red Bulls, first as an assistant and then as head coach from 2018-2020, where he won a Supporters Shield in his first season. In 2021, he took over Toronto FC for 11 games before being dismissed after a period of poor results (1-8-2), including a 7-1 loss in his final game in charge. Armas continued to hone in his coaching skills as an assistant in the English Premier League at Manchester United from late 2021 until May 2022, and earlier this year at Leeds United.
The hire is viewed by many within the Dick’s Sporting Goods Park campus as a new chapter for Armas and the front office to re-energize a frustrated fanbase.
With 14 first-team players under 23, a Rapids 2 team fresh off of a deep postseason run and a strong academy, Armas will have his work cut out for him. But the roots for Colorado’s return to MLS prominence have been planted.
“It’s easy to point to situations like Toronto or the end of Red Bulls saying that (time period) covers everything, but it obviously doesn’t,” Smith said. “Those are very different situations. Here, he’s coming into a team that’s been built for this type of transition offense. … His experience with Leeds and Manchester United, I have no doubt he’ll bring what he learned and bring it into this situation.”
Armas will look to stabilize a club that had its worst season in franchise history in 2023, going 5-17-12 and recording 0.79 points per game. The Rapids parted ways with longtime head coach Robin Fraser in September and eventually finished bottom of the Western Conference with the second-worst record in Major League Soccer.
Due to the upcoming holiday season, the club will formally introduce Armas as head coach on Nov. 30.
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