Vancouver Whitecaps part ways with manager Vanni Sartini after just over three years as manager

The Vancouver Whitecaps parted ways with manager Vanni Sartini on Monday, with the 48-year-old departing after just over three years as the club's manager.

He led them to an eighth place finish in the West during the regular season, before a 5-0 Wildcard round playoff victory over the Portland Timbers followed by a Round 1 best-of-three series exit to No. 1 seed LAFC in the postseason in 2024.

Under Sartini, the Whitecaps won three-consecutive Canadian Championship titles, and made the postseason in three out of four seasons where he was at the helm - including in 2021, when he was interim head coach before being handed the full-time job in 2022. Sartini joined the club in 2019 as an assistant coach to Marc dos Santos and was named academy director of methodology in 2020 before his promotion to first team manager.

Notably, the Italian was suspended for six games for verbally abusing referee Tim Ford following their playoff exit to LAFC in 2022, before it was reduced to four after a successful petition.

Departing the club Monday, Sartini added: “For the last three years and three months, it has been an absolute honor to be the head coach of Vancouver Whitecaps FC.

"I will always be grateful to Axel Schuster and ownership for entrusting me to be the technical lead of this club in such an important time. I will also always remember with fondness the successes on the field, but what I will cherish the most is the memories of my relationship with the fans, players, staff, and the community. Vancouver will always have a special place in my heart and my wife’s heart. Andiamo!”

“We are incredibly grateful to Vanni,” said Axel Schuster, Whitecaps FC sporting director and chief executive officer. “Since arriving in Vancouver six years ago, Vanni gave his all to this club and city. He embraced everything with passion and enjoyed tremendous success along the way. I am extremely thankful for our friendship and wish him all the best.

“I took my time with this decision, and it was not taken lightly. We have taken important steps each year and it is now the right time for someone else to lead this group on the pitch with fresh and new energy. We have started the process to find our next head coach as we look to take the next step and build a championship contender in MLS, as well as continental tournaments.”

The Whitecaps are now in offseason mode, preparing for the 2025 campaign. They will begin their head coach search immediately, looking to name a new hire before preseason begins in January.