'That's the current reality' - Angel City to wait until June for new head coach as sporting director Mark Parsons explains why 'it's still not clear' who will succeed Becki Tweed

Angel City parted ways with Tweed before the end of 2024, after a disappointing NWSL season which saw the club finish 12th in a 14-team league. A month later, ACFC hired Parsons, who won everything possible in his five-and-a-half-year stint with the Portland Thorns, but to be the sporting director rather than the coach.

The new NWSL season begins this weekend, when the Orlando Pride face the Washington Spirit in the curtain-rising Challenge Cup. On March 16, Angel City will then begin its regular season campaign at home to the San Diego Wave, its big California rivals. However, it will do so under the interim charge of Sam Laity - an arrangement that Parsons says will continue until June.

Speaking to media this week, Parsons said: :First of all, I want to share that Sam Laity is our interim head coach and we believe he will be our interim head coach until June. That's the current reality of our head coach process. Our head coach process is getting to a point where it is getting clearer, but it's still not clear when the head coach could be joining us at Angel City.

"The journey that we're on and the way the process is looking right now, the head coach won't be here at the beginning of March, like I previously shared was one option. The availability of the candidates that are left in the process are all available in June, and in the next few weeks, I hope to be able to give a more concrete update.

"While we're very committed to finding the best person, the only reason we're in a position to be able to do this is because we've got someone like Sam Laity, who's been in this league for over 12 years as an assistant coach and as a head coach leading our team and organization on the field right now. He's doing a tremendous job. We're very happy and grateful for the way that he has conducted himself and continues to lead our group."

Parsons' comments about candidates being available in June tie in with one rumour that has been doing the rounds in England, suggesting that Manchester City boss Gareth Taylor could be a target. The Women's Super League season runs until May and so any move would likely come after its conclusion, although Taylor squashed the rumours when asked about them in January, having only last year signed a contract extension until 2027.

“I’ve nothing to comment on in terms of the speculation," he said. "I think for me, I signed the contract around this time last year, really happy at the club, really grateful to the club for many, many years being here as a player and as a coach. I think we’ve got work to do here for sure. I’m excited about the challenge ahead. I’m excited about where we can potentially move things. Of course, there’s a lot of hard work still to be done, so I’m happy where I am."

While Angel City fans wait for the "more concrete update" Parsons said may be offered "in the next few weeks", the club will focus on beginning its 2025 season under Laity. With some exciting new signings onboard, such as former Man City defender Alanna Kennedy and prolific French forward Julie Dufour, those in Los Angeles will hope it is a better campaign after last year's disappointments.