MLS managers on the hot seat: Is time up for Bradley Carnell? And could Sporting Kansas City elect to make a change?

Carnell has caught some heat for not taking the handbrake off with Cavan Sullivan. But that is not his only fault this year. Let us be honest: Philadelphia are a bit of a mess from top to bottom. They got rid of some of their best players and never replaced them. Off-the-pitch scandals and an ongoing MLS investigation have consumed their front office. There is not much to like for the Union right now.

And while Carnell is not entirely to blame, his coaching certainly has not helped. The Union have won just once in the league and lost the other six. Only one club has scored fewer goals. To be sure, a win over Montreal bought him some time, but it still feels like Carnell is just one loss away from the sack.

The vibes were good at the start of the season for Sporting KC. They made a smart hire when they brought in David Lee to lead their soccer operations. Lee had worked wonders with NYCFC. Wicky was not exactly familiar with MLS, but he has a fine coaching pedigree and seemed capable of putting a side together.

At least, in theory. If there is an MLS-caliber coach here, he has not quite revealed himself yet. Sporting KC always felt like a bit of a project, and Wicky has not proved that he has the quality to form much of an identity. As with Carnell, some things are working against him here. Kansas City's squad is laughably weak and lacks experience. But Wicky cannot seem to establish an identity. A change might have to be made.

The good news for Damet is that St. Louis have a pretty good defensive record. Nine goals conceded in seven games is not great, but it is middle of the pack among MLS clubs. Factor in the fact that they have already played San Diego, LAFC and Seattle, and that record does not look too bad at all.

Going forward, though, there are immense issues. St. Louis have found the net just six times all season, and three of those came in one game. The reality is simple: St. Louis simply do not have a reliable striking option. Marcel Hartel is an attacking player with plenty in his bag, but he is not a natural goalscorer. Simon Becher has been used up front of late, but he has yet to convince. Damet can have his complaints. Still, he will need to come up with some ideas of his own.

This would be immensely harsh. Austin certainly outperformed expectations last year, and Estevez guided them to a respectable playoff spot after their star striker tore his ACL. They were shorthanded and overperformed. That alone should ensure he has credit in the bank to withstand a rough patch. And this certainly is a poor run for Austin. They are winless in five and struggling for attacking ideas. Yet there are reasons to believe things might look up. Some big names are returning from injury. Estevez's seat may be a little warm, but he is not in any real danger.

Vanney is another who has benefited from recent results. A 2-1 victory at Austin made things look better, but they are otherwise a pretty middling side. Fans will likely always point to the injury of Riqui Puig, who needed a second surgery on the same knee after tearing his ACL in the 2024 playoffs. But perhaps the reality is that this team will always have to function without their star Spaniard. Perhaps Puig is gone altogether.

The manager, in fairness, has never made his absence an excuse and has always tried to work with what he has. In return, the front office gave him some real talent this offseason. But he has, thus far, failed to get a tune out of the new signings. As long as they are a fringe playoff side, Vanney will have a job. But a rough run and he could be facing some serious questions.