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The Nashville Soccer Club announced Thursday that Gary Smith is stepping down as the club's first head coach.
Nashville SC head coach Gary Smith gave instructions to midfielder Amar Sejdic, 6, last Saturday. (Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. โ Nashville Soccer Club announced Thursday that Gary Smith will step down as the club's first head coach.
Mr. Smith's tenure included seven seasons and saw the team reach the USL Championship and Major League Soccer playoffs six consecutive seasons, as well as reach the League Cup 2023 Finals. Assistant coach Steve Guppy has also left the club as part of the move.
“Nashville SC would like to thank Smith and Guppy for their dedication and contributions to our team and wish them and their families well in their future endeavors,” the team said in a statement.
Former Nashville SC player and current player development coach Lumba Muntari will serve as interim head coach while the club searches for its next head coach.
Nashville (3-4-5, 14 points) is 10th in the Eastern Conference.
Under Smith's leadership, Nashville SC has emerged as a very organized and hard-to-beat team in both leagues. In the USL Championship, Smith led the team to a 32-win record in two seasons, including two playoff appearances and a second-place finish in the Eastern Conference in 2019. His transition to MLS with the club was smooth, leading Nashville to four wins. Consecutive appearances in the MLS Cup Playoffs is a feat achieved by only two other teams in league history.
Smith leaves Nashville SC with an MLS record of 52 wins, including three playoff wins. The club has advanced to the MLS Cup Playoffs four times and the Eastern Conference semifinals twice, and tied the Seattle Sounders for the fewest goals conceded in the 2023 season. F.C.