Raphael Wicky set to replace Peter Vermes at Sporting KC

Goal reports Sporting KC are nearing an agreement to hire Raphael Wicky to replace long-time head coach Peter Vermes, citing the Athletic.

Wicky is a Swiss coach who has played and coached in MLS and abroad: he played his final professional year for Chivas USA, managed the United States U-17s in 2019, coached the Chicago Fire from 2020–21, and led Young Boys from 2022–24, winning the Swiss league and cup in 2022–23 before parting ways the following year. He would be the first major appointment from new CSO David Lee, who joined at the end of last year and formerly held the same role at NYCFC, where he oversaw an MLS Cup win in 2021 and helped hire Pascal Jansen prior to the 2024 campaign.

Wicky steps into a challenging situation: Vermes, who held a dual manager-CSO role at Sporting KC from 2009–25 and was a defining face of MLS for more than 15 years, left after failing to win any of his first six games last season. Sporting KC finished last in the Western Conference with seven wins from 34 games, and the new manager will likely oversee a rebuild while relying on Designated Players Dejan Joveljic and Manu Garcia as key pieces next season.

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Sports, Raphael Wicky, Peter Vermes, Sporting Kc, David Lee, Mls