Former United States women's national team coach Vlatko Andonovski has left his role as the sporting director of the Kansas City Current by mutual consent, the team announced on Monday.
Andonovski's departs his adopted hometown, Kansas City, and the team that he led to the NWSL Shield in a historic 2025 season as both the sporting director and head coach.
Andonovski ceded the head-coaching role in November to shift fully into the sporting director role for the Current.
"Both parties determined that Andonovski's requested transition from coaching into the Sporting Director role at the end of last season was not the right fit," the team said in a statement.
The statement continued: "The Kansas City Current wishes Andonovski well in his future endeavors."
A month after Andonovski ceded his coaching role, Kansas City hired Chris Armas as head coach.
Armas had previously coached in MLS but never in the professional women's game.
He was recommended to Kansas City Current co-owners Angie and Chris Long by Canada men's national team coach Jesse Marsch.
Milan Ivanovic, who was Andonovski's assistant coach with FC Kansas City's championship teams, and with the USWNT and with the Current, was the expected favorite for the job.
Kansas City has experienced regular front-office turnover despite on-field success.
Camille Ashton resigned as GM in spring 2024 and soon took the sporting director and GM role with the San Diego Wave.
Caitlin Carducci then became the GM after an interim stint, but Carducci was fired last fall as part of the organizational restructuring that led to Andonovski shifting entirely to the sporting director role.
Ryan Dell assumed the general manager role at the same time.
Andonovski's exit is, by far, the most surprising.
Andonovski returned to Kansas City after the USWNT's 2023 World Cup failure and spoke glowingly about how people in the area welcomed him back.
Andonovski has been the coach of every NWSL trophy claimed by a team in Kansas City, which spans different franchises.
He won two NWSL Championships with FC Kansas City in 2014 and 2015 as well as the NWSL Shield last year with a Kansas City team that set numerous records.
He was named NWSL Coach of the Year twice.
Andonovski's initial success in the league landed him the USWNT head coaching job in 2019.
Kansas City currently sits seventh in the table with 37 points through 23 games.
