New York City FC have made Pep Guardiola’s trusted lieutenant Domenec Torrent their new Head Coach after Patrick Vieira left the club to become manager of OGC Nice in France.
Vieira had been in charge of City for two and a half years, had led the club to consecutive MLS playoffs for the last two seasons and the side are currently second in the Eastern Conference.
The Frenchman’s replacement at City, Domenec Torrent, takes over as Head Coach pending the approval of a US work permit.
He was an assistant to sister club Manchester City’s boss Pep Guardiola for 11 years during which he won 24 trophies but admitted he was looking for an opportunity to manage again.
Torrent, who is also a former Head Coach of Girona FC as well as being Assistant Coach at Barcelona and Bayern Munich as well as being Guardiola’s right-hand-man at Manchester City, signed a deal taking him to the end of the 2020 season
Commenting on his new role, Torrent said: “Though I have enjoyed a wonderful 11 years working alongside my colleague and close friend Pep Guardiola – it has always been my ambition to manage a team again and I really couldn’t have hoped for a better opportunity than at this football club.
“I know we have a very talented team, I have watched many of the matches and I enjoy the way the team plays and I now can’t wait to begin working with the players on the training pitch.
“I am looking forward to living and coaching in this special city and meeting the fans as soon as possible. I am eager to experience and play a part in the soccer culture of New York.
“I’d like to thank the players and all my colleagues at Manchester City for making my time at the football club such a wonderful and memorable experience.”
Coaching changes at Manchester City after Domenec Torrent leaves
The departure of Guardiola’s right-hand-man will mean coaching changes at Manchester City and although the Catalan has lost one of his most trusted staff the opportunity is there for former Everton and Arsenal player Mikel Arteta, who joined the Manchester City coaching staff two seasons ago when Guardiola first arrived at City, to shine.
Arteta had been briefly linked with the Head Coach role at Arsenal while speculation over the future of Vieira appears to have quickly led to a reshuffle in the City Football Group and the change of backroom coaching staff could be a precursor to another future promotion for Arteta to the managerial hot seat at City if Guardiola decides to move on again in 2021 when his own deal is up.