The San Diego Wave hired Landon Donovan as its new interim head coach, the team announced Friday. Donovan replaces outgoing interim head coach Paul Buckle, whose original commitment to the team only ran through the summer window. Donovan holds a USSF A senior license and will coach the Wave through the end of the 2024 NWSL season while the club continues its search for a permanent hire.
Donovan is one of the most decorated U.S. men’s soccer players in program history with 57 goals in 157 international caps, as well as winning the MLS Cup six times. He was vice president of soccer operations for the San Diego Loyal in USL until the club folded in 2023 due to an inability to find “a viable near- and long-term stadium solution in the market.” Before that, Donovan was the Loyal’s head coach from 2019 to 2022.
“Landon’s level of knowledge, understanding and experience as both a player and a coach, provides us with a leader that can help guide this club to where we want to be — in a playoff position and competing for a Championship. His passion for this city and growing the game, along with having a player-first mentality, make him a natural fit for this club,” said Wave general manager Camille Ashton via a club statement.
Welcome to Wave FC, @landondonovan 🌊
Donovan will serve as our interim head coach for the remainder of the 2024 season. pic.twitter.com/UNOqlSyZSF
— San Diego Wave FC (@sandiegowavefc) August 16, 2024
In 2020, Donovan garnered attention when he and Loyal players walked off of the field during a game to protest an alleged homophobic slur used against Loyal team member Collin Martin, who is openly gay. Loyal ultimately forfeited the match.
The Wave fired former head coach Casey Stoney in June, with president Jill Ellis citing “the ambition of this club, and where we are in our season” as reasons for the change. At the time, the team was 3-5-6 for the regular season. Under Buckle, they only played two regular season games but lost both. In the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup, they won one game and lost two, one of which was on penalties. Stoney had previously led the Wave to a 2023 shield win and playoff semifinal, and a third overall finish in 2022.
The Wave are currently in tenth place in the NWSL standings with a 3-7-6 record and a -5 goal differential. The club has recently made some high-profile transactions, including signing French international Delphine Cascarino through 2026 and spending $500,000 to acquire forward María Sánchez from the Houston Dash in April.
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(Photo: Katharine Lotze / Getty)
