U.S. national team assistant B.J. Callaghan is the frontrunner to be named the next Nashville SC manager and the two sides are in discussions for a deal, sources briefed on the situation tell The Athletic.
No deal is done yet, sources say, but Callaghan is the leading candidate. Former Portland Timbers manager Gio Savarese was also among the finalists, sources add.
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Callaghan is an assistant on Gregg Berhalter’s USMNT staff and are preparing for the Copa America. Callaghan is best known for briefly serving as interim head coach of the national team before Berhalter was re-hired.
Callaghan won the CONCACAF Nations League during his brief run in charge before falling in the semifinal of the Gold Cup the next month. What is widely regarded to be the national team’s best pool of players were part of the Nations League squad, with a more experimental roster at the Gold Cup.
Nashville parted ways with Gary Smith last month. He was the only manager in the club’s history and led them to the playoffs in each of his four full seasons in charge, only one of four clubs in MLS to make the playoffs each of the last four seasons. Rumba Munthali is currently serving as interim manager.
The Nashville squad is led by by designated players Hany Mukhtar, Walker Zimmerman and Sam Surridge.
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