Earlier today, Gotham FC announced that Hue Menzies will take over as interim head coach for the rest of the 2022 season. The 58-year-old Menzies was the head coach of the Jamaica Women’s national team from 2015 to 2019, and won the 2018 CONCACAF Women’s Coach of the Year award. In 2019 Menzies led the Reggae Girlz to their first-ever appearance in the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Menzies takes over for Scott Parkinson, who parted way with the club on Thursday in what seemed to be a rushed decision. Gotham were a disappointing 4-0-8 under Parkinson, and are in danger of not making the NWSL playoffs.
Menzies is an unorthodox choice to take over at Gotham. He accomplished much during his time with Jamaica, but he hasn’t held a head coaching position since 2019. He most recently was the executive director of Florida Kraze Krush, a youth soccer organization in Florida. It’s unusual for an NWSL team to pass over assistant coaches
Will he be able to adapt to the standards of a professional league, and help a talented but underperforming Gotham squad compete and make the playoffs? Or is he simply a caretaker who is being asked to see out the season so that the team can start fresh next year?
Here is the full statement issued by Gotham:
HARRISON, N.J. – NJ/NY Gotham FC of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) today announced that Hue Menzies will serve as interim Head Coach for the remainder of the 2022 season.
Menzies won the 2018 Concacaf Women’s Coach of the Year award after helping the Jamaican Women’s National Team qualify for the 2019 Women’s World Cup, the country’s first-ever Women’s World Cup appearance. The holder of a U.S. Soccer A-License, Menzies currently serves as a member of the Concacaf Technical Study Group and the U.S. Club Soccer Board of Directors.
“I want to thank Yael and ownership for giving me the opportunity to work with such gifted athletes,” said Menzies. “This is an incredibly committed team and there’s still time left in the season to turn things around. I’m excited to get to know these players and help aid their progress anyway I can.”
Menzies, who becomes the first Black head coach in NWSL history, brings 35-plus years of coaching experience to Gotham FC. He has served as the Executive Director of Florida Kraze Krush for the last 10 years and spent five years as the head coach of Jamaica’s Women’s National Team. He was a co-founder and director for the Lonestar Soccer Association in Austin, Texas and an Olympic Development Coach at the national, state and regional level for 15 years. He also served as an assistant coach for the University of Texas’s women’s soccer team.
“Hue is a soccer lifer and a true professional with a track record of success when it comes to building programs and developing players,” said Gotham FC General Manager Yael Averburch West. “I’m confident Hue will help our players reach their potential this season while we continue our coaching search.”
