Nagamura promoted to head coach at Swope Park Rangers

• by Paul Kennedy  @pkedit, Dec 4, 2017

Brazilian Paulo Nagamura, a veteran of 12 seasons in MLS, was named the new head coach of the USL's Swope Park Rangers.

Offseason USL coaching moves:
OKC Energy FC: Out: Jimmy Nielsen
Orlando City B: Out: Anthony Pulis.
Pittsburgh: Out: Dave Brandt. In: Bob Lilley.
Rio Grande Valley FC: Out: Junior Gonzalez.
*Rochester: Out: Bob Lilley.
Saint Louis FC: Out: Preki. In: Anthony Pulis.
Swope Park Rangers: Out: Nikola Popovic. In: Anthony Pulis.
*Will sit out 2018.

Nagamura will be the third coach in three years after Marc Dos Santos, who left to become the San Francisco Deltas head coach, and Nikola Popovic, who was not retained for the 2018 season.

Nagamura was a SPR assistant in 2017 when it won its second straight Western Conference championship. He retired after the 2016 MLS season, having won two MLS Cups and three U.S. Open Cups. He spent the last five seasons with Sporting KC.

“It’s an amazing feeling and a great honor to become the head coach of Swope Park Rangers,” Nagamura said in a statement. “I want to thank Sporting KC ownership, Peter Vermes and the entire organization for this opportunity. I will do everything I can to reach our objective of developing and preparing young players to make an impact on the first team.”