Angel City hires former Thorns and Netherlands coach Mark Parsons as new GM

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Former Portland Thorns and Netherlands national team coach Mark Parsons has been named Angel City’s new sporting director and general manager.

Parsons replaces Angela Hucles Mangano, who mutually parted ways with the National Women’s Soccer League club in December and is now with for the Houston Dash.

Among Parsons’ first tasks will be hiring a new head coach. Angel City fired coach Becki Tweed in December after a disappointing 7-13-6 season.

“Mark brings exceptional experience in the domestic and global game,” Julie Uhrman, Angel City’s co-founder and president, said in a statement Wednesday. “As we enter 2025 with the opening of our state-of-the-art 50,000-square-foot performance center, Mark will lead our sporting operations, driving our culture and championship ambitions alongside our outstanding leadership team and staff.”

Parsons was head coach of the Washington Spirit for two seasons from 2013-15 before joining the Thorns, where he coached for six years and led Portland to the NWSL title in 2017.

He left Portland for the Dutch national team in late 2021 but was dismissed after the Netherlands were eliminated in the quarterfinals of the Women’s European Championship. He returned to the Spirit as coach for one season in 2022.

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