Red Bulls fire Armas

Chris Armas is done in New

York.

The Red Bulls announced Friday that the 48-year-old coach has been relieved of his duties effective immediately, with assistant CJ Brown also departing the club.

“On behalf of the organization, I’d like to thank Chris for his hard work and dedication to the club,” head of sport Kevin Thelwell said. “In this business, we have to make difficult decisions based on performances and, fundamentally, results. At this time, it’s my decision that we must go in a different direction in order to meet the ambitions we have for our football club. We wish Chris and CJ all the best in their future endeavors.”

The club said in its statement that it will name an interim replacement soon.

Armas, who played college soccer at Adelphi, joined the Red Bulls as an assistant in 2015. After taking over as head coach when Jesse Marsch left to coach in Europe in July 2018, Armas led the club to a 12-3-3 record to finish out the season, in which the Red Bulls won the MLS Supporters’ Shield. In 2019, his only full season in charge, Armas oversaw a sixthplace Eastern Conference finish, with the team bowing out in the first round of the playoffs to the Philadelphia Union.

The Red Bulls are currently in seventh place with a 3-4-2 record, but their performances have dipped since last year. They are averaging just 0.77 goals per game (seven in nine) after posting a more robust 1.56 (53 in 34) last season. The club has struggled to create and convert chances this season. The Red Bulls have the joint fourth-worst xG differential per 90 minutes (0.74) this season, per FBref.com.

Armas departs the club with a 29-21-11 record overall.