The longest-tenured coach in MLS has re-upped for several more years.
Sporting Kansas City announced on Monday that head coach and sporting director Peter Vermes has signed a contract extension that will keep him at the club through 2023, a sturdy mutual commitment that reflects Vermes’ pivotal role in building the Midwesterners into perennial trophy contenders.
“After 12-and-a-half years here, in some regards I’ve put my life’s work into this place,” Vermes told the Kansas City Star. “The reason why the ownership has made a commitment and why I’ve made a commitment to them is that while we have had a lot of success over the years, we still have a lot we want to get done. We’re all committed to that, and that includes myself.
“This is where my heart is.”
Vermes, 51, has led Kansas City as technical director since 2006 – back when they were still the Wizards – and added coaching duties in August 2009, making him the only coach of the club’s modern era as Sporting. The former US national team and MLS player is also the winningest coach in franchise history and has overseen qualification for the MLS Cup Playoffs in seven consecutive seasons.
Since then SKC have won four titles: the 2013 MLS Cup and the 2012, 2015 and 2017 US Open Cups. On Saturday Vermes marked the 150th victory of his coaching career with a 1-0 home win over the Colorado Rapids, keeping his team in first place in the Western Conference ahead of Wednesday’s top-of-the-table clash at East leaders Atlanta United (7:30 pm ET | ESPN+ – Full TV and streaming info).
Vermes holds a 121-93-76 mark in MLS regular-season play and is 150-108-86 across all competitions. He has also played a key role in the dramatic expansion of Sporting’s infrastructure, which has grown to include new training facilities, USL side Swope Park Rangers and one of the most ambitious youth academies in the league.
“I don’t know of a better situation when you’re doing this job,” Vermes told the Star, “the support from ownership and their understanding that this is a long-term play. The easiest progression to see is just the facilities themselves.
“When you just see that progression and that we’re consistently trying to be better versions of ourselves in all that we do, it’s the environment I want to be in.”
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