Why the Five Stripes finally needed to stop

#5StripesDontStop

It’s a motto Atlanta United has lived by for nearly all of its seven seasons in Major League Soccer. Darren Eales coined the phrase when the club was at the pinnacle of American club soccer. After conquering MLS Cup in 2018, it felt like nothing could stop the burgeoning juggernaut in Atlanta.

Fast forward to present day: the club has failed to live up to those standards, consistently sliding towards mediocrity year by year. How we arrived here has been well documented. Failed signings, poor roster management, and missteps in trying to replace Tata Martino were all contributing factors. Despite obvious and critical setbacks, the “Five Stripes Don’t Stop” mentality endured.…