With the 2019 NWSL season fast approaching, the Washington Spirit formally announced the hiring of Richie Burke as their new head coach, along with a techincal staff combining some new hires with some holdovers. The move was first reported by the Washington Post’s Steve Goff, whose piece also notes that as of twelve days ago, Burke had already spoken to players via conference call. Burke’s official title is Head Coach and Technical Director, an indicator that team president Chris Hummer will remain the General Manager.
Burke has been a fixture in the region’s coaching community for many years, and holds both a UEFA “A” license and a “B” license from US Soccer.