For anyone who’s paid close enough attention, it should not be completely shocking that Garth Lagerwey was leaving the Seattle Sounders to take over as the CEO and President of Atlanta United. Although it only became official on Tuesday, there have been hints that Lagerwey had bigger ambitions than the title of general manager or even “President of Soccer” could fully satisfy.
Those ambitions first came into focus in 2019, shortly after the Sounders won their second MLS Cup under Lagerwey’s leadership. At the time, there were rumors linking Lagerwey to the Chicago Fire where Nelson Rodriguez was in charge.