“Just believe in yourself and trust the process.”
Those are the words Michael D’Agostino used to describe his journey to becoming an MLS assistant coach for his hometown Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
It hasn’t necessarily been the typical journey, but it’s one that has been uniquely Canadian, combining hard work, persistence, progress, and opportunity.
Playing days
D’Agostino was born in Langley, BC, growing up in a time when Canadian soccer didn’t always command the respect it does today.
For many players, achieving their dreams to play professional soccer was a grind, and opportunities were often difficult to come by.
D’Agostino was a promising Canadian U-20 national team midfielder who played at the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup. He played three seasons at the University of Kentucky, then spent time with the Whitecaps reserves in the Pacific Coast Soccer League, where he helped the team win the league cup in 2006.
The midfielder aspired to play in Europe, and after trials in Italy and England, he worked his way to a contract with Blackpool. He spent time on loan at Cheltenham Town, then also played for Hereford United and German club Sportfreunde Siegen.
“I enjoyed my time getting the chance to be a professional in Europe, it was really a big experience for me, it was something that I always wanted to do,” explained D’Agostino.
“But I didn’t have the career that I would’ve wanted, I probably would’ve wanted to play at a higher level. I think I recognized that the path for me in the game was going to be more on the coaching side and I decided that step probably earlier than most would and retired a bit early.”
It was from that moment on where D’Agostino’s unique process towards reaching the sidelines of MLS began.
Returning home
When D’Agostino decided to move away from playing and start his coaching career, he did so back where it all started – at the grassroots level in British Columbia.
He began with Langley United and then went on to coach across different levels with TSS Academy, Quest University, and Mountain United. Up until this year, he also served as technical director of North Vancouver FC, building out the foundation and implementation of the club’s programs.
“I think there’s a lot of value in progressing as a coach, instead of maybe starting off at the highest level,” said D’Agostino. “It’s nice to see the game from the grassroots level all the way up to the professional game.”
His growth eventually landed him with the Whitecaps FC MLS Academy in 2017, moving from U-14, to U-15, U-19, and eventually the U-23 team.
Those experiences with youth players helped shape him as a coach – clear communication, trust, patience, motivation. It also helped him understand his own views on the game, a passion for attacking play with an important touch on defensive stability, all under a team-first approach.
But the biggest opportunity for D’Agostino was still to come.
Destino
Ahead of the 2019 MLS season, Vanni Sartini arrived in Vancouver as a first team assistant under then MLS head coach Marc Dos Santos.
Following the 2020 season, Sartini took a different role in the club as director of methodology with the academy. After all, coaching coaches is among Sartini’s biggest passions.
As part of that role, Sartini became head coach of the U-23s, where he began to work closely with D’Agostino.
"Last year, when I was the director of methodology and U-23 head coach, I chose him as assistant because I saw the potential for him to be a very good coach in the future," expressed Sartini.
"I saw a guy that was eager to learn, and that for me is the most important quality you have to have in a coach."
It’s been with Sartini that D’Agostino has had his greatest mentor.
“He’s had a huge impact on me as a person and as a coach”, said D’Agostino. “Not only does he know the game and know what he wants his teams to do, he also fully respects everybody as both human beings and as players. He’s a very, very good leader and he does it on a human level, better than anyone I’ve worked with so far.”
D’Agostino, who comes from an Italian family, has shared in Sartini’s philosophies on the pitch, but is never afraid to present a difference of opinion – in fact with Sartini, it’s encouraged.
"He has a set of skills that help a lot," noted Sartini. "He's a very organized person, he helps a lot on the field. He also has a knack for taking a step back, looking at things and then reporting to me [to show me] things that I don't see immediately."
So when Sartini was named interim MLS head coach in August of 2021, he was quick to bring D’Agostino with him.
“We were really excited about the opportunity, but being quite frank we had no idea [how long it would last]”, explained D’Agostino, “We did it one hour at a time, one day at a time, one game at a time, one week at a time.”
Fast-forward a few months later, and with a series of positive results and an incredible run to the 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs, Sartini was given the full-time job, and D’Agostino officially earned himself the role of MLS assistant coach for his local professional football club.
“I’m really honoured that the club believes in me and that they gave me the chance,” expressed D’Agostino. “Being from Vancouver, born in Vancouver, and now being one of the coaches of the local team is something special for me.”
A road less traveled, but one that he wouldn’t trade.
