VANCOUVER, BC – Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced on Friday that the club has parted ways with head coach Marc Dos Santos and assistant coach Phillip Dos Santos, effective immediately.
Whitecaps FC director of methodology Vanni Sartini will lead the team as acting head coach. Assistant coach Ricardo Clark and goalkeeper coach Youssef Dahha will remain with the first team staff.
“We are very grateful to Marc and Phil for the hard work and sacrifice that they put in to lead our team over the past two and a half years,” said Axel Schuster, Whitecaps FC sporting director and chief executive officer. “We are extremely committed to continue moving this club and team in the right direction, and at this time we felt that it was necessary to make a change to achieve our next steps.”
Whitecaps FC play their next match this coming Sunday, August 29 at home against Real Salt Lake. The ‘Caps have 14 matches remaining in their 2021 MLS regular season, including eight matches at BC Place. For the complete schedule visit whitecapsfc.com/schedule.
"I am very grateful for my time with the Whitecaps and appreciate the support I received during a challenging two plus seasons," added Marc Dos Santos. "There are a lot of great people at this club, who work extremely hard, and I'm thankful for the time we shared together. I am also especially thankful to the players, technical and support staff and wish everyone all the very best. I am very excited about the future."
Marc Dos Santos was appointed head coach in November 2018, while Phillip Dos Santos joined in December 2018. In Dos Santos’ two plus seasons as head coach, the team recorded an MLS regular season record of 22W-37L-18D, and a Round of 16 defeat at the MLS is Back Tournament in 2020. In the Canadian Championship, the ‘Caps bowed out in the third qualifying round in 2019, and the preliminary round in 2021.
Sartini originally joined the club as first team assistant coach prior to the start of the 2019 MLS season, before transitioning to director of methodology in September 2020. As a professional coach, Sartini was head coach of A.S. Mezzana for three seasons, an assistant coach with A.S. Livorno Calcio – whom he helped earn promotion to Serie A – and an assistant coach with S.S.C. Bari. He later worked in opposition analysis for the Italian youth national teams at the U-17, U-19, and U-21 levels, and was a coach educator for both the Italian Football Federation and U.S. Soccer. Sartini holds a UEFA Pro Licence, the highest coaching certification available.
Clark joined the club as an assistant coach in March 2021. An accomplished former player, Clark won MLS Cups with Houston Dynamo in 2006 and 2007, was an All-Star in 2006, 2007, and 2008, and was on the MLS Best XI in 2006. The former central midfielder also played in Germany with Eintracht Frankfurt and in Norway with Stabæk. Before joining Whitecaps FC, Clark began his coaching career with the Dynamo Academy.
Dahha joined the club in December 2018. Prior to that, he was goalkeeper coach for Ottawa Fury FC, after spending 13 years with Montreal Impact. In Montreal, Dahha helped the Impact win the A-League championship in 2004, the USL regular season titles in 2005 and 2006, as well as the USL First Division championship in 2009. At the MLS level, he helped Montreal to consecutive Canadian Championships in 2013 and 2014, and a runner-up finish in the 2014-15 Concacaf Champions League.
