MLS coach fined for snow complaint
LAFC coach Steve Cherundolo fined $10,000 by MLS for saying match shouldn’t have been played in snow
An MLS coach was fined for a snow complaint. The MLS fined Los Angeles FC coach Steve Cherundolo $10,000 on Wednesday for complaining that last weekend’s game against Salt Lake was played amid snow and lightning.
The league said Cherundolo’s comments after Saturday’s 3-0 loss in Utah violated the league’s public criticism policy.
Major League Soccer on Twitter: “❄️ SNOW GOAL ALERT ❄️ pic.twitter.com/6vRh5gIxfj / Twitter”
❄️ SNOW GOAL ALERT ❄️ pic.twitter.com/6vRh5gIxfj
“Public criticism”
MLS invoked a clause from its 2024 competition manual that considers “public criticism” as an act that can harm the public image and reputation of MLS and/or the club and is therefore subject to discipline by the commissioner or his designee. The game scheduled to take place in Sandy, Utah, was delayed by approximately two hours due to adverse weather conditions. However, the match was stopped only 3 1/2 minutes in and was interrupted for almost an hour because of lightning.
Coach didn’t mince words
“It was not difficult conditions — impossible conditions,” Cherundolo said after the game. “An absolute joke that we had to play today. Not safe for the players. One of the worst professional sporting events I’ve ever seen in my life. I’m actually, I feel terrible for the players, we put them through this. (I think this) game could have been and should have been called many times beforehand. In my opinion, an absolute disgrace that we played today.”
Cherundolo, 45, is in his third season as LA’s coach and led the team to the 2022 MLS title. A former defender, he played for Germany’s Hannover from 1998 to 2014 and made 87 appearances for the United States, playing in the 2006 and 2010 World Cups.