Seattle Reign FC named Vlatko Andonovski the new head coach of the club earlier today. Andonovski, who previously coached FC Kansas City from the inaugural 2013 season to 2017, is a two-time NWSL champion and the 2013 NWSL Coach of the Year.
Despite being an unknown entity in the world of women’s soccer before stepping into his first season with FC Kansas City, Andonovski has had a long history with the sport.
Andonovski played professionally for six seasons with a variety of clubs in Europe, including FK Rabotnički, Makedonija GP and FK Vardar. In 2000, he signed with the Wichita Wings of the National Professional Soccer League (NPSL) and later played with the Kansas City Comets, California Cougars, and the Philadelphia Kixx of the Major Indoor Soccer League.
Once his professional playing career ended, Andonovski was involved with youth teams across multiple age groups in the Kansas City area, including Elite Clubs National League and Girls Development Academy teams. Andonovski won four Missouri State Championships, a youth National Championship, and was head coach of the Missouri girls ODP program.
In 2010, Andonovski became the assistant coach of the Kansas City Comets, which played in the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL). After three successful seasons, Andonovski was hired as the head coach, where he promptly led the squad to the 2013–2014 MISL championship. Andonovski would go on become the head coach of FC Kansas City, where he managed a squad whose play was the envy of the league in its first three seasons.
“My coaching experience in this league has been tremendous,” said Andonovski. “This league has grown so much from day one, and it continues to grow now. Being part of a league that’s filled with players, coaches, and owners that have the same mindset to grow the women’s game in this country has been an honor for me.”
In the wake of an 8–9–7 season with FC Kansas City in 2017, Andonovski entered the offseason ready to assess his future. While unsure if he was ready to make a move, a conversation with Seattle Reign FC owner Bill Predmore helped shape his decision.
“I wasn’t initially sure if now was the right time or not, but after meeting with Bill I felt this was different and something I wanted to be a part of,” said Andonovski. “We have a very similar mindset, and our strengths complement each other. I think it will be a great partnership to take this organization to the next level.”
Another key factor in Andonovski’s decision was that outgoing coach Laura Harvey knew he was the coach to carry on what she had built at the club. As Harvey put it, “I didn’t suggest people, I suggested one person — Vlatko.”
Harvey was heavily involved in the transition, playing a big role in bringing Andonovski into the fold as her successor.
“Laura is one of the best coaches in the game I’ve ever been around,” said Andonovski. “I’ve always admired her and the job she’s done in Seattle. She’s someone that had a hand in changing the landscape of women’s soccer in this country. Having her endorsement is an honor to me. I hope I can continue her work and the culture she created.”
Having had a similar experience of building a club, and its culture, from the bottom up at Kansas City, Andonovski was excited to join a club that had a similar version of that growth under Harvey.
“Reign FC have established itself as one of the best teams in the NWSL,” said Andonovski. “Every year they are one of the teams contending for the playoffs and a championship. We know that both Bill and Laura have done a tremendous job building the organization, because every player and coach wants to be a part of it.”
With the foundation already built after five seasons, Andonovski doesn’t want to change much of what Harvey created, but instead just add “a bit of my own flavor to it.” One thing to remain the same is the possession style of play the two coaches have championed in the NWSL.
“In terms of my approach to the game, I like aggressive attacking and an attractive style of soccer,” said Andonovski. “I want people to come to our games knowing that regardless of who is on the team or who we are playing against they are going to enjoy watching a beautiful game.”
Coming into a team that has played a similar style over the past five seasons has Andonovski feeling comfortable, and with an intriguing mix of veterans and youth on the roster, he’s ready to see what everyone has to offer.
“The roster that Seattle Reign FC have is full of players with different personalities and abilities,” said Andonovski. “I feel very happy having players like Jessica Fishlock and Megan Rapinoe on my side instead of playing against them. I’ve spent hours analyzing their game and movements so I can try to contain them, but now having them on my team is going to make my job easier and my life easier.”
Even with his change of club and the new scenery of the Pacific Northwest, the goal remains the same for Andonovski at Reign FC, and the challenges loom larger than ever in a constantly evolving league.
“As a coach, it would be almost silly to say the goal is anything but winning a championship,” said Andonovski. “The biggest challenge will obviously be those teams we are playing against. This league has grown so much and the quality of the players and the teams has taken everything to a completely different level from day one. Competing against the top teams isn’t going to be easy, but that’s the beauty of this game and the greatest challenge in the way of lifting up the trophy.”
