Chris Henderson expresses confidence in Ronny Deila, but his team needs wins

Atlanta United manager Ronny Deila received a tepid vote of confidence from Sporting Director Chris Henderson on Friday. Henderson noted, though, that results are what matter for everyone’s jobs and the team needs to accumulate points in its final eight matches.

Atlanta United is winless in its past 10 MLS matches and has 22 points from 26 matches. It will host Toronto on Sunday. The Five Stripes have the third most expensive roster in MLS. Despite the expenditures on talent, it has allowed 49 goals and scored 31.

“I think we have confidence in Ronny,” Henderson said. “We’ve had a lot of changes come through. We need to find a way to get the most of our players, and we will do everything we can to support Ronny and his staff with what he needs. We need to find a way to get things right. As a sporting director, I want to be there for Ronny and anything I can do to help the team.”

Deila agreed. He needs to win games, saying that is his job.

“I have been (in) this business for 20 years, so I don’t focus on wins and results,” he said. “I focus on how we’re going to win. And as I’ve said all the time, and I’ve been into (a) situation before with many clubs that you are in press situation, but you need to go out there and get the best out of yourself. That’s the only thing.”

Deila and Henderson are in the first year of their jobs with Atlanta United. Deila has a history of success, including winning the MLS Cup with NYCFC in 2021. Henderson also has a history of success with numerous trophies won at Seattle and Inter Miami.

President Garth Lagerwey said earlier this year that neither would be fired during the season. Lagerwey took a leave of absence from the club in June because of a cancer diagnosis. The treatments are nearly complete, Henderson said.

“We brought Ronny in for the long term,” Lagerwey said in May. “He’s our third coach in three years. The solution to our issues is not to have four coaches in four years.”

Henderson was supportive but not as definitive about Deila’s future Friday. Last year, interim manager Rob Valentino was not made the manager in part because Lagerwey said he didn’t win the MLS Cup.

Henderson said Deila’s situation is different.

“There’s been a lot of change,” Henderson said. “A lot of new players now are coming in. From my experience, sometimes that takes a little time for things to click. With support of ownership, I think we’re being patient on how to figure out the best way going forward. But, as I said before, it comes down to winning games. That’s where we’re at right now is can we collect points? Can we show that we’re going in the right direction?”

Henderson completed 12 transactions in the summer transfer window to try to support Deila and the team.

The work was mostly focused on building the defense. Among the acquisitions were centerbacks Enea Mihaj and Juan Berrocal, and central midfielder Steven Alzate. The team sold centerback Efrain Morales to Montreal, transferred Derrick Williams to Reading and lent Noah Cobb to Colorado.

Henderson said it will take time for some of the new players to build their fitness. Mihaj has already become a starter. The others have come off the bench.

Offensively, the team’s three Designated Player slots are filled by Emmanuel Latte Lath, Miguel Almiron and Alexey Miranchuk.

Latte Lath has scored seven goals. Almiron has scored three goals with six assists, which includes two secondary assists. Miranchuk has scored six goals with four assists.

Henderson said he thinks Latte Lath and Almiron have struggled because they came from league seasons into Atlanta United during the winter window. They have been playing continuously for more than a year.

“It’s not done yet,” Henderson said. “We need to address it again in January. But I felt like we, you know, we’re taking the steps, and now we need to see that in results.”

Deila said he feels the team is improving. It has played better in the first halves of recent matches. The second halves, though, are a problem. The team has given up 27 goals in the final 45 minutes of matches. Deila said he thinks the downturns are related to fatigue.

The team has been dealing with injuries to starters throughout the season. Latte Lath has been dealing with various injuries the past few weeks, Deila said, as an example.

“It gets mental sometimes when you don’t get the wins that you maybe sometimes deserve and want, but you just have to keep on with the consistency in messages, consistency in the style of play, and then go from there,” Deila said.