GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. — Sean McAuley quit Friday as Minnesota's interim head coach, seven weeks before the Loons' Major League Soccer opener.
McAuley left to pursue other opportunities, the team said. Cameron Knowles was appointed interim coach after serving as coach of Minnesota's reserve team in the third-tier MLS Next Pro the past two years.
McAuley became interim coach when Adrian Heath was fired on Oct. 6 and led the Loons to a 5-2 win over the LA Galaxy and a 3-1 loss to Kansas City. Minnesota finished the league with 10 wins, 11 losses and 13 draws. The Loons were 11th in the Western Conference and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2018.
Heath had been Minnesota's coach since the team started play in 2017. The team opens at Austin on Feb. 24.
Knowles, a native of New Zealand, was Minnesota's video analyst in 2021 after nine seasons with Portland that includes six as an assistant and three as second-team coach.
Announcing McAuley's departure, a post on the team's website Friday thanked him for his five-year-long service to the organization.
"MNUFC wishes Sean all the best in the future, and would like to thank him for his contributions to the club on the pitch and in the community over the past five years."
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