In a season already marred by coaching changes, front office shakeups, and player discontent, the Houston Dash have been dealt another blow. Sources confirm to ESPN that technical director Pablo Piñones-Arce is out, less than a year after taking on the role.
A Year of Upheaval for the Dash
Piñones-Arce’s departure is just the latest twist in a tumultuous 2024 campaign for the Dash. The year began with the firing of their goalkeeper coach for violating the NWSL’s anti-fraternization policy. Weeks into the season, star winger María Sánchez requested a trade, despite having just re-signed as the league’s highest-paid player.
Perhaps most notably, head coach Fran Alonso was absent from the team for three months before officially parting ways in September. His lengthy, unexplained leave of absence left the team rudderless on the field.
Front Office Turmoil
Off the pitch, the front office saw its own share of upheaval. General manager Alex Singer was fired in late July, and the team has yet to name a permanent replacement. Sources say former Houston Dash player and ex-Orlando Pride GM Erik Ustruck has been serving as a de facto interim GM.
“The team is currently meeting with the technical staff as part of the annual end of year review. The team will share an update once all meetings have taken place,” a Dash spokesperson told ESPN.
Player Frustration Boils Over
Amid the coaching carousel and front office instability, player morale cratered. Houston fielded more free agents than any other NWSL team, with several starters looking to leave. After an embarrassing September loss, forward Diana Ordóñez aired the team’s dirty laundry:
“There is a lot to improve in several facets. It’s not just on the field or game by game,” Ordóñez said. “There are things we need, like the return of our head coach or a brand new coach, but we need a lot of help.”
A Blueprint for Revival?
As the Dash pick up the pieces from a disastrous 2024, they may look to some of their NWSL rivals for a way forward. The Orlando Pride and NJ/NY Gotham FC both engineered worst-to-first turnarounds in recent years through wholesale changes.
- The Pride overhauled their roster, appointed a new head coach and GM, and reset their culture en route to the 2024 NWSL Shield.
- Gotham FC went from the bottom of the table to NWSL champions in the span of a year.
Team president Jess O’Neill has touted the Dash’s potential and recent investments, but results have yet to follow. With Piñones-Arce’s exit, she faces mounting pressure to steady the ship and chart a new course in Houston. The team’s long-suffering fans will be watching closely.
