MIAMI – Miami FC announced on Tuesday the departure of Anthony Pulis as the Head Coach. Pulis and the club reached a mutual agreement for him to step down from his position to pursue other opportunities.

The club also announced the appointment of Lewis Neal as interim Head Coach. Neal, a former USL Championship All-League selection at Orlando City SC, has been a part of the Miami FC coaching staff as an assistant since December 2022. Neal will lead the side into its next contest this Saturday night on the road against Monterey Bay F.C.

“Firstly, I’d like to express my gratitude to Riccardo Silva and Michael Williamson for the opportunity they gave me to coach Miami FC,” said Pulis. “I’d like to thank all the staff that I’ve worked with for their support & hard work. Finally, to the players, thank you for all your efforts, your hard work & dedication. I wish everyone at Miami FC all the very best for the future and I look forward to the next challenge on my coaching journey wherever that takes my family and I.”

Pulis was in his second season with Miami, having led the side to a place in the USL Championship Playoffs last season as the club tied for the league-lead with 17 shutouts in the regular season. The side also registered the longest away winning streak in the Championship with a five-game winning streak on the road, and recorded a seven-goal outing, its most goals in a single game since joining the Championship in 2020.

“We are grateful to Anthony for his dedication and hard work during his time as Head Coach,” said Miami FC CEO Michael Williamson. “His leadership has been invaluable, and we wish him and his family the best in his future endeavors. Anthony leaves behind a strong foundation, and we are confident in the future of Miami FC.”

Neal will be accompanied by Ryan Tham and Giueseppe Weller who remain on in their respective roles within the technical staff. Also joining on an interim basis as an assistant coach to the First Team is Marcello Alves who has been serving as the Head Coach of the Miami FC USL Academy team, helping further foster the connection between the Academy and the First Team.