Revolution replaces interim coach Richie Williams

Less than three days after claiming that former assistant coach Richie Williams would “continue to serve as interim head coach as the team prepares to close out the 2023 season” following the resignation of Bruce Arena, the Revolution announced Tuesday evening that Williams had been replaced.

Clint Peay, former head coach of Revolution II, will serve as interim head coach “effective immediately,” according to a team release. Marcelo Santos, Peay’s assistant coach with Revolution II, will join his new staff in the same role.

The team also announced it had let go of assistant coaches Dave van den Bergh and Shalrie Joseph. Williams remains at the club for now, although his role is unknown.

The abrupt shakeup is the latest in a series of major changes to the team’s coaching staff. It began with Arena being placed on administrative leave on Aug. 1 while the league investigated allegations that he made “insensitive and inappropriate remarks.”

Williams led the team as interim head coach during this period as days stretched into weeks with no resolution to the investigation. On September 9, minutes after the Revolution ended in a 1–1 draw against Minnesota United, the club announced that Arena had resigned. A statement from the MLS, released shortly after, said its investigation had “confirmed” the allegations.

Coaches and players didn’t learn of Arena’s decision until after the game, according to Williams.

On Tuesday, the team met with Revolution president Brian Bilello to discuss what happened with Arena. According to a report from Tom Bogert and Pablo Maurer of The Athletic, players requested more information from Bilello and the coaching staff about Arena’s withdrawal, but were not satisfied with the answers.

Bogert and Maurer also reported that van den Bergh and Joseph have “left coaching several times since Williams took over as interim head coach.” Both men had publicly expressed their support for Arena before his resignation was announced Saturday.

Peay, 49, has coached Revolution II since its inception in 2019. Playing in MLS Next Pro (the third tier of American men’s professional soccer), Revolution II under Peay has contributed to the development of several of the first team’s current young players ( notably midfielder Noël Buck).

The team also announced that Bilello and technical director Curt Onalfo will hold a virtual press conference with media on Wednesday to offer more information.