One big transfer need for Sporting KC before the primary window closes | OneFootball

After experiencing the stereotypical new coach bump in their first victory of the season a week ago, Sporting Kansas City returned back to earth on Sunday in a 4-2 home loss to the Portland Timbers.

As the post-Peter Vermes era begins, interim manager Kerry Zavagnin inherits a roster that has several weak points, particularly in the back line. And while it's reasonable for SKC to try and upgrade incrementally before the primary transfer window closes on April 23, it's unlikely the club's problems could be significantly improved fixed by the time Matchday 10 arrives, given the relatively few options available worldwide this time of year, and SKC's presumed relative limited budget.

But what Sporting Kansas City really needs, more than a center back or defensive midfielder or potentially goalkeeper, is some clarity in the future direction of their technical staff.

Mike Burns is currently the club's sporting director and was brought in last year to take a significant chunk of the burden off Vermes, who had been one of only a few MLS managers who also served as his team's top player personnel executive for the past several seasons.

But presumably Burns' hire came with the guidance and endorsement of Vermes, who still appeared to have heavy input in the roster-building process, if not quite outright control.

Consultants, not clarity

And the fact that co-owner Mike Illig has said the club is using a consulting firm to conduct a global search for a managerial replacement suggests Burns is not going to be the club's top personnel decisionmaker long term. Because if he was, he'd be the one leading that managerial search.

The best thing that could happen for Sporting before the primary window is that ownership could make clear who the club's long-term personnel decisionmaker will be, whether it's Burns or an outside hire, and then let that person take over the managerial search.

While the rest of the primary transfer window may be too soon to begin making upgrades to one of the league's weaker rosters, appointing that new person now guarantees he or she can begin doing the legwork needed to take advantage of the secondary summer window.

While Illig has said the decision to part with Vermes came early in part to attempt to ressurect the season, that won't happen without a clear personnel plan. Because it was ultimately Vermes the sporting director who got his team into trouble more than Vermes the manager.