Pascal Jansen is NYCFC's new head coach | OneFootball

The wait is finally over! After New York City FC fired Nick Cushing at the end of the 2024 season, the club began the search for a new head coach. Due to reports, fans knew the name of the likely coach for a few days. However, the Pigeons finally confirmed the news on Monday afternoon.

NYCFC announced that Pascal Jansen is the team's new leader, making him the sixth head coach in club history. The 51-year-old signed through 2028, meaning he will possibly be the coach when the new stadium opens in 2027. He also joins the Boys in Blue at a time when fans are desperate for success. The pressure will be at an all-time high, for supporters expect 2025 to be better than the last two seasons.

Pascal Jansen is the new head coach of NYCFC

Jansen, who was born in England but grew up in the Netherlands,  joined NYCFC from the Hungarian team Ferencvárosi Torna Club. He spent only half a season there but had a win percentage of over 56%. He left the team in second place in the league, creating hope that he could do something similar in the Big Apple.

Previously, he started his coaching career at PSV Eindhoven as a head coach and managed the youth side, Jong PSV, from 2015 through 2017. In 2018, he moved to Alkmaar Zaanstreek, or AZ Alkmaar. After a few years as a coach, he became the manager in 2020, remaining in the role until January 2024.

Jansen's most notable accomplishment with AZ Alkmaar was leading the team to the UEFA Conference League Semifinals in 2023. He had a 96-42-24 record with the Dutch side. While he never won the Eredivisie, he finished his first half of a season in third place. The Dutch manager then finished fifth and fourth in his next two seasons, before struggling a little during his final months in charge.

Of course, there are always ups and downs for head coaches, and Jansen is no different. He shows plenty of promise based on his resume and fits the City Football Group mold as well. NYCFC Sporting Director David Lee said the following about his coaching style: "Pascal brings fantastic experience and a style of play that aligns with our philosophy, wants to play an entertaining and attacking style that will create chances and score goals, which I’m sure our fans will enjoy watching and will help us compete for trophies across all competitions in 2025 and beyond."

If there is one thing NYCFC needs to do in 2025, then it is to score more goals. Hopefully, the players will have a smooth adjustment under Jansen since his teams have played similarly to what NYCFC and other CFG teams are used to.