San Diego FC: Mikey Varas the Coach of the Year frontrunner? | OneFootball

By MLSsoccer staff

Mikey Varas: Why San Diego FC have the most impressive coach

Something special is happening for San Diego FC and Vancouver Whitecaps FC.

Between the California expansion side's dream start to life in MLS and the Whitecaps leading the Supporters' Shield standings, both clubs are defying expectations seven matchdays into the 2025 campaign.

According to MLS Season Pass analyst Dax McCarty, their respective managers – Mikey Varas and Jesper Sørensen – are a huge reason behind this early-season success.

However, the legendary former midfielder has a clear favorite for the 2025 Sigi Schmid MLS Coach of the Year award.

San Diego Football Club

"Mikey Varas, top of the list for me," McCarty said after San Diego's 3-0 drubbing of Seattle Sounders FC included a breakout performance (1g/2a) from superstar Designated Player Hirving "Chucky" Lozano.

"This is based on preseason expectations and where the teams are at right now."

McCarty, who lived the MLS expansion team experience with Nashville SC in 2020, was especially complimentary of Varas, given the former USMNT and FC Dallas assistant's early returns as a new head coach.

"Because an expansion team, you get a little bit of a bump. Call me soft, that’s a soft spot that I have. Being an expansion team member," he said.

"Listen, what they have done has been so impressive. The teams that they beat, the way that they’ve done it."

Vancouver Whitecaps FC

While McCarty gave the edge to Varas, fellow MLS Season Pass analysts Bradley Wright-Phillips and Sacha Kljestan favored Sørensen.

"I would probably swap Varas and Sørensen. I would have Sørensen on top," BWP said of the veteran Danish manager, who replaced longtime 'Caps coach Vanni Sartini over the winter.

For Kljestan, Vancouver's top-of-the-table status and run to the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinals make it an obvious choice.

"Why is Varas ahead of Jesper Sørensen then, when the standings clearly show that Vancouver is better than San Diego right now?" he said.

Other candidates

After putting Varas and Sørensen first and second in his rankings, McCarty also gave shouts to Columbus Crew's Wilfried Nancy, Minnesota United FC's Eric Ramsay and Inter Miami CF's Javier Mascherano.

"Listen, this is a tough list to put together," he said. "I know that there are plenty of deserving candidates who were even left off this list. Guys like Dean Smith (Charlotte FC), Nico Estévez (Austin FC).

"But Mikey Varas, far and away the Coach of the Year so far."

Columbus Crew

Never one to shy away from stirring the pot, Kljestan ended the debate on an explosive note by arguing that Nancy – the reigning MLS Coach of the Year – wouldn't even make his top five despite keeping the Crew undefeated and atop the Eastern Conference leaderboard, an assertion McCarty labeled "blasphemy."

"It's not blasphemy," Kljestan responded.

"He’s the best coach in Major League Soccer, we know that. But what is he doing any different?" he said. "I’m with Dax, it’s based on preseason, what you expect a team to do. And I didn’t expect Columbus to change much, and they haven’t changed. What has he done differently this season?"

"They only changed an MVP candidate [Cucho Hernández]," McCarty countered. "They lost him and replaced him with MLS NEXT Pro players."

BWP was even less impressed with Kljestan's argument, simply saying, "That's crazy."