Atlético Ottawa head coach Carlos González will not return to the helm of the team next year.
Atlético says the team and González agreed to “mutually part ways” after three seasons in the Canadian Premier League (CPL). No details about his departure were provided.
González, 38, led Atlético to its first major trophy, the CPL Shield in 2022, for being the best performing team in the league that season. The team also won its first CPL playoff match that year and set a new league record for goals scored in a single season.
He was named Coach of the Year in his first season in charge.
“Thank you Ottawa, I have felt at home from the first day I set foot in this great country. I arrived in the magnificent capital of Canada thanks to the trust of Atlético de Madrid, taking on a complex but at the same time exciting challenge, that of positioning a practically newborn project in a place where it can fight alongside the strongest,” González said in a news release.
“The process and the day-to-day were as challenging as they were rewarding. I can say that we’ve enjoyed the journey so much. I leave feeling happy and satisfied with the work done in terms of club structure, player development and of course results. Being able to help the growth of the club and football in the city has been a privilege.”
Atlético reached the playoffs in the 2024 season and finished third in the CPL standings, despite only winning one of the their last seven home matches.
The team lost to Forge FC in the semi-finals on Nov. 2.
“Atlético would like to thank González for his commitment and professionalism, and wishes him good fortune and success in the future,” the team wrote.
The search for a new head coach is underway.
The team is also saying goodbye to former Player of the Year and league goal-leader Ollie Bassett and retiring captain Maxim Tissot from Gatineau, Que.
The league’s next season will start in April.