The expansion Hartford Athletic soccer club has parted ways with its head coach, a day after completing its first season.
The club and coach Jimmy Nielsen announced the move Sunday, hours after Nielsen led the team in a 2-1 loss to Portmore United FC, a Jamaican club, in an international friendly.
Nielsen coached the club to a 8-21-5 record in its inaugural season in the USL Championship, a tier below Major League Soccer.
Hartford won seven of its final 21 games and finished 12th out of 36 teams in home attendance, drawing an average of 5,025 fans per game. The club played in Rentschler Field in East Hartford until mid-July, when it moved to a renovated Dillon Stadium.
“We would like to thank Jimmy for his contributions to our organization and all his efforts in launching our Club in its inaugural season,” Hartford Athletic Chairman and CEO Bruce Mandell said. “Jimmy has provided the foundation for our club, and we wish him all the best in his future endeavors.”
The club says it is launching an international search for Nielsen's replacement.
Hartford Athletic is Connecticut's professional soccer team that competes in the United States Soccer League.
