DETROIT (WXYZ) — Detroit City FC has named Danny Dichio as the team's new head coach, becoming the fourth head coach in team history. He joins the team on a two-year contract.
The 49-year-old native from Notting Hill, England, last served as an assistant coach for Sacramento Republic FC, who finished as the runner-up in the USL Championship Western Conference.
“My family and I are thrilled to be joining Detroit City FC and the community of Detroit. This is a unique club with great leadership, and I can’t tell you how excited I am to get started with the group and build on the recent success of Detroit City Football Club,” Dichio said in a statement.
“We are very pleased to have Danny on board as the Club continues to commit substantial resources to build on our winning foundations. We entered the head coach selection process with a definitive list of desired qualities, credentials, and experiences," DCFC Sporting Director Trevor James said in a statement. "Danny’s football philosophy and strong commitment to accountability and personal responsibility match up perfectly with the identity we want our team to continue to embody. He greatly appreciates the history and legacy of this Club and this City and embraces the challenges ahead."
Dichio played three seasons for Toronto FC and scored the first-ever goal for the team in the MLS, eventually retiring after the 2009 season.
He joined Toronto FC in 2010 as an assistant coach, and then coached the Toronto FC Academy, the team's under-18 team, for 10 years. After spending a year as an assistant for Toronto FC II in 2021, he joined Sacramento in 2022.
He takes over for Trevor, who joined the team in 2019 as head coach. Trevor moved into a new role following the 2023 season and is the club's first-ever sporting director.
In his new role, Trevor will oversee all soccer activities for the club, including the men's professional team, women's pre-professional team and developmental teams.
Assistant GM Tiffany Ebert James will also expand her role into the VP of Sporting and Wellness and be a strategic advisor to Trevor.
James led the team through the transition first to the National Independent Soccer Association and then to the USL Championship, the second tier of professional soccer in the U.S.
In their first two seasons in the USL Championship, James led the team to the playoffs, plus several wins in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, including a win over the MLS' Columbus Crew.
Detroit City FC will also host a meet-and-greet with Dichio for fans at the Detroit City Clubhouse on Monday, Dec. 4 at 6:30 p.m.
