Report: Chris Armas to get new contract from New York Red Bulls

Reporting for The Athletic, Kristian Dyer advises the New York Red Bulls are working out a new contract for head coach Chris Armas.

Per Dyer’s sources, the deal will be both a fresh contract - consistent with Armas’ elevation from assistant coach to head coach, one would assume - and an extension, offering him what any head coach really wants: adequate severance if results turn bad and the club moves on to find a new tactician to manage the first team.

Armas picked up the Red Bulls’ reins on July 6, 2018, stepping up from assistant to head coach as Jesse Marsch stepped down from RBNY head coach to RB Leipzig assistant. He led RBNY to a thrilling finish to the 2018 regular-season: five consecutive wins to cap the league campaign with the Supporters’ Shield and the MLS single-season points record.

If Armas had been handed a new contract the day after RBNY completed its 71-point season, few would have complained. Instead, he’ll get it in the aftermath of the Red Bulls’ latest limp post-season performance: a 3-1 aggregate loss to Atlanta United in the Eastern Conference Final. Depending on the timing of the announcement, there may be some expressions of discontent from the fanbase.

At least he’s left himself room for improvement heading into his first full season as RBNY head coach. It was always going to be hard to top a 71-point, Shield-winning year, but one would sincerely hope Armas doesn’t ever again see his team quite so comprehensively out-foxed as it was by Atlanta in the 2018 Eastern Conference Final. Expect RBNY to give him the time he’ll to work out a better way to attack the playoffs in due course.