Lo’eau LaBonta reacts to sudden firing of former Kansas City Current coach Matt Potter
Kansas City Current midfielder Lo’eau LaBonta revealed her “shock” at the sudden firing of head coach Matt Potter, explaining the team had no issues with the former manager.
The Kansas City Current parted ways with Potter after just three games of the 2023 NWSL season, citing 'issues around his leadership and employment responsibilities’.
“We watch the play on the pitch, we keep a pulse on the locker room, and we are constantly evaluating ways to improve our club,” general manager Camille Ashton said in the news release. “Through our ongoing process of continuous improvement, we believe now is the right time for this change.”
Potter first joined the Current as head coach in 2022, concluding the season with a 10W-6L-6D record and leading the team to the NWSL championship match, before falling to the Portland Thorns. Despite a successful 2022, the KC side has struggled in 2023 with zero wins in three matches.
LaBonta and other Current players joined the list of those confused by the quick departure of Potter, clarifying the team had no previous knowledge the former manager would be let go.
“I’ve done numerous interviews with Matt and about Matt, and Matt literally just did one for me. And we’re very truthful people. We had no knowledge that this was going to happen at all. We didn’t have any say in it. It was news to us and where the whole shock came from,” the midfielder told reporters after the team’s fourth match of the season.
When asked if she experienced or knew of any ‘issues with his leadership,’ the player responded" “Not to my knowledge, no.”
“A lot of people asked me how I felt after, and I felt I was doing collateral damage (control) and checking in with every single player I could. Especially the ones back home because they weren’t delivered the message face to face. They unfortunately had to get on a phone call because they just weren’t here,” LaBonta said.
“Everybody has told me to take time and sit on my emotions. But my first thought was, how are my teammates, how is Caroline [Sjoblom] going to take this new leadership role. And then we have Houston. We have to win a game.”
Sjoblom, who first joined the team as an assistant coach in the 2023 offseason, is now serving as the interim manager as the Current search for a permanent replacement. She led the Kansas side to their first win of the season, triumphing 2-0 over the Houston Dash in their inaugural match of the 2023 NWSL Challenge Cup.
“There have been a lot of emotions today and maybe a little bit of chaos as well,” she said after Wednesday’s win. “From my side, I tried to keep all the focus on what we can do today. We can be a team today. We can play with a lot of effort. We can play with our heart. We can play with the energy that we have within this group. I think that is what we showed today as well.”
The team returns to action on Sunday against the Orlando Pride.