2025 NC Courage offseason - season recap & coaching candidates

In 2025, all of the following things happened for the Courage:

• They acquired USWNT player Jaedyn Shaw
• They handed over half their midfield to a 19 year old… and improved at the position
• Manaka Matsukubo turned into a superstar worthy of MVP votes

And yet, they missed the playoffs.

They go into the 2025 offseason needing a new coach, some new ideas, and some fixes.

Let’s dive into how they got there, some possible candidates, why they may or may not be considered for the job, and then talk about some of the problems they’ll have to solve at the Courage.

Credits #

Stats used in these articles come from Opta via FBRef and from American Soccer Analysis.

Charts come from ASA’s VizHub, courtesy Catalina Bush.

Learn more about these stats (click to expand)

Stats used in this series of posts include:

• Expected goals (xG): how likely a shot is, based on where and how it was taken, to be a goal. A “good” shot is 0.15 or higher.
• Post-shot expected goals (PSxG): how likely a shot is to be a goal based on where it went on frame. This isn’t as predictive as xG for shooters, but is used to determine the quality of the shots goalkeepers faced, and whether they saved more than expected. Usually reported as PSxG±/90: goals allowed minus PSxG, normalized to be per game.
• Expected assisted goals (xAG): the amount of xG that came from a players passes.
• g+: A measure of how much an action (passing, receiving passes, interrupting possession, dribbling, etc) increased or decreased the chances of scoring a goal. Used to build a measure of overall value that takes into account more than just shots and assisted shots.

For most stats, see this FBRef explainer. To learn more about g+, read American Soccer Analysis.

What they did this year #

Performance #

The Courage’s performances to start the year under Sean Nahas weren’t good. After an adjustment, Nathan Thackeray’s took over briefly while Nahas was out with a medical issue, and the Courage improved. They petered out again as they came back from the summer break, Nahas was fired for a multitude of factors, and the Courage improved marginally before turning it on by the end of the year.

Overall, the Courage performed like a safe playoff team, by both expected goals and ASA’s g+ metrics; they were bang average defensively, while one of the better offensive teams.

Despite good performances, they struggled to get results. While they won their last two games to keep their playoff hopes alive, a series of earlier losses and draws doomed them.

If you want to zero in on something, take their season series against some of their mid-ish table peers: Seattle, Louisville, San Diego, and Houston. Across those eight games:

• Average xG/xGA: 1.38 for, 1.09 against
• Actual goals: 9 for, 16 against
• One win, two draws, five losses, for 5 of 24 possible points

If they had won just one more of those games, they’d have been in the playoffs. While you can expect some of this to improve back to the mean next season, underperforming this much across eight key games isn’t a great sign.

Tactics #

While under Nahas in 2024, the Courage were in their own possession zipcode, having the slowest buildup with the most passes. Under Thackeray, they moved somewhat faster, as they were now only the second slowest and most possession-happy team.

Nahas’s strict 4-3-3 evolved into two distinct tactical setups that the Courage utilized.

3-4-2-1 #

Early in the year, the Courage swapped to a 3-4-2-1 to try and spark the lineup. They used Courtnee Vine as the forward to run in behind, while utilizing two of Manaka Matsukubo, Jaedyn Shaw, and Ashley Sanchez at all times in attacking midfield.

It led to some of their best performances of the year, even if they didn’t win all of them. This is also when Manaka’s performance first exploded.

When playing with three centerbacks, the Courage were not very active on defense, but performed well. They allowed greater than average offense down the middle, but were an above average defensive team overall.

Thackeray’s 4-2-3-1/4-3-3 #

They later abandoned the 3-back and went back to a 4-3-3. If you look at the Courage’s buildup throughout the season in this formation, it’s what you expect: very right tilted through Ryan Williams, while the forward drops into the same spots as the attacking midfielder to interchange.

By the end of the season, they had settled on a front line of Manaka as a false 9, with Meredith Speck and Payton Linnehan as wingers. Their main thrusts of attack were:

• working through the right to play throughballs in behind to Linnehan
• bombing it over the top on the left to play in Speck
• Let Manaka and Riley Jackson figure out a way through the middle

This led to two of their best offensive performances in the last two weeks, although I would not expect the same strategy to be as succesful after an offseason of teams getting tape on it.

One disturbing trend with this layout appears if you look at American Soccer Analysis’s defensive stats. When the Courage played with four at the back, they were literally in the 100th percentile for g+ allowed down the middle.

The most likely explanation is that over half of their games in a 4-back system were played when Denise O’Sullivan was out due to a knee injury; one of these games they played a midfield of Jaedyn Shaw and Shinomi Koyama, neither of whom are anyone’s idea of destroyers. But this level of getting gashed is concerning; being this vulnerable in the center is a large change from the 2024 season, when they were basically average.

Lack of attacking development outside Manaka #

Since the start of 2024, the Courage acquired for their attack all of:

• Aline Gomes
• Cortnee Vine
• Hannah Betfort
• Payton Linnehan
• Jaedyn Shaw

Only one of these attackers (Linnehan) finished the 2025 season on the Courage with a majority of starts, and every single NWSL acquisition performed worse for the Courage in 2025 than they did for their prior team. Their non-NWSL acquisitions of Aline and Vine also did not develop into every game starters.

While the Courage have been very active in picking up new players for the attack, in 2025 they couldn’t figure out how to make their acquisitions regularly work.

What this means for Thackeray #

Heading into an offseason where the Courage are looking to return towards the top of the league, North Carolina will need the staff to both get better results from their performances, and get better from acquired players.

Hence, we’re assuming Thackeray will not be given the full-time role. It is telling that the club continuously referred to him as “acting” head coach, not “interim”.

What has Bowley said? #

In various press conferences, Bowley has noted that the teams goal is to return to championship contention, while retaining the Courage’s possession archetype.

Who are some potential candidates? #

While there is no one formula for a successful NWSL coach, there are commonalities to some unsuccessful coaches.

European coaches who have no prior experience with the NWSL or American soccer in general have often struggled - examples include Jimmy Coenraets, Marc Skinner, and Kim Björkegren.

Therefore, here are a few candidates that do have some level of NWSL/American soccer experience, and who might be under consideration. They are all women, because, frankly the NWSL should have more women coaches.

Ella Masar #

Current role: Chicago Red Stars assistant, former interim head coach

Qualifications #

After barely sneaking into the playoffs in 2024 (and leaving quickly), the Chicago Red Stars have had a tumultuous 2025 season. Head coach Lorne Donaldson was fired earlier in the season, replaced by assistant Masaki Hemmi. Hemmi then left at the beginning of July to take a USL Super League coaching job. Masar was named interim head coach as the team awaited the arrival of interim Anders Jacobson, the assistant for new head coach Martin Sjögren who will lead the team starting in the offseason. (Yes, that’s 5 head coaches in one season.)

What is obvious from Masar’s 4 games in charge is the stark difference in results.

With Masar:

• 2.0 goals for/game, 2.0 goals against
• Per game averages of 1.575 xG, 1.875 xGA
• 0-4-0 record
• 51% possession, 73% pass completion

With other head coaches:

• 1.09 goals for, 2.09 goals against
• 1.07 xG, 1.70 xGA
• 3-7-12 record
• 46% possession, 74% pass completion

With Masar as head coach, the Stars weren’t great, but were at least passable. Without her in the head role… yikes.

Players credited Masar with both tactical and attitude changes.

Ally Schlegel:

It's been a really awesome month, I think a hard month too. I think Ella’s pushed us a lot, and I think she's pushed us, though, in a in a way to in a direction of belief. I think that was like an intentional tactical change with Ella. I think she has been pushing us over the last month to be a high press team, being on our front for front foot, playing forward, all those sorts of things. So I do think, yes, that's been, you know, partially like with this ‘rest and reset’, but also I think that was a tactical mental shift that Ella has implemented, and I think that showed tonight on the field that the team really took to that.”

Sam Staab:

I think this team has needed direction, and it's not really that big of a shift, but at least the direction is like, go forward, play forward, run forward—run, period. So I think it's pretty simple. I think all of us are bought into doing that.

Besides her work with the Stars, she also was an assistant for a year at the KC Current under Matt Potter.

Overall, Masar has assistant experience, and showed distinct improvement in team results when performing as an interim. Considering the chaos around Nahas’ firing, her extensive experience working for and playing for dysfunctional organizations can’t hurt.

Why she may not be considered #

While Masar’s move to a more aggressive, pressing style did improve the Red Stars’ possession numbers in her games in charge, it is not the possession style one would associate with Bowley’s words or the Courage’s play.

Masar also has deep ties to the Chicago area and the Stars. Not only did she grow up and go to college in Illinois, she also played for the Red Stars in two separate leagues. Possibly even more relevant, her wife is the Stars’ assistant GM.

She also lacks the preferred Pro license certification from US Soccer, although she has UEFA A and B licenses.

Victoria Boardman #

Current role: North Carolina Courage assistant coach

Qualifications #

If the Courage are looking for someone with a USSF Pro License, they actually have one currently on staff.

Victoria Boardman joined the Courage in 2023 after she was an assistant during the San Diego Wave’s inaugural season. She has worked as a scout for the US youth national teams since 2020. She is a former professional player and England youth international, and has both a USSF Pro license (gained in 2024) and a UEFA B license.

If North Carolina is looking for familiarity, but not continuing with Thackeray, Boardman would be an option.

Why she may not be considered #

Her only head coaching experience to date is at a southern California youth club, and you would think if the Courage were considering her for the head job she would have been the acting head coach rather than Thackeray.

Twila Kilgore #

Current role: none

Qualifications #

Twila Kilgore served as an assistant for four years with the Houston Dash, and then moved to working with the US Women’s National Team, including multiple levels of the youth teams. She served as an assistant under both Vlatko Andonovski and Emma Hayes, and was the interim coach while Hayes finished her last season at Chelsea.

She compiled a 10-2-1 record with the USWNT as an interim head coach, before staying on for the Olympics as Hayes’ assistant.

In September of 2024, she announced she was stepping down as an assistant coach to “pursue other coaching opportunities"… none of which have appeared.

She has connections to a few former Courage players, acting as an assistant coach on Lynn Biyendolo’s Pepperdine teams, and coaching Jaedyn Shaw as both a youth player and as a first callup to the USWNT. She has a USSF Pro and a UEFA A license.

Hiring a former coach of the USWNT, even an interim one, would be a high-profile coup for the Courage.

Why she may not be considered #

After stepping down in 2024, Kilgore has not yet taken another position, which given her rationale for leaving, is a little odd. Her last club-like head coaching experience was five years as a head coach at UC Davis (2014-2019).

Sarah Lowdon #

Current role: Portland Thorns assistant

Qualifications #

Sarah Lowdon has twice been an interim head coach for the Houston Dash. In 2022, she took over for the suspended James Clarkson after the Challenge Cup, leading the team to a 4 wins, 3 draws, and 4 losses before Juan Carlos Amorós took over as interim head coach.

She remained as an assistant with the Dash in 2023 as JCA signed on as Gotham’s head coach. When the newly hired Sam Laity was fired in September of that year, she took over as interim head coach for the final four games, winning two.

Duringher first interim stint, players responded well to her leadership after taking over at an unexpected time.

Ally Prisock:

I think she’s done an amazing job. She definitely didn’t sign up for this, but she’s taken the head coaching job and just run with it, really. I think she just does a really good job with communicating and she’s a really good leader, so I respect her a lot and I think she’s a great coach.

Rachel Daly:

It was a very difficult role for her to step into, but she stepped up to the plate and she’s been brilliant. We couldn’t have asked for any more from her and the staff.

After the 2023 season, she left the Dash, signing on as an assistant in Portland.

She has additional assistant experience earlier with the Dash, and with multiple college teams. She has a USSF Pro license.

Tactically, she used multiple different setups, despitee having only a limited set of games as a head coach. In 2022, she played three games with four in the back before switching to a 3/5 back system the next 8. In 2023, she played a different formation every game according to FBRef.

Sarah Lowdon brings many years of NWSL assistant coaching and experience stepping into the head role, and at this point likely deserves a chance in a non-interim role.

Why she may not be considered #

In both of her interim stints, while the Dash performed at a .500 level, they had worse underlying numbers from an xG and posession standpoint than they did under their other coaches (Amorós and Laity).

	xG	xGA	Possesion	Record
Lowdon 2022	1.06	1.29	44.5%	4W-3D-4L
Amorós 2022	1.24	1.24	50.8%	6W-3D-3L
————-	——	—–	———–	———-
Laity 2023	1.02	1.29	48.1%	6W-8D-10L
Lowdon 2023	1.04	1.48	43.3%	2W-0D-2L

Melissa Clarke-Reed #

Current role: Head of Analysis at Arsenal WFC

Qualifications #

Melissa Clarke-Reed (née Phillips) has head coach experience as a NCAA head coach (at age 23!), at the English Championship level for the pre-Michele Kang London City Lionesses, and at the FA WSL level for Brighton & Hove Albion. She has brief NWSL experience as an assistant on Freya Coombe’s Angel City staff.

Her best success was at London City, where under her leadership they finished 6th and then 2nd in the Championship. When she left LCL for Angel City, her players said many glowing things about her.

Hayley Nolan:

So hard to put into words the impact that @CoachMelP has had on me as a player and person over the last 3 years.

This club has come on leaps and bounds because of the hard work, dedication & pure desire you have shown.

@weareangelcity have gained an incredible coach and person

Amy Rodgers

I am so grateful to have played for you for these past 18 months. You have had the biggest influence on me and I am thankful to have learned so much from you. The club today is a testament to you. Thank you for everything @CoachMelP. Angel City have truly got a good one 💙

She has UEFA Pro and USSF A licenses. Plus, she is literally a head of analysis. I am contractually obligated to support nerdcoaches.

In her time with Brighton, she was not rigid in her setup. She played a 5-back against top sides like Chelsea and Arsenal, and a few different approaches against opponents more Brighton’s size.

Overall, Melissa Clarke-Reed brings 15 years of coaching experience and a UWCL winner’s medal, all while still being younger than Marta.

Why she may not be considered #

Clarke-Reed’s time at her highest level at Brighton ended poorly - while in her first partial season she did save them from relegation, she was let go after less than a year and finished with a record of 9-3-12 overall.

It’s entirely possible that Head of Analysis for Arsenal pays better than NWSL head coach, and given her quick jump back to England after less than 6 months at ACFC, she may prefer it there.

What awaits the new Courage coach #

Aside from recruitment, which we’ll dive into in a later post, there are a number of concerns that awaits the new North Carolina coaching staff on their arrival.

Set piece defense #

I touched on this when discussing Casey Murphy’s season. North Carolina was bad at defending set pieces this year.

How bad? Really bad.

The top-line number is 10 goals allowed off of corner kicks when no one else allowed more than six. That could be chalked up to an opponent finishing fluke… but it’s not.

Compared to the rest of the league, the Courage were significantly worse at allowing shots, chances, and goals from set pieces.

	Courage	Rest of league
% of shots allowed	30.6%	27.5%
% of xGA	30.2%	23.1%
% of goals allowed	31.6%	21.5%

In different terms: the Courage ranked 11th in set pieces faced (6th in corners, 12th in free kicks). Yet on the average set piece, the Courage gave up 20% more shots and 14% better shots than the rest of the league.

It’s not clear how much of this is scheme, how much of it is training, and how much of it is personnel. I would be very surprised if this didn’t play some part in the swap of Berkely and Jacobs, as Berkely rated particularly poorly on clearances. If anyone is willing to do a tactical deep dive into just how their set piece defending has gone so wrong, I’d be interested in reading it.

Given how the latest tactical trends are around maximizing set piece opportunities, finding the cause and fixing it should be a priority for the new staff.

Signing Riley Jackson and Manaka Matsukubo long-term #

I know, this isn’t directly the job of the new coaching staff. But if the new staff made it a requirement that Manaka and Jackson be inked long-term for them to take the position, no one would complain.

Penalties #

North Carolina has struggled on penalties. Over the past two season, they’re just 3 for 8, converting them at half the normal rate.

Player	PK attempted	PK converted
Malia Berkely	3	1
Riley Jackson	2	1
Jaedyn Shaw	2	1
Manaka	1	0

The Courage do not have a standard penalty taker, nor anyone with a sustained record of success. As we saw this year, one or two extra goals at the right time can make a large difference.

Just spend a little extra time practicing and get someone to be a reliable full time penalty taker, please.

How to set the team up #

After a long time playing a very rigid system under Sean Nahas, for the first time in recent history 2025 the Courage experimented with their tactical setup. Going into 2026, there are a number of ways they could set up the team, but each have their pros and cons.

Unlike Laura Harvey, I did not outsource this to ChatGPT.

4-3-3 / 4-2-3-1 #

For the purposes of this blog, we’ll treat these the same. Here is a sample lineup; this is similar to how they lined up at the end of the year, except with Meredith Speck (a free agent) replaced by Aline.

The main question for the new coach in this formation is how to deploy Manaka, and what it means both for the rest of the team and for recruitment.

Play Manaka at forward, and the attacking band either has Ashley Sanchez central and Payton Linnehan on the right, or Shinomi Koyama central and Sanchez on the right. The obvious place to strengthen the attack is to improve on the left wing, and you are counting on your wingers to regularly make forward runs as Manaka drops deep.

Play Manaka in midfield, and Sanchez moves to the right, with key 2025 players Shinomi and Linnehan moved to the bench. They can then recruit at both left wing and forward. If they sign a more traditional forward than Manaka, they’ll be changing how they build and attack. That may work long-term, but it’s unusual given this year’s transfer work.

3-4-2-1 #

Early in the year, the Courage swapped to a 3-4-2-1 to try and spark the lineup, and had some of their best performances.

In this setup, they have the option to play Manaka and Ashley Sanchez more central while signing a new striker.

Unfortunately, there are a number of issues this setup could cause:

• It is at the cost of not really having an appropriate role for Linnehan, Aline Gomes, or really any of their wingers.

• It restricts Manaka to midfield, as there would be no one to stretch the backline if she played her normal brand of forward in this scenario.

• With the departure of Kaleigh Kurtz, the Courage would be turning to one of their younger center backs (Talia Staude or Brooklyn Courtnall)

• It hurts Ryan Williams some, as in 2025 she didn’t produce as well as a wingback as she normally did in a 4-back system

• It also means they would need to recruit a backup wingback; playing this way they can’t just slide one of their centerbacks out if someone is injured.

4-2-2-2 #

Hear me out: they could go back to the box.

This allows Manaka and Sanchez to freelance in the build, while still allowing some of the Courage’s wingers to drift wide to receive and start the attack; Wingers such as Linnehan and Aline would be OK in this situation, although a more withdrawn defensive winger like Tyler Lussi may not fit it as well (if re-signed).

However, there are downsides.

It does constrain Manaka to more midfielder-y roles, as the forwards in the 4-2-2-2 usually stay high. Additionally, the classic box of the 2017-2019 Courage was a high pressing, quick attacking monster, and the Courage recently have been neither of those things. It would be a large mentality shift to change both how they attack and defend in this way.

Best guesses #

The Courage will certailny cast a wider net than the candidates I can think of for a new coaching staff. I’d expect the Courage to remain more of a 4-3-3 team, but the new staff may have new ideas.

Coming up in the next post: a deep dive into the Courage’s roster performed this season, and what those performances might mean for their many free agents.