Burgundy Wave Reacts to Chris Armas Being Announced as Kansas City Current New Head Coach

Editorial – It didn’t take long for former Colorado Rapids Head Coach Chris Armas to find a job elsewhere; this time, he is taking his talents to Kansas City, but not for Sporting KC. He is the new head coach of the Kansas City Current, KC’s NWSL team. It will be Armas’s first dip into coaching the women’s game professionally, and he will stay close to Colorado. 

It was an unceremonious departure for Chris Armas from his time in Colorado, with Burgundy Wave getting caught up in the noise that preceded it. First, however, it would be wrong not look at the good times the Rapids had under Armas’ leadership. 

Colorado had possibly its most successful year outside of 2010 in 2024 under Armas. Third place in the Leagues Cup will be the most memorable from that season, even if it played a role in the eventual downturn in form. Armas was 2/2 in Rocky Mountain Cups, easily the best record in the RMC from any Rapids coach in history. A playoff appearance in his first season was an impressive feat, despite the result of those playoffs. 

Armas was able to build one of the most impressive Rapids squads ever, with Djordje Mihailović, Zack Steffen, Reggie Cannon, and Sam Vines all impressive signings, and Paxten Aaronson later added to that list at the cost of Djordje. They played up tempo attacking soccer and scored goals. The future seemed bright for the Rapids under Armas, but an untimely departure from Djordje couldn’t have helped, as the results started to slip and the Rapids didn’t make the playoffs off the back of a last-minute equalizer from LAFC on the last day. 

What followed was an unfortunate moment for everyone. I personally wasn’t there for the LAFC presser. There isn’t much to say that our Managing Editor Matt Pollard hasn’t already said. I stand by the work that I have done, but I have also made my peace. I liked Armas before and after. The news that Armas wasn’t getting an extension at the time, I wasn’t the biggest fan of. I still am on the fence despite Matt Wells showing early signs of being a good pickup. 

Chris Armas was a good person in Colorado. Kansas City is getting a good person as a coach. He was always a good player manager. It didn’t work out in Colorado; it might work well in the NWSL. It is going to be a whole different ball game in KC. 

KC Current was far and away the best team in the NWSL last season. NWSL Shield winners. They dropped points in only five of its 26 games and was 21 points clear of second place by the end of the year. This didn’t translate to playoff success, however, as eventual winners Gotham FC knocked KC out in their first playoff game. Then KC head coach Vlatko Andonovski moved up from Head Coach to Sporting Director with the club, opening up space for Chris Armas. 

Armas is not coming in to rebuild a team. He is tasked with continuing his predecessor’s success while still having him in the building. Playoff success will be the goal, a goal that Armas was unable to achieve in Colorado, losing 9-1 in a two-game playoff series against LA Galaxy in his only Rapids postseason appearance. 

Armas’ first season in the NWSL coincides with Denver’s first season in the NWSL with expansion team Denver Summit FC. Burgundy Wave and Armas will meet again when Armas comes to Centennial Stadium on July 3. Life is funny. 

Despite the unceremonious end to Armas’s tenure with the Rapids, KC Current is getting a good coach and a good person. He has some tactical stuff to work out in the meantime. I hope for the best for Armas in Kansas City, except when his side plays Denver.

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