How patient will Panthers owner David Tepper be with his football coach? To figure that out, it’s at least a little relevant to consider how patient Tepper has been with his soccer coach.
The answer? Not very.
Charlotte FC has announced that coach Miguel Ángel Ramírez “was informed . . . that he will not continue.” (That’s the nicest way possible to say, “He got fired.”)
“This is a difficult decision, but one we feel is best for the team at this time,” Tepper said in the article announcing the move. “I want to thank Miguel and his staff for their hard work during our first season and wish them the best in their future endeavors.”
Ramirez was hired less than a year ago to coach the expansion team. Charlotte FC has a respectable (for a brand-new team) record of 5-8-1.
So here’s the question. Will Panthers coach Matt Rhule be safe if he goes 5-8-1 or worse in the first 14 games of 2022, his third season on the job?
On one hand, it’s apples and oranges. On the other hand, the apple tree and the orange tree are in the same orchard. Tepper has no qualms about making big changes in order to do what is “best for the team,” whether it’s the soccer team or the football team. Once Rhule’s buyout isn’t quite as big as it would have been after only two seasons on the job, Tepper may be more willing to make a change.