FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The New England Revolution announced today that Brad Friedel has been relieved of his duties as the club’s head coach, effective immediately. Revolution Assistant Coach Mike Lapper will take over as interim head coach while the club begins the search for its next head coach.
In addition, Assistant Coach Marcelo Neveleff will remain with the Revolution through the club’s match against the LA Galaxy on June 2. Following the match, Neveleff will join the Dominican Football Federation as its new technical director and head coach of the Under-23 team.
Friedel’s tenure with the Revolution ends in the midst of his second season as head coach after accruing a 12-21-13 record, including a 2-8-2 mark through the first 12 games of the 2019 season. Friedel was named the seventh head coach in club history on Nov. 9, 2017.
Lapper, 48, is in his second season with New England after joining the club as an assistant coach in November 2017. The accomplished United States international brings nearly 15 years of coaching experience to the position, including stints as an assistant with the U.S. Under-19 squad (2016-17), West Virginia University (2013-15), and nine seasons with the Columbus Crew (2005-13). The Redondo Beach, Calif. native began his coaching career in 2004 with the U.S. Under-20 Men’s National Team before joining Columbus’ staff, where he helped the club claim an MLS Cup title in 2008, two Supporters’ Shields (2008, 2009), and an appearance in the Concacaf Champions League Quarterfinals in 2009.
Prior to entering the coaching ranks, Lapper enjoyed a 12-year playing career as a defender from 1991-2002. His decorated career included 43 international caps for the United States, which he represented at the 1992 Summer Olympics and 1994 FIFA Men’s World Cup, among other major tournaments. He began his professional career with VfL Wolfsburg in Germany, before joining Southend United in England’s second tier. Lapper then went on to play six seasons in MLS with Columbus from 1997-2002, before retiring to join the Crew’s front office as Director of Soccer Business Development.
Lapper played collegiately at UCLA from 1988-91, and was named a first-team All American in 1990 en route to the NCAA Division-1 National Championship. While in college, Lapper also played with the Los Angeles Heat of the Western Soccer Alliance from 1988-89.
