“Our head coach process is getting to a point where it is getting clearer, but it’s still not clear,” said Mark Parsons, Angel City sporting director, before the start of the season. Back in December, the Los Angeles-based club were forced to sack head coach Becki Tweed following a poor end to their 2024 campaign. While Sam Laitey stepped in as interim boss, ardent supporters had been expecting clarity on the coaching situation — and now, the wait is finally over. The NWSL side has appointed renowned European coach Alexander Straus, a move that has left fans torn between excitement and disappointment.

Speaking of the flash news, ACFC announced its new head coach on Thursday after an “extensive global search.” Yet, Straus will be taking charge of the club from June 1, after officially ending his ongoing European tenure with FC Bayern Munich Women. Regarded for his tactical acumen and title-winning pedigree, the Norwegian tactician hails more than a decade-long top-level coaching experience in the European side of the game.

Characteristics such as a “dominant” playing style, a “collaborative mindset,” a key focus on player development and growth, as well as other factors including strong leadership surrounded with high-performance environments, have all made Alexander an appealing choice, as revealed by sporting director Mark Parsons.

He further highlighted the impending head coach’s ability to lead the team with a shared purpose, inspiring them to give their best. “I’m truly confident Alex’s experience, commitment to team culture, and tactical intelligence will strengthen our foundation as we aim to bring championships to Los Angeles,” added Parsons.

Joining the chorus was also ACFC CEO and Co-Founder Julie Uhrman, who gave an assurance that Alexander checks the club’s “comprehensive and intentional” list of coaches. Simply put, the 49-year-old is a perfect match and justifies the club’s long-awaited search. “We are thrilled to welcome him to Angel City and are confident in his ability to lead our team into a championship-winning era,” Uhrman said.

Still not convinced? Well, at least know the new boss does carry a proven track record on his resume. It all began for Straus at his hometown club Varegg in 2010, where he initially started his journey as a player but soon transitioned into coaching. The Bergen native then decided to keep up his assistant coaching work with Nest-Sotra. Fortunately, he ended up being a part of their promotion-achieving season to Norway’s First Division. Later, between 2014–2017, Straus shook hands with Strømsgodset, still as an assistant but also heading the youth development of the club.

It was the following year when Alexander transitioned into women’s soccer. He etched history by playing a key role in leading Sandviken to their first-ever Toppserien league title, as well a Norwegian Cup final in 2021. But as the club merged with SK Brann, the Norway-born became the first-ever head coach of Brann Kvinner. There, he guided the team to a second league title before making the switch to FC Bayern Munich Women in July 2022.

Even in Germany, Straus managed to retain his winning reputation. He led the Bavarians to back-to-back Frauen-Bundesliga titles in the 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 seasons, along with lifting the Supercup der Frauen in the 2024/2025 campaign. In addition to all the domestic success, Straus has also managed Norway’s U-19 and U-23 women’s national teams.

Hearing of all this makes us believe that Angel City has indeed made the right choice. Yet, the club’s fanbase is surprisingly both happy and skeptical.

Angel City fans are left in an emotional paradox over new manager

After Angel City officially announced the appointment of Alexander Straus, fans took to X to share their reactions. And let’s just say, that until the new manager officially takes charge of the NWSL club, the atmosphere remains split 50-50 over his arrival.

To kick things off on a positive note, this fan looks ecstatic over the looming arrival of Straus. Given the kind of experience he possesses, highlighted by his strong track record in player development across various stages of the game surely makes it clear that Angel City is coming for all the silverware this season:

“ACFC being serious!? Oh, we are so taking the shield.”

Yet, even after hearing all such achievements, this fan begs to differ, insisting that this latest signing is no different from what ACFC have had with the likes of Becki Tweed or the current interim boss Mark Parsons. Will this outlook change only after Alexander arrives in Los Angeles? Honestly, that’s more likely the case:

“He ain’t good either“

We recall Emma Hayes advocating for a more level playing field for female coaches in a sport still heavily influenced by male dominance. She highlighted the lack of opportunities available to women in coaching roles and stressed the importance of finding ‘creative solutions’ to help bridge the gap. While Straus hails experience in both men’s and women’s soccer, the biggest concern for this fan is to see the new boss use the team’s star player in the best way possible:

“Ugg, another average male! I hope he sees how to use & play Christen Press as #9. Fans come to see her, besides the fact that she is one of the best finishers in the world!”

Managing Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga, facing some of Europe’s toughest and most prestigious opponents — naturally raises the question: why did Straus choose to leave such a global platform to test his skills in America, where, despite impressive and steady growth, the game is still developing? The answer is something that only the Norwegian can give. In the meantime, the questions continue.

“Who tf leaves Germany for the US? Ew mate.”

To continue with the earlier argument, this fan begs to differ. If someone like Emma Hayes can leave England’s WSL or Jonatan Giraldez can give up on the glory he was enjoying at FC Barcelona just for the sake of being a part of growing the soccer culture in the US, there’s no doubt about why Straus instantly agreed to join Angel City:

“Joining a real league, congrats.”

This is just a glimpse of the responses that you saw after Alexander Straus was announced as Angel City’s head coach. For now, there are two schools of thought, only time will tell which one is right. Regardless, share your thoughts on the same in the comments below.