Phoenix Rising FC has named Juan Guerra as its new head coach after finalizing an agreement with Oakland Roots SC, the club announced today.
Guerra initially joined Rising as an assistant coach on March 8, 2021, helping Phoenix to finish first in the Pacific Division with a record of 20-5-7. Rising won the division by 15 points while leading the USL Championship in goals (68).
Following the season, Guerra accepted the head coaching position at Oakland Roots on Dec. 30 and has chosen to depart that position immediately to rejoin Rising.
“I’m excited for the opportunity to return to Phoenix Rising,” said Guerra. “My time in Oakland was short but I will forever be thankful to their community, fan base, organization and most importantly the players and staff. I intend to get to work immediately with the goal of helping Phoenix to reach the playoffs. There is a lot of work to be done and no time to waste. My family and I cannot wait to reunite with our fans and the community.”
Guerra previously spent two seasons as an assistant coach with USL Championship Eastern Conference club, Indy Eleven. Born in Venezuela, Guerra donned the national team jersey for his home country during World Cup qualifiers in 2014. Guerra played professionally for clubs in South America, Europe and the U.S. from 2009-2018.
“We were fortunate to interview a number of highly qualified candidates for our head coach position,” said Phoenix Rising FC General Manager Bobby Dulle. “Naturally, Juan was at the top of our list because of his excellent service to our club last year as assistant coach. I really appreciate the leadership at Oakland Roots SC working with us to make this possible.”
Rising is currently just five points out of a playoff position with 10 matches left to play in the regular season. The team travels to El Paso to face Locomotive FC this Saturday, August 27 (6:30 p.m.). Fans can click here to secure tickets for Rising’s next home match on Wednesday, August 31 (7:30 p.m.) vs. Rio Grande Valley at Wild Horse Pass.
