Simon Dawkins will take the helm of Monterey Bay F.C., if only through the weekend. With a home match against Tampa Bay looming, the veteran Union midfielder has been named interim head coach in the wake of the midseason departure of Frank Yallop.
The club issued the announcement on Thursday morning, Aug. 1, a day after parting ways with the only coach the Union has known. Dawkins, who has been with MBFC since its inaugural season in 2022 and notably scored a late goal against LAFC in the 2023 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, announced his retirement as a player at the same time.
With a new head coach expected to be named on Monday, Dawkins’ role with the squad following Saturday’s match has not been clarified. On Thursday, MBFC President Mike DiGiulio said only that “I am very excited to get the opportunity to watch him develop in the next phase of his career” and “we look for him to play a big role in our future success.”
Yallop and assistant coach Ramiro Corrales were dismissed four days after the club suffered a 4-1 drubbing at Louisville City FC. The Union are 7-9-5 on the season, sitting in eighth place in the 12-team USL Championship Western Conference.
Dawkins will be missed on the pitch, but he is a clear choice for interim head coach. A Jamaican international and 20-year veteran of professional soccer both in England and the U.S., he immediately became a team leader when he joined MBFC.
“I have met and worked with some amazing people and enjoyed every minute of playing for this wonderful club,” Dawkins said in a press statement. “I would also like to thank the fans for their support over the past two seasons.”
The 36-year-old came up professionally in the Tottenham system, playing with Aston Villa, Derby County and Leyton Orient before coming to the MLS. Earlier this year, Dawkins was listed as one of the San Jose Earthquakes’ Top 50 Players of All Time.
“Reflecting on my professional playing career, I have had many great moments,” he said. “I’m excited to continue my career in the soccer world and help others to experience some great moments of their own.”
The Union host Tampa Bay at Cardinale Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 3, the first of back-to-back home matches. Birmingham Legion FC visits on Aug. 10.
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