We knew this was coming; now it’s official. MLS franchise Colorado Rapids has announced the appointment of (now former) Tottenham Hotspur assistant coach Matt Wells as its new manager. He takes the reigns during MLS’s offseason and will be on the sidelines when the new MLS season starts in February, 2026.
Wells has a reputation as being one of the bright young lights in the English football coaching firmament, and this is a pretty huge opportunity for him. The Rapids narrowly missed the playoffs this past season under Chris Armas and there’s an opportunity for substantial growth under the right leadership. The Rapids clearly think Wells is the guy to bring that leadership, though it’s a gamble — it’s his first managerial role.
Our friends at Burgundy Wave (now independent, formerly a SB Nation sister blog) scored an exclusive interview with Wells which they’ve posted on their website. In that interview, Wells talks about what drew him to leave Spurs to start his head coaching career in MLS.
“The opportunity here was too good to turn down. Not the fact that it was MLS. More the people. I was going to go where the good people were. The opportunity to come and implement my vision and my philosophy. I liked the youthful energy of the team when they’re at their best.
The Wave characterizes Wells as having a “calm, positive, focused, tactical mind” and asked him about his intentions for the Rapids in his first year.
“Everyone talks, it’s much more principals than formation (these days). I don’t agree. I think it’s both. Say we play 4-3-3 and we have clear principals, perfect. Then the next week we play 3-5-2, it’s different for the players. I will be clear on our framework, positional play, and that will change as we move up the pitch.”
It’s easy, of course, to speak to tactical principles before you’ve even had any preseason training time with your new team, but it’s also clear that Wells will bring a fresh approach post-Armas and will draw on his extensive experience as an assistant for a Premier League club like Spurs. But he made it clear while he’s learned from all of the coaches he’s worked under, he’s not Thomas Frank, nor Ange Postecoglou, nor Scott Parker.
“I’m none of them. I’m my own person. I’ve had a vision of how the game should be played. I’ve refined that, gained experience, worked with incredible people.
“I’m staunch in my view of the game. That comes from inside of me. I can’t take that from (them).
“Development is at the center of everything I believe in with my background. I’ve got an affinity to young players. I tend to drop the word ‘youth’ from it. It’s just development. I expect to develop Rob Holding and take his game to another level.”
I suspect Tottenham Hotspur will miss Matt Wells, but this is a massive opportunity for him. I hope he does well, and his appointment gives me another reason to keep an eye on MLS this upcoming season, and in the future.
