Angel City reportedly will name Becki Tweed as permanent coach

Angel City reportedly will soon name Becki Tweed its head coach, removing the interim tag she has carried since replacing Freya Coombe as manager in June, although a team spokesperson said Sunday the deal has not been signed.

“I’m not confirming anything,” the spokesperson said.

The Athletic reported the decision was made Friday and an official announcement will be made later this week.

Angel City was 2-6-3 when Tweed took over but lost just once in 14 matches the rest of the way — going unbeaten in 11 games at one point — to reach the playoffs for the first time. Angel City lost its postseason opener to the OL Reign on Veronica Latsko’s goal in the 87th minute but the team’s fast finish made Tweed a favorite for the NWSL coach of the year award, the first interim coach ever to be considered for the award.

In recent weeks, Tweed’s players have become outspoken in support of their coach and have pushed management to bring her back.

“There’s just so many things that she brings to the table for our team,” defender Sarah Gorden said. “She knows exactly how to drive us and how to pull the right things from us. I really like playing for her for so many reasons.”

“Becki’s done an amazing job,” agreed Paige Nielsen.

Daniel Ball, the team’s goalkeeper coach who worked alongside Tweed at Gotham City said on the eve of the playoff game that “I can’t imagine a world in where our club don’t hire Becki.”

A native of Bristol, England, Tweed, 34, played six seasons for Bristol and Millwall in the Women’s Premier League before coming to the U.S. and finishing her career in the third-tier WPSL. She has spent the entirety of her coaching career as an assistant, starting at Monmouth University and Gotham and later joining the staff of the U-20 national team before coming to Angel City in January.

When Tweed’s signing becomes official, Angel City would become the second club in the 12-team NWSL to fill its vacant coaching job since the regular season ended. Earlier this month the Kansas City Current named Vlatko Andonovski, the former women’s national team coach, as its manager. Openings remain at Houston, Chicago, Washington and Louisville.