DANNY DICHIO – Head Coach
A celebrated figure in English football who enjoyed a distinguished playing career with notable stints at Queens Park Rangers, Sunderland, Millwall, and Preston North End before moving across the pond in 2007 to join Toronto FC for their inaugural season in Major League Soccer. Dichio became an adored figure in Toronto as he scored their first goal in Major League Soccer.
After 59 appearances for Toronto, he transitioned into an ambassador role for the club and took up a position on their academy coaching staff in 2009. Dichio would remain as a coach in the Toronto FC youth system for over a decade before joining Mark Briggs’ coaching staff at Sacramento Republic FC ahead of the 2022 USL Championship campaign.
In Dichio’s two seasons on the Sacramento coaching staff, Republic FC would have great success on the field. In 2022, Sacramento finished as the 4th seed in the West and saw an improbable run to the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final, where they lost to Orlando City of Major League Soccer. In 2023, Sacramento would enter the playoffs as the #1 seed in the West, making it to the Western Conference Final, where they would lose 2-1 to the eventual champions, Phoenix Rising FC.
2025 is Dichio’s second at the helm of Le Rouge; in 2024, he guided the squad to a 3rd place finish in the Eastern Conference, a club-best since joining the USL Championship ahead of the 2022 season.
NICK DASOVIC – Assistant Coach
Since retiring from playing in 2005, Dasovic has remained in Canada, staying involved in the game as a coach, beginning at Whitecaps FC Reserves.
Dasovic has coached two different age groups of the Canadian National Team. He coached the U23 side through its 2008 Olympic Games qualifying campaign, where they lost in the semifinal to the United States. He then coached Canada’s U20 squad between 2011 and 2013.
He also served as an interim manager of Toronto FC of Major League Soccer in September 2010 and would remain in charge until January 2011.
Dasovic joins Le Rouge from the Whitecaps FC Academy, where he has been tasked with developing young talent in their ranks. In 2022, Dasovic was the head coach of Whitecaps FC 2, competing in MLS Next Pro. In February of 2023, Dasovic was named the head coach of the Whitecaps FC Academy high potential players.
EMERSON LOVATO – Goalkeeper Coach
Lovato has worked all across the United States, making stops at Midwestern State University, and Newberry College to name a few. Then, in 2021, Lovato had his first taste of professional soccer, serving as the Goalkeeper Coach at Forward Madison of USL League One. Most recently, Lovato served as an assistant coach at California Polytechnical University.
MAUREEN LILLA – Head Athletic Trainer
Maureen Lilla graduated from Central Michigan University with a BS in Athletic Training. Since then, she’s had 23 years of experience working with athletes of all ages. Working through Detroit Medical Center, Lilla joined Detroit City in 2021. Prior experience includes Detroit Sun Pro-Am and the UWS National League.
ISABELLE CLARKE – Assistant Athletic Trainer
ELISA BAERON – Sports Performance Coach
Baeron began her career at Michigan State in 2019 and worked as a graduate assistant to Olympic Sports. She then earned a Master’s Degree in Strength and Conditioning from Michigan State, where she transitioned to working with men’s and women’s basketball.
From December 2021 to July 2023, Baeron was an Assistant Strength and Conditioning coach at Oakland University, where she oversaw a variety of sports before returning to Michigan State following this stint.
Her final role in East Lansing saw her work as the Assistant Director of Athletic Performance, where she worked directly with the women’s soccer team.
Before joining Le Rouge, Baeron played over 1,700 minutes in 50 matches for Bowling Green State University in college, where she majored in exercise science. She is a native of Selsingen, Lower Saxony, Germany. She has also participated in both arena league seasons for Detroit City FC.
BRAD DUNWELL – Detroit City FC II Head Coach
Dunwell’s first stint with the club came in 2022 when he was signed as a midfielder for the club’s first season in the USL Championship. In 2022, Dunwell would appear in 20 league matches for Le Rouge, starting 13 and playing nearly 1,300 minutes.
2023 saw Dunwell suit up for Charlotte Independence of USL League One, and this would be Dunwell’s last season of professional soccer before returning to his hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan, to coach for Midwest United FC. While at Midwest United FC, Dunwell coached the 2008 and 2009 ENCL squads while also serving as a player-coach for Midwest United’s USL League Two side.
Dunwell holds a B License from US Soccer.
