Detroit, Michigan – Head Coach Danny Dichio has confirmed his new coaching staff ahead of the 2024 USL Championship season, his first year as a head coach in the USL Championship and Detroit City Football Club. There are three new names to Le Rouge as well as two returners from previous years on the First Team staff.
Dichio has named Toronto, Ontario native Yianni Michelis as his Assistant Coach. Michelis comes to Detroit from Toronto FC, which he joined in 2018 and most recently served as the assistant coach and performance analyst for Toronto FC II of MLS Next Pro. While in Toronto, he also served as the First Team Video Analyst for the 2021 Major League Soccer Season.
Michigan native Dan Trosper has been named as the Sports Performance Coach for the 2024 season. Trosper has a wealth of coaching experience in the Michigan soccer landscape with previous stints at Madonna University, Schoolcraft, Michigan Jaguars FC, and AFC Ann Arbor. Trosper also operates Peak Training Company in Novi and holds a United States Soccer Federation ‘A’ License.
Working with the goalkeepers in 2024 will be the club’s new Goalkeeper Coach, Emerson Lovato. 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.
The club is also delighted to welcome back Chris Stanton as the Manager of Soccer Operations and Maureen Lilla as the Athletic Trainer. Stanton has previous experience with the Detroit Lions and Lansing Ignite FC before coming to Le Rouge. Lilla first joined Detroit City in 2021 with over 20 years of experience working with athletes of all ages and levels.
Detroit City FC would like to thank Eric Perilla and Ryan Needs, former members of Trevor James’ coaching staff for their contributions to the club. Needs and Perilla were key members of the staff helping the club in its first two years in the USL Championship. As announced on January 19, Ryan Needs has accepted the role of Set Piece Coach for Chicago Fire FC of Major League Soccer.
Dichio, the coaching staff, and the USL Championship squad are in Tuscon, Arizona for the 2024 Desert Showcase. Their first friendly of the trip is against Grand Canyon University and is set to kick off at 11:30 AM local time on Saturday, February 10.
For more information about Detroit City FC, visit detcityfc.com and follow @DetroitCityFC on Twitter and Facebook and @detroitcityfootballclub on Instagram.
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Please send all media inquiries to media@detcityfc.com.
Primary Media Contact: Jarrett Maki (Sports Information Director, jarrett.maki@detcityfc.com)
