I have to imagine that most of Búho Nation, like myself, were quite shocked to hear the news of Dominic Casciato’s departure this morning. There had been no rumblings, no whispered rumors, and only the most jaded and cynical fan would’ve been calling for his job. I don’t think even the most prescient among us thought we wouldn’t be heading to Charlotte with him at the helm looking for a way to right the ills this season has brought.
Yet I am, only a few hours later, trying to put into words not only what has happened, but place into context what Dom meant to this organization and its supporters. The best way to start that is this: Dom Casciato fully deserves this chance. The Tampa Bay Rowdies have a history and pedigree befitting someone of his talents. They, too, are on hard times of late, but there are flashes of brilliance for a new perspective to work with. They have the supporters, they have the stadium, and now they have a rising star of a coach who might finally get to put away the puffy coat for the early season matches.
All of that is beyond Dom’s track record of winning and getting the best out of his players. In my discussions with him late last year, as the Owls were pushing toward their second USL 1 title, he didn’t pay much mind or time comparing himself to Jay Mims. He simply acknowledged Jay’s contribution and looked to forge his own way with his own team.
But I’m going to do it anyway.
Jay had probably the best start for a club you could expect, given the circumstances. An improbable run to 2nd place and a USL 1 final in 2020, a dominating follow up for Omaha’s first title in 2021, and a great run of US Open Cupsets in 2022, made a lot of us brace for what his loss before the 2023 season would mean for the team and future.
And yet Dom came in, made an improbable run to the Player’s Shield in 2023, had a dominating follow up for our second title in 2024, and had decent runs in US Open Cup play including several Cupsets and a heartbreaking extra time loss to a 2024 Sporting KC side at full potency. He not only exceeded our expectations, he made sure that when it came down to us against the world, only fools wouldn’t back us.
The stats between the two are even comparable, but with Dom just edging out Jay in success on the pitch. (W-L-D Format)
Jay Mims Era: USL 1 (Playoffs included); 34-16-27, .442 Win %, .558 Points %
All Competitions; 37-17-28, .451 Win %, .565 Points %
Dominic Casciato Era: USL 1 (Playoffs included); 40-16-14, .571 Win %, .638 Points %
All Competitions; 49-24-18, .538 Win %, .604 Points %
It’s not just about the numbers on the pitch (or any comparison to our other great coach), but the growth and development of the players around Dom that speak to his worth as a coach as well. If you watch what happened over two years with players like Pedro Dolabella (now tearing it up with NCFC in USL C), Dion Acoff (an engine that drives our offense), Luca Mastrantonio (finding massive success with AV Alta FC), and Anderson Holt (academy signing who has turned into a VERY capable center back), you can see the influence he and his staff has had, and it’s been a joy to watch. Even players like Blake Malone and Lagos Kunga showed amazing improvement over the one year they had with Dom and company. Blake has matured into a true defensive leader on and off the pitch while Lagos gained a ton of confidence and was trusted to be a key part of our offense this year. Only injury managed to keep us from seeing the full fruit of more time with Coach. Almost everyone has grown and become better at their craft thanks to Dom being able to get the most out of them. And, ultimately, that’s what a coach is supposed to do.
Finally, there’s Dom the person. He quickly endeared himself to the soccer supporters and community. He was easy to like, easy to listen to, and always made sure he made the rounds for fans wanted to chat or ask questions. His Team Talk appearances were enlightening, and he could occasionally be seen around town, be it at a restaurant or taking in the other high-school and college soccer matches in the area. He’d take time to say hi to the fans that recognized him and thank them for being supporters.
He also gave good time to the media types when asked. He may have been tight-lipped around his tactics, his injuries, or his thought processes for transfers and signings, but he was never dismissive or rude—even in the most agonizing of defeats. He was genuinely thankful that people took the time out to cover the team and take quotes, and always made it more about the team than himself.
But beyond all this are his acts of kindness and family. The kind of man who broke away from the celebration of the team’s 2024 League One title and drove himself and the trophy an hour away, and shared the celebration with Mechack Jérôme and his family as the defender was still in hospital following what was a horrendous and community-shattering accident. The club always said “One Means All,” and Dom embodied it.
This is the type of man, family, and coach that Tampa Bay is getting. We’re going to miss him in Omaha, but you can bet I’ll be rooting for him every time the Rowdies take the pitch (unless he’s playing against us…I’m sure he’d understand).
Where Does That Leave Us?
Before getting to deep into where we are, I’ll address a little bit of where I think we aren’t.
We aren’t on a sinking ship. I don’t believe for a second that Dom’s departure has anything to do with the way this season is going, the way the team has performed, or any circumstances around the club. If rumor is to be believed (and I have reason to believe), this whole process took about 48 hours. Even if you line up that timeline with the defeat at AV Alta on Saturday, Tampa has been coach searching since April. There were plenty of opportunities to reach out and try to get our coach—or for coach to leave of his own volition.
The frustration was there, sure, but there was never an exasperated look or feel to it. It always came off as passionate—a drive that things may have been going south, but by God, we’re fighting to turn it around. I never noticed a giving up of hope or fight, even as we were giving up four goals to Richmond (coincidentally the most goals Union Omaha has EVER conceded to non-MLS competition). Not in Dom, and not in his players.
So while Dom’s departure may seem like it leaves us dead in the water during an unexpectedly poor season, I feel like the timing of this was just the alignment of inevitable forces—an opening, desire, and an owner that promised always to support his coach if the right opportunity came along.
But the fact is, there’s a lot of work to do for the interim coaching staff and any successor that might be named. Union Omaha sits 11th in the table, 11 points from 12 games, and with the third-lowest scoring offense in the league (thank goodness for Mingos!) We have an almost full slate of home matches, but we’re likely working with who we have to turn this around. Unless the new coach is an amazing name (and there are a few out there), I don’t know how eager players would be to transfer or loan in to a situation where the coach is in flux.
For the time being, you can expect that one of the assistant coaches will take charge of the next couple of matches while the front office conducts their search. That means some continuity of system, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. There have been some bright spots, but inconsistency in performance has plagued the team from match to match. Traveling to Charlotte for the first match is not ideal, but not impossible. The ability to concentrate on fundamentals and reset against a tough opponent could mean dragging out a result on the road instills confidence in the players going forward. Should the worst happen, that being a lopsided loss, it becomes a chance to determine if this will be a full rebuild and allows the front office to truly assess and make the right choice to lead the team beyond this season.
Who Could We Get?
In reality, anyone! This is a great proving ground for up-and-coming assistants from the Championship, a great step up for college or USL 2-level coaches, and even coaches that might make a lateral move (USL 1 or MLS Next) should see Omaha as a good destination. The owners and front office are fully devoted to this team, as evidenced by the sale of the baseball side of operations at the end of last season. There’s a lot to like about the local area in terms of recruiting players, and the fan support is already good with the possibility of becoming great if/when there is movement on the stadium front. It’s an attractive job, even when suffering through a down year.
But though it’s way too early to say who might be on the team’s short list, I put together three that I wouldn’t mind seeing taking up the mantle of Boss Búho.
1. Eámon Zayed – Head Coach, Northern Colorado Hailstorm
The Northern Colorado Hailstorm Coach, Jagermeister Cup winner, and former “Best-Looking Coach in League One” is on the top of my candidates list. In three years, and in an infrastructure that seemed to be crumbling around him, he took Hailstorm from wooden spoon contenders to legitimate title contenders. With the type of ownership support that Union Omaha boasts he could put together a team that could be very good quickly, much to the delight of a fanbase not accustomed to losing.
He’s also very personable, holds his team accountable, and has the respect of a lot of the league already. He’s used to the styles of play that work (and don’t) in USL 1, and would be a welcome addition to any team fortunate enough to get him.
I’m also not the only one thinking about this. His name was almost immediately thrown out among the fanbase, and there *may* have been a few keen to reach out and see his interest. While that part isn’t under our control, I don’t think anyone would have a problem seeing him and his trademark sweater on the sidelines in Omaha.
2. Ian Cameron – Head Coach, South Georgia Tormenta
Yes, South Georgia Tormenta has had a rough go of it since their championship season in 2022. Yes, they’ve at times looked lost and outmatched. There have been questions about whether Coach Cameron is the kind of coach that can lead Tormenta out of their problems.
But the fact is, he’s a good coach for this league.
Given our recent model of mixing veterans with first years, then graduating those first years to be the veteran, then moving them on (see Pedro), someone with Ian’s skill in developing talent would fit right in. And unless your name is Rashid Nuhu, Omaha isn’t the type of team in the type of league that should make players want to stay for extended periods of time. Success with that kind of turnover will not only make more of the quality players come for that development, but should also satisfy a fanbase that wants to see good exciting play come along quickly.
The problem with Ian is that he signed a 5-year extension in 2022 to stay with Tormenta. I won’t speak to his willingness to break that (or Tormenta’s willingness to part with him), but I will say if he became available, I wouldn’t completely hate it by any stretch.
3. Luke Sanford – Assistant Coach, New Mexico United
This entry is more a general “successful assistant coach from USL C,” but Luke Sanford’s profile fits the bill of the type of coach that we might be looking for.
Coach Sanford has been with New Mexico United since 2022, having taken charge of their U23 team and also directing/coaching their academy system. In 2024 he was elevated to first team assistant helping the team to a Western Conference Semifinals appearance in 2024 and topping the Western Conference standings this year. Prior to that, he was head coach in the PDL and at Indiana Wesleyan University.
And thus you see the continuing theme — player development. That talent is going to be critical for someone who is going to see this team grow in the next 2-3 years. Additionally, someone with Luke’s USL Championship experience will be a great boon when/if the move up a division comes for Union Omaha.
I have no idea what his contract situation is, whether he’d have interest in coming to Omaha, or if he even has aspirations to be a head coach. But his success has been seen at all levels of the game, and that’s the kind of guy we could use going forward.
Final Thoughts:
Whoever ends up in charge will have a project ahead of them, but that doesn’t mean they have to start right away. If the front office came out and gave the interim tag to one of our assistants, let them use it as a trial, and took the rest of the season to really find the right person for the job, I’d be ok with that. I wouldn’t necessarily call that a concession of the season either, but I’m always for the deliberate decision over the knee jerk for long term success.
There’s also the discussion of if the team would hire a sporting director to assist in handling the hire, and that may well become a factor. Anyone in that situation would need time to evaluate the state of the club, recruit/evaluate candidates, and really build this team in their image. Even when Jay unexpectedly left with two months left until the pre-season, the team didn’t panic. Their due diligence and deliberate action gave us Dom—and such a track would be advised now.
That may not seem like it’s good for the here and now, but the long term is going to be more important. As long as the players are still taken care of, supported, and continue to fight for the badge, this year won’t be a disaster. It’ll be a foundation.
And for one final time…
Thank you, Dom! You and your family will always be Búhos.
Who Gives A Hoot? 