Gotham FC head coach Juan Carlos Amorós has said several times that he just wants to be known as “the guy from Madrid who loves soccer.”
The 41-year-old strikes a humble and affable tone not dissimilar to Jürgen Klopp, who wanted to be known as “the normal one.”
Similar to how Klopp transformed Liverpool from also-rans into Premier League-winning and Champions League-conquering “mentality monsters,” Amorós has delivered silverware to Gotham in the form of two NWSL championships and one Concacaf W Champions Cup title with a group of players who attack and defend with lung-busting gusto.
The best coaches in history have often succeeded through creating a culture of trust within the dressing room.
Klopp accomplished this with a booming laugh and post-match bear hugs, while José Mourinho constructed an us vs. them mentality in his successful chapters at Chelsea, Inter Milan and Real Madrid.
The Human-First Philosophy at the Heart of Gotham FC
For Amorós, his masterplan begins with getting to know his players as people before a ball is even kicked. He looks after his players like a protective wolf who leads the pack by creating a deep cohesion within his squad on and off the pitch. When it’s time to perform, Gotham attacks and harasses the opposition in 11-player packs.
Gotham won last season’s NWSL championship despite being an eighth seed in part because of a culture of self-belief that doesn’t disappear when the going gets tough.
“I think our team actually plays our best when our backs are against the wall,” midfielder Jaelin Howell told South Ward Central during the preseason.
That winning culture has been meticulously cultivated by Amorós, his technical staff and general manager/head of soccer operations Yael Averbuch West.
Amorós sat down with South Ward Central last Thursday at the club’s offices in Whippany, New Jersey to discuss his off-pitch and on-pitch coaching philosophies.
“For me, it’s important they understand that we see them first as a person and then as a player and try to get that connection from that side,” Amorós told South Ward Central. “We spend a lot of time together. I really feel that it’s really a job with a lot of stresses, but we are humans before we’re coaches or players.
“I think that’s something very important to me that they see that. Then, step by step, they understand how we play, that it’s complex, but it’s doable.”
How Gotham Helps New Signings Reach Another Level
Amorós and his staff then focus on taking the existing strengths of a player and improving their weak points while blending it into Gotham’s system that emphasizes fluid player roles over locking players into rigid positions.
“When we recruit players, it’s also because of their ability, what they can do, and for what they cannot do and then try to listen,” he explained. “You’re here for who you are, what you do, so we’re going to make that side of you better while you get integrated into the group.
“We have a specific plan of adaptation that we try to follow with the players. I think it normally works out well. I’m really happy to say that, normally, players that come to the club end up excelling, and that’s something that we take a lot of pride in.”
Most recently, Gotham acquired decorated winger Guro Reiten from Chelsea. Though Reiten won 13 major trophies in her preferred left-sided attacking role for the Blues, she’s been asked to primarily start matches in a left-back role for Gotham.
Though her starting point is at outside back, Amorós tends to move players around like chess pieces throughout a match. At times when Gotham is trailing and searching for goals, they occasionally shift to playing two defenders with midfielders being asked to cover the gaps. When the Bats are protecting a lead, wingers will drop back to defend in deep areas.
“I think she’s fitting fantastically, you couldn’t say that she’s playing in any position,” Amorós stated. “She’s still being amazing at it, and it’s a lot of credit to her, but also the whole process behind [it.]”
The Staff Who Help Drive Gotham FC’s Success
Amorós understands the importance of delegating tasks to his assistants, who offer expertise in specific roles.
Lead assistant coach Shaun Harris has filled in as acting head coach when Amorós has been unavailable due to family responsibilities surrounding the recent birth of his second child.
“I think I’m just as good as the people that I am working with,” Amorós said. “So that’s why for me it’s so important. Also, I’ve learned with time how important it is to delegate, to trust people, to really empower them. Shaun has been a bit more at the forefront.”
Across recent weeks, former North Carolina Courage head coach Sean Nahas has been assisting the club in a visiting consultant role.
“Now, we’ve got Sean Nahas, and that helps us on the methodology,” Amorós explained.
Brody Sams serves as head goalkeeping coach alongside former Gotham keeper Michelle Betos, who performs as an assistant goalkeeping coach and team culture lead position.
Amorós’ brother, Guillermo whom he affectionately calls Will, is in charge of offensive set pieces, while head of player development and management, Anton Blackwood, handles personalized individual player development plans.
“We’ve got Brody, that’s goalkeeper and the defensive set-pieces,” Amorós stated. “Will does the offensive set-pieces, and Anton does the IDP.”
Assistant coach and analyst Ak Lakhani, head of analysis Zoë Mattheson and performance analyst and scout Juan Coste Delvecchio round out Gotham’s technical staff.
“Aki is always taking care of the individual and more things that are coming up now,” Amorós said. “I think I have all the aspects covered, because I cannot cover everything. For me, that’s my coaching team, and it’s so important for me to be able to function.”
Solving Problems Through Process Rather Than Panic
Together, Amorós and the entire technical staff have been uncovering solutions in a challenging season that has barely offered any time to catch a breather.
Preseason training started in January in Cádiz, Spain, preparing for the inaugural FIFA Women’s Champions Cup, which saw the Bats finish the tournament in third place on February 1. From March 14 to May 31, Gotham participated in NWSL play with a late May journey to Mexico to compete in the Concacaf W Champions Cup.
Gotham struggled for goals in the early months of the season and at times was a bit too predictable for the opposition. Amorós and his staff diligently identified ways to break out of the scoring slump.
“I think for us it’s always been process-focused,” Amorós explained. “We did a very in-depth analysis of our first five games, we weren’t very good, and then in the second, in certain ways, we were good defensively, good on the ball, but not creating enough, and certain aspects to improve on certain pieces as well. Then in these last five games (spoken prior to Sunday), we’ve probably been the best in some aspects – and that’s who we are.”
Injuries have been piling up for the defending NWSL champions throughout the 2026 season. Star midfielder Rose Lavelle, experienced defenders Emily Sonnett and Mandy Freeman, right-back Bruninha and left-back Lilly Reale have all missed significant spells.
Defender Kayla Duran suffered a season-ending right ACL injury and world class goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger sustained an abdominal injury at the Concacaf W Champions Cup.
Why Gotham Remains Confident Despite the Challenges
Through an almost nonstop schedule across multiple competitions, travel to several continents, a multitude of injuries and the high-altitude demands of Mexico, Gotham finds a way to regroup and push forward.
“Obviously, [the Mexico] trip has been really tough in terms of the physical, how everything has played out for us in terms of people getting sick, little injuries, the attitude has been obviously how it’s been,” Amorós detailed.
“But I think for us it’s not to hit the reset button, but to just remind everyone, okay, listen guys, we’re in a great position.”
Through all the challenges, Gotham sits in fifth overall in the NWSL standings with 21 points gained through 11 matches played.
“We’re probably in the best position we’ve been in my three years here in the league, in terms of points and where we are on the table, we are in a great position,” Amorós stated. “And it’s like, okay, let’s just recap on what we’re doing well, who we are, and credit to the players.”
Remarkably, the Bats have earned a league-leading eight shutouts in the opening 11 games of the season, having already set a new record earlier in the current campaign and have conceded only five goals through 11 matches this season, which is the fewest allowed by any team through this stage of an NWSL season.
They’ve earned a well-deserved break from match action. Next up on Gotham’s schedule is a June 26 meeting with the Kansas City Current in the 2026 NWSL Challenge Cup held at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field in Columbus, Ohio.
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