Minnesota United signs Adrian Heath to contract extension

After one of the most successful seasons in the history of Minnesota United, the team announced Friday it has reached a contract extension with head coach Adrian Heath.

The extension will keep Heath with the Loons through the 2021 season, with an option for the 2022 season. Minnesota United, in the first season at Allianz Field, finished with a 15-11-8 record, good for 53 points and fourth in the Western Conference. It was good enough to earn the first home MLS playoff game in the history of the franchise.

Despite losing their first home playoff match, the Loons showed how important home turf is with a 10-1-6 mark at Allianz Field this season. Minnesota United also advanced to the finals of the U.S. Open Cup for the first time in club history.

With the extension, Heath will also have a more advanced role in the player personnel department.

“Last year was a success any way that you measure it and we knew Adrian and his staff were still the right choice to help us keep developing our club. We are all working hard to make sure that our club moves in the right direction and our vision for the club is successful. We see Adrian and his staff as being a big part of this,” Minnesota United CEO Chris Wright said Friday in a statement.

Heath came to Minnesota in November 2016 and has a 36-49-17 mark with the Loons in three seasons. He’s 27-13-11 in home matches, and last season’s 53 points was a club record.

“It’s well documented that the first two years were a struggle but we always talked about having a three-year plan and we’ll see where we are at the end of the three years. When I look back at the year, making the Open Cup Final, getting a home playoff game, being disappointed to lose to a team like the LA Galaxy who spend all the money they do and the players they have, it shows you how far we’ve come,” Heath said. “The most important thing is we have to push on now, we can’t rest on what we’ve done.”

The Loons open the 2020 season Feb. 16 at New England Revolution. They have five straight road matches before their home opener, March 15 against the New York Red Bulls, at Allianz Field.