Revs Reportedly Hire Marko Mitrovic: Three Thoughts
A new face who has experience, plus two more thoughts.
The New England Revolution are set to hire Marko Mitrovic as their next head coach, according to Tom Bogert of The Athletic.
Here are three thoughts on the decision.
A New Face Who Has Experience
Unlike the last two head coaching hires in New England who had multiple MLS Cups on their resumes, Mitrovic has never been a head coach in MLS.
The unique structure of the league can make it challenging, but not impossible, for outsiders to navigate. For every Hernan Losada who failed at two different MLS clubs, there’s a Dean Smith who fits like a glove in Charlotte.
While it remains to be determined which category Mitrovic falls into, he brings extensive experience and an impressive resume, both abroad and domestically. After serving as an assistant coach in native Serbia, he worked with the Serbian Federation at various youth levels.
He also has some experience in MLS, having served as an assistant coach of the Chicago Fire from 2016 to 2019, working under Veljko Paunovic.
After a stint with Reading, Mitrovic joined the US Soccer Federation, notably reaching the quarterfinals at the 2024 Olympics and 2025 U-20 World Cup. Both times, the US team was ousted by Morocco, who thankfully don’t play in MLS.
His well-traveled career at the club and international stage has exposed him to a variety of different cultures. Mitrovic explained in a short documentary from 2024, saying, “Learning about different soccer cultures from this coaching point [of view], it’s easier for me to understand the players [who are] coming from different backgrounds, different social environments, and how to integrate them into a team because I had that journey as a player.”
So while Mitrovic doesn’t have head coaching experience at the club level, he’s been around the game for a long time. He has connections throughout the world, has developed global talent through the youth ranks, and is familiar with the world of MLS from his time with Chicago.
He’s a fresh face with experience.
An Eye For Player Development
The Revs should lean into youth development by emphasizing the pro pathway and continuing to attract young, talented players.
The U.S. Soccer Collective recently ranked the Revolution Academy as the second-best in MLS.
It’s easy to understand why, as players like Noel Buck, Peyton Miller, and Esmir Bajraktarevic ascended through the ranks before having prominent roles with the first team.
Bajraktarevic’s story is particularly noteworthy, as the Wisconsin native was transferred to PSV before the 2025 season. Miller, who had interest from Tottenham of the English Premier League, could follow a similar path.
And he’s not the only one. Makai Wells (16), Cristiano Oliveira (17), and Damario McIntosh (18) are young players to keep an eye on. Allan Oyirwoth, 18, is also being scouted by European teams.
The Revs’ ability to develop players, both within and outside the Academy, is a strong recruitment tool.
Upon his arrival, 22-year-old Dor Turgeman said, “It was very important for me to come because of the league, the club, it is a place that also develops a lot of young players for Europe.”
While some young players may not reach their full potential, Adam Buksa and Djordje Petrovic are the models. They were on-field assets for the Revs before being sold to foreign teams.
With a well-regarded youth setup and a scouting department looking to identify the next young star, Mitrovic’s experience working with young players could help the Revolution become a destination for young talent locally and internationally.”
A Mathematician And Communicator
In a 2024 interview with Backheeled, Mitrovic explained, “I always need logical explanation. I am a mathematician, prove to me that that works.”
While I admittedly have more to learn about Mitrovic, it certainly seems that he has a good read on the game.
The US’s 3-0 win over France in their second game of the U-20 World Cup is an example.
It was a tight affair—with the US having the better chances—until substitute Zavier Gozo scored in the 85th minute. Gozo collected an assist three minutes later before Marcos Zambrano, another sub, secured three points in stoppage time.
The game plan worked, and the substitutes were on point.
It’s worth noting that the US U-20s scored 17 goals and allowed six in five games. While that statistic is skewed by the 9-1 win over New Caledonia, the US were never outshot in any of the games, including the losses to South Africa and Morocco.
In a July 2024 episode of Call It What You Want, former US General Manager Brian McBride reflected on his decision to hire Mitrovic as the U-19 National Team coach.
McBride emphasized Mitrovic’s expertise and passion, adding that he had seen tremendous growth from him during the year they worked together.
“He has this depth of knowledge, but then what he added over…the year that I was there before they moved him [to the U-23 team], was just this ability to communicate to his players on ideas,” McBride said.
“And also keeping things accountable, but not negative, in the sense that the players will listen. He’s not going to blow smoke for any reason. He’ll tell you how it is, but also at the same time, he’ll do it the way that you can understand what you need to improve it, right?
“It’s not like, ‘Hey, it’s a problem,’ then you leave. He’ll give you the problem, and this is the solution.
“To that point, he’s someone who has a great future.”
Russell Payne, who worked as Mitrovic’s goalkeeper coach, provided further insight in a documentary.
“I think he’s a deeply caring person,” Payne said. “You can feel his commitment to you as a person, you know, person to person. I think he cares about relationships. He cares about making sure that he gets the most out of people by taking care of them.
“I love his intensity, his passion, should I say, and I think he’s got a great ability to provide clarity for players and for his staff about what the demands and what the needs are and what his vision is. I think that’s why he’s been successful.”