DC United

Major League Soccer is investigating allegations D.C. United's Taxi Fountas used a racial slur toward Inter Miami's Damion Lowe during Sunday's match between the teams.

Fountas and Lowe were both issued yellow cards in the 62nd minute after a verbal back-and-forth during which the D.C. United forward allegedly used a slur. Lowe informed his teammates of the alleged remark, and players said they considered walking off the field in protest.

Inter Miami coach Phil Neville informed D.C. United coach Wayne Rooney of the allegations, and Rooney removed Fountas from the contest.

“It was a racist comment,” Neville told reporters. “It was unacceptable. A word was used. I think it’s unacceptable in society. A word was used, I think, the worst word in the world. And that’s it, really.”

Rooney declined to comment on the matter aside from acknowledging there was a "complaint."

DeAndre Yedlin said Inter Miami would have left the game had Fountas not been removed. MLS released a statement Sunday saying an investigation would begin "promptly."

“MLS has zero tolerance for abusive and offensive language, and we take these allegations very seriously,” MLS said in a statement.

Inter Miami went on to win the match 3-2. The victory helped keep Inter Miami's playoffs hopes alive, but the triumph was overshadowed by the allegations.

Fountas, who is Greek, is in his first season playing in MLS and is D.C. United's highest-paid player.

D.C. United has agreed to terms on a contract with Lucy Rushton to make her the club's new general manager, according to Sportico's Emily Caron and Scott Soshnick. 

Rushton, who has worked as Atlanta United's head of video and technical analysis since 2015, would be the second female general manager in MLS history. Sports Illustrated's Grant Wahl explained how she would be the first to handle team-building duties: 

This is also a situation where the job functions of an MLS "GM" over the years have differed among teams. Rushton is most definitely on the player personnel and recruitment side, while Meterparel was on the business and audience-building sides. https://t.co/70BoGCSyF6

— Subscribe to GrantWahl.com (@GrantWahl) April 12, 2021

Her hiring would also come on the heels of Kim Ng becoming the first female GM of a major men's professional sports team. The Miami Marlins brought Ng aboard last November.

Prior to Atlanta, Rushton worked in England as Reading's head of technical scouting and as a player recruitment analyst at Watford. She earned a Master's degree in sports performance analysis at University of Wales Institute before going to work for Reading.

Speaking with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Doug Roberson in September 2016, Rushton emphasized how her belief in the value of statistical data wasn't absolute.

"A good balance of the two ultimately helps to generate the full picture and serves to help reduce the risk of making a wrong signing," she said. "In the early stages of the process, however, data can be used to provide some direction to scouting, and/or to highlight some potential targets who may have otherwise gone under the radar."

Jonathan Spector, Atlanta United's head of international player recruitment and development, also spoke highly of her work with the club during a December 2019 interview with The Athletic's Felipe Cardenas.

"But she comes very much from a data background," Spector said. "The work I've seen that she's done so far has been incredibly impressive and helpful and beneficial — trying to narrow down an incredibly vast player pool to choose from."

Rushton would replace Dave Kasper as D.C. United's general manager. Per Sportico, Kasper is taking over as the president of soccer operations.

Together, Rushton and Kasper will look to assemble a roster that can get D.C. United back into the playoffs after missing out in 2020. The club hasn't advanced past the first round of the postseason since 2015, either.

Former United States national women's team coach Jill Ellis is among the possible targets for D.C. United in the club's search for a new manager, according to The Athletic's Pablo Maurer and ESPN's Jeff Carlisle.

Carlisle provided some more context: "The source cautioned that DCU's coaching search is in the 'early stages.' But if hired, Ellis would be the first woman to manage an MLS side."

Ellis' tenure with the USWNT ended in October 2019. Her 106 victories are the most ever, and she guided the squad to Women's World Cup victories in 2015 and 2019, making the U.S. the first country to successfully repeat as champions.

Prior to replacing Tom Sermanni in 2014, Ellis coached at Illinois and UCLA before working for U.S. Soccer, where she started by leading the women's youth teams.

The Washington Post's Steven Goff wrote Saturday the 54-year-old deserved to at least be considered by D.C. United. He acknowledged that Ellis has yet to coach a professional women's club, something that requires a different approach than leading a national team.

Still, the USWNT job presented Ellis with challenges of its own, and Goff argued she excelled in the role: "She managed big personalities and fragile egos, implemented tactical plans and adjusted to changing circumstances. She is a meticulous planner, and her teams usually play fun, progressive soccer. Twice she was voted FIFA women's coach of the year."

The relatively brief tenures of Sermanni and Greg Ryan illustrated that coaching the USWNT isn't as simple as showing up and letting the talent take over.

Maurer reported Jason Kreis and David Wagner might be on D.C. United's list as well. 

Kreis' stock has fallen since his days leading Real Salt Lake, but he comes with MLS coaching experience. While Wagner's stint at Schalke was a disappointment, he helped Huddersfield Town get promoted to the Premier League.

Neither would be a total surprise as the successor to Ben Olsen. Ellis getting hired—while history-making—would be done on merit as well.

Wayne Rooney will sign for Derby County as a player-coach in January on an 18-month deal.

DC United confirmed on Tuesday he will depart the club at the end of the 2019 MLS season:

“I remain fully focused on giving my all for the team for the rest of this season and repaying the support shown by the Black-and-Red faithful by hopefully delivering an MLS Cup to Audi Field.”

- @WayneRooney #DCU pic.twitter.com/uB8ywLmQhO

— D.C. United (@dcunited) August 6, 2019

Derby announced there will be the option of a further year in his contract. 

Rooney, 33, joined the MLS side in June 2018 from Everton, penning a three-and-a-half-year deal.

He has largely impressed in the United States, netting 23 goals in 43 league appearances for the Washington, D.C. outfit.

Per BBC Sport's Simon Stone, at last week's MLS All-Stars match against Atletico Madrid, Rooney spoke about his coaching aspirations:

"It's something which I want to stay involved in; [my coaching badges] are going well. I'm obviously still a player, and I want to continue to play. When the time is right I can go into coaching or management."

Rooney should be a major asset at Derby as they look to earn promotion to the Premier League.

He is no longer at the peak of his powers, but the former Manchester United forward has displayed his knack for goalscoring in MLS.

As United and England's all-time record goalscorer, Derby could hardly have hoped to add a player with more experience to their side.

The Rams gave Frank Lampard his first senior management role last season, and he led them to the play-off final before departing to take over Chelsea.

Phillip Cocu was appointed as Lampard's successor, and Rooney will join his team of coaches as well as his playing staff. 

Wayne Rooney knows no bounds.

In the 10th minute of D.C. United's match Wednesday night against Orlando City, Rooney launched a golazo from his own half of the field:

Take a bow, @WayneRooney! You are ridiculous. 😱 pic.twitter.com/On1oDnp8dX

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 27, 2019

The 33-year-old signed a designated-player contract with D.C. in June of last year. Previously, Rooney became one of the most decorated footballers in history with the England national team as well as Everton and Manchester United in the English Premier League.

Rooney's 208 Premier League goals rank second all-time behind Alan Shearer (260), according to MLS.com.

Rooney brought that scoring prowess stateside.

Wednesday night's dazzling goal is Rooney's ninth of this season and 21st since joining MLS.

DC United star Wayne Rooney believes former Manchester United team-mate Paul Pogba would be a "great" addition to Major League Soccer.

Rooney made the move to Washington last year, and he feels others could follow in his footsteps.

He told Sky Sports (h/t Goal's Chris Burton):

"There are lots of players who could come over and could be very successful here.

"Obviously players I have played with—Paul Pogba, Marcus Rashford—players like that are great players.

"I know Paul Pogba loves coming to the States. His brother is here, so I'm sure he'd be a great signing for anyone."

Pogba's brother, Florentin, joined Atlanta United in February.

Rooney moved to DC United from Everton in July last year, and a strong debut campaign saw him contribute 12 goals and six assists in 21 appearances.

His efforts helped DC reach MLS' play-offs, where they were defeated by Columbus Crew on penalties.

On Sunday, he scored his first hat-trick in MLS and grabbed an assist as DC beat Real Salt Lake 5-0:

#DCU dropped 🖐️ on #RSL last night. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/DdOPYziPQC

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) March 17, 2019

Football reporter Jonathan Tannenwald relayed his numbers from the game, via WhoScored.com:

My @soccerreporters MLS Player of the Week ballot:

1. Rooney
2. Piatti

Rooney vs. RSL, via @WhoScored:

82 touches
11 shots (5 on target)
5 chances created
3 goals (1 PK)
1 assist
1 interception
62 pass attempts, 80.7% accuracy
12 long balls (10 accurate)
4 crosses (2 accurate)

— Jonathan Tannenwald (@thegoalkeeper) March 18, 2019

Football writer Kristan Heneage was particularly impressed with his play in the buildup to his second goal:

Wayne Rooney did a good job of managing the press for #DCU here (you don’t see all of it in this clip). Instead of just running head on he kept splitting the RSL defenders as D.C. laid a trap. He even had the presence of mind to stay onside when it was sent left. https://t.co/unpDIvcbAh

— Kris Heneage (@KHeneage) March 17, 2019

MLS has given the 33-year-old a career renaissance after he spent several years visibly declining in English football.

Pogba, 26, is in the prime of his career and seems unlikely to leave the confines of the European game in the near future.

He has displayed some of his best form with the Red Devils in recent months since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took over from Jose Mourinho in December.

In that time, he's scored nine goals to take his tally to 14 for the season, having scored a total of 15 in his first two campaigns back at Old Trafford following his return in 2016.

United are still in the UEFA Champions League this season, and Pogba will hope to help the team challenge for it and other major honours in the coming years.

MLS has become an increasingly viable and attractive destination for players in Europe, though, with the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Andrea Pirlo, Thierry Henry and Frank Lampard among those to cross the Atlantic.

In the future, Pogba could be another coup for an MLS side.