Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SANDY — Laura Harvey’s time with Utah Royals FC has come to an end, according to multiple reports.
The 39-year-old British coach will leave her post as head coach of Utah’s women’s pro soccer outfit to pursue a position with U.S. Soccer, as first reported by Equalizer Soccer.
The move comes after two seasons in Utah, where Harvey stockpiled an 18-12-17 record as the only manager the third-year Utah Royals FC has known.
The two-time NWSL coach of the year previously coached five seasons with Seattle Reign FC, now based in Tacoma, Washington. Harvey also has experience in England with Birmingham City, Arsenal, and the England U-17, U-19 and U-23 national teams, as well as time spent with the United States U-23 roster.
Utah Royals FC declined to comment on the report, but an official announcement could come as soon as Friday afternoon, according to Equalizer.
After the final game of the Royals’ 2019 season, Harvey addressed several reports and speculations around her potential to succeed then-national team coach Jill Ellis as U.S. manager. The tenured professional coach was blunt and straight to the point in her response.
"I won’t be the national team's coach," she said definitively. "I can say that."
Then, as to further qualify her standing with club and country, Harvey later returned to the post-match media room, sized up the handful of reporters still remaining, and concluded with an addendum.
"And my plan is to be here in Utah," she said.
Of course, that was in 2019, nearly three months before the new year and rise of a new decade. In that time, Vlatko Andonovski was named U.S. manager and Harvey was linked with coaching the U.S. U-18 national team — a role that has always been a temporary position by the federation.
The next reunion for the U-18 side will come for training camp ahead of a four-team tournament Jan. 21-Feb. 1 with China, Norway and the Netherlands.
