The Washington Spirit hired Richie Burke as the new head coach and technical director on Tuesday. In addition to the hiring of Burke, the Spirit also welcomed Michael Minthorne as the new high performance coach and Christian Cziommer as the tactical analyst and team performance coach. Burke joins the NWSL after serving as the head coach of D.C. […]

The Washington Spirit hired Richie Burke as the new head coach and technical director on Tuesday.In addition to the hiring of Burke, the Spirit also welcomed Michael Minthorne as the new high performance coach and Christian Cziommer as the tactical analyst and team performance coach. Burke joins the NWSL after serving as the head coach of D.C. United’s Under-23 team. He previously coached with D.C. United’s academy program from 2005-2010 and later went on to work with Livingston FC in the Scottish Professional Football League from 2012-2013. He found his way back to D.C. United in 2014. “I’ve worked with professional men’s teams in both the U.K. and U.S., and now the chance to work with professional women is very exciting,” Burke said in the Spirit press release. “I’m thankful for the opportunity to coach this team of world-class players, alongside a knowledgeable and passionate group of coaches and staff. We will work tirelessly to provide Spirit fans with an exciting brand of football that they will be proud of, and establish a winning culture on and off the field.” The Spirit return members of their technical staff in Tom Torres (player/opponent analyst and technical development coach), Kati Jo “KJ” Spisak (scouting and reserve team head coach) and Ben Berczek (equipment manager and training coordinator). Last week, the Spirit hired Larry Best as the team’s first CEO. According to a press release from the Spirit, his role will include club strategy and operations along with the hiring and management of technical staff.