A group of Atlanta United supporters were gathered at Fado’s Irish Pub in Buckhead. It was an atypical get together by the club’s standards—there was no chanting, arms were crossed, and there was a sense of uncertainty in the room.



“I don’t want this to be a negative day in the club because we’re in a great place,” said Atlanta United president Darren Eales as he addressed the room.



The affable and always engaging Englishman made an effort to ease the fans’ concerns. “Tata’s set us up fantastically for the future. And I’m really excited about what we can do now in terms of attracting the next coach.”



Following a 2-1 win over the Chicago Fire on Sunday, Martino notified Eales that he would not be accepting the club’s proposed contract extension. It ended months of rumors and speculation that both the manager and the players were addressing on a weekly basis. The team’s form...