For the first time in five tries, Adrian Heath’s MLS campaign isn’t ending after 34 games.



He was seen as a sort of patron saint of soccer in Orlando, helping bring the club from Austin and, eventually, to the top-flight division. Less than halfway into his second season, he was fired by ownership and left to find a new project. The first two years in Minnesota were far from easy, but after finishing fourth in the Western Conference, Heath’s Minnesota United club is set to host the Los Angeles Galaxy in one of the opening playoff weekend’s marquee matchups.



How does the coach toast the occasion? Naturally, with some pinot grigio and an extended interview with The Athletic. In a wide-ranging discussion, Heath touched on the ongoing project with the Loons, his background in the game, coaching under pressure, tuning out the critics in the media, how MLS’s rules are affecting the domestic player pool, and much more.



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