LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- As soon as Louisville City Football Club players saw the possibility, they knew Wednesday's matchup at Lynn Family Stadium was going to happen: Former coach John Hackworth would be returning to face his old team.
Hackworth was let go abruptly and without explanation on April 27 of last year. Danny Cruz, then his assistant, was elevated into his spot and has since earned the post on a permanent basis. Hackworth landed in St. Louis, where he coaches St. Louis CITY SC 2, which competes in MLS Next Pro, the new Division III developmental league for Major League Soccer.
Hackworth's team is 3-0, while LouCity is unbeaten in eight games with a 6-0-2 record.
One might imagine that coming back to Louisville and winning in a U.S. Open Cup matchup against the team that fired him would be pretty sweet.
John Hackworth coached LouCity FC from the middle of the 2018 season through early 2021.
But there aren't many hard feelings being expressed in advance of the game. Cruz and Hackworth go back a long time, and their friendship has continued to grow since the events of last April.
Asked how often they talk, Cruz said, "Constantly. Yeah, still a very good friend of mine. Both on and off the field we constantly communicate, whether that be about soccer, whether that be about family. I know he's enjoying his experience there at the moment and you know, from the outside it certainly looks like he's doing a good job. I know him well. I know he's going to have a team that's prepared to come fight and, and challenge and you know, they want to advance. This is an important competition for them too, so I'm excited to see him I always am."
Hackworth coached Louisville from Aug. 2, 2018, through the end of that season, which culminated in the club's second USL title, until early in the 2021 season when he was let go. He compiled a record of 48-16-14 in Louisville.
While Cruz has made changes to personnel and attack after Hackworth's departure, he said he has seen similarities in the play and approach of the teams as he has prepared for the game.
"Certainly, with regard to the mentality of his group," Cruz said. "You know, I think, after his first game, I think it was the game against Indy, I shot him a text. And I said, I think the biggest compliment I can give you is that looked like a Hack-coached team. So there's some similarities there. But hopefully, on Wednesday, our players are well prepared and come away and advance."
Cruz said his old boss has been happy for his success in Louisville.
"For people that know know him well, he's, he's really happy for me at the moment, there's no doubt about that," Cruz said. "And you know, I've made it clear, I'm extremely thankful for him and he's a mentor, he's a friend and emotion will be completely taken out of it come (Wednesday), because it's a game, it's an opportunity against opponent to win and advance. And when you when you play for this club, when you coach at this club, that's the expectation. So I'm excited about the opportunity for the group. And I think more importantly, I'm excited to be at home. I mean, that's for sure."
LouCity captain Paolo Del Piccolo says the players are approaching it like any other game, especially any other tournament game.
"No matter who we play, on any given day, I'm going to be able to personally know two or three guys from the opposition," he said. "This time it happens to be a coach. So for us, I mean, you know, after the game, I'll say hi, you know, I mean, it'll be all cordial. And during the game, I'm sure he wants to beat us just as bad as we want to beat him. .... There's a lot of guys that obviously know Hack personally and have a lot of respect for Hacks. So it's just a good chance for us to play. ... We said, 'There's five teams we could get drawn against, but of course, it's going to be Hack we get drawn against.' It's just a funny coincidence, I guess. But we're all really looking forward to it."
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