Orlando City Goalkeeper Coach Stewart Kerr Leaves, Signs with Vancouver Whitecaps

Orlando City SC is looking for a new goalkeeper coach as Stewart Kerr has left the club to join the Vancouver Whitecaps. A former English Premier League goalkeeper, Kerr was with the Lions since Dec. 2015, when he was hired to be part of Adrian Heath’s staff. Orlando City will face the MLS season with its third goalkeeper coach in three seasons.

Kerr, 42, is moving to his third MLS club, as he previously worked with Toronto FC for four years before joining Orlando City.

“Stewart approached us and expressed his intentions to move closer to his family in Canada. He has been an important part of our technical staff, but we respect and understand his decision to put his family first,” Lions General Manager Niki Budalic said in a club press release. “We thank Stewart for his time with us and wish him the best of luck.”

The club now looks for a replacement for Kerr, who did a good job in 2016 with Joe Bendik. The Lions’ starting goalkeeper posted the second-highest save total in MLS and won MLS Save of the Week 11 times.

“We are finalizing conversations with a handful of individuals and will have a full-time goalkeeper coach in place by the start of preseason later this month,” Budalic added in the club press release.

As a goalkeeper, Kerr played for Celtic, Brighton, and Wigan Athletic from 1991-2002, before he was forced to retire at age 26 due to a back injury. He started his goalkeeper coach career in August of 2008 with Scottish first division club Airdrie United.

Kerr helped develop Norwich City goalkeeper John Ruddy and Republic of Ireland stopper Darren Randolph. He has also worked with Julio Cesar and developed Canadian international Quillan Roberts.