Ally Mackay, a former player with Ross County and Partick Thistle has been appointed chief soccer officer and general manager of American Major League Soccer (MLS) team DC United from Washington, who were coached recently by former Manchester United and England star Wayne Rooney.
Ally, from Point on the island of Lewis, has signed a four-year contract to help the American club up its game in the Eastern Conference of MLS, the top tier of American soccer.
One of the founding clubs of MLS in 1996, DC United are among the most decorated teams in the United States with 13 domestic and international trophies.
While they once rode high in the league, the club has been languishing near the bottom in recent years and Mackay has been tasked with turning the club’s footballing fortunes around.
Ally’s responsibilities extend to hiring a new head coach following the departure of Wayne Rooney to English Championship side Birmingham City, developing a winning culture, scouting for new players and integrating the club’s youth academy into the first team.
Ally (37), ventured across the Atlantic to play for the University of Evansville in Indiana before working as a football agent in Orlando.
He then switched to management when he joined Nashville Soccer Club before its inaugural season in the MLS in 2020.
Prior to joining Nashville in 2019, Ally was a licensed player agent with the Stellar Group Agency. Some of the notable names represented by the Stellar Group are Gareth Bale, former Real Madrid, Tottenham Hotspur and Wales; Jordan Pickford, Everton and England and Marco Rojo, Manchester United, Boca Juniors and Argentina.
During his time with the agency, Mackay built and maintained extensive scouting networks in North America, Europe, South America, Australia and Africa.
Ally said: “I’m excited and proud to take on this role and have the responsibility of leading this historic club forward into the next chapter.
“There are numerous elements that drew me to the club including the city itself, the passionate support from the fanbase and a massive opportunity to move the football side forward.”
Photograph: Ally Mackay. Photograph: DC United. NO_F49_MajorLeagueSoccer_AllyMackay