City's New Head Coach Luka Shaqiri

Ryan Pyette -
The London Free Press -

London City has made a coaching change.

The struggling Canadian Soccer League team will be run by Luka Shaqiri after player-coach Andrew Loague stepped down this week.

“Andrew approached me about this and I nearly fell out of my chair,” City GM Ryan Gauss said. “He’s a father with a young family and soccer was taking him away from what he had to do at home.”

Loague will remain on the team’s roster as a player.

Shaqiri is no stranger to City. He assisted Gauss’ late father Harry with the club from 1996-98. The former Albanian national team member is president of the EuroStar Soccer School and has previously coached the Michigan Chill (2006), the Fanshawe College women’s team (2002-04) and the London Croatia men’s and under-18 boys’ teams (1999-2002).

City is 1-5-2, only has six goals and has been shut out in four straight games. They play the first-place York Region Shooters Friday at 8:40 p.m. at Cove Road Field.

“Luka gives us a fresh set of eyes,” Gauss said, “and with him, we’ll find out if we have the right mix of players. You can have all the talent on paper you want. We’re underachieving right now, but we still believe this team is capable of the playoffs.”