Former Denmark midfielder Jesper Sorensen named head coach of the Vancouver Whitecaps

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — The Vancouver Whitecaps have hired former Denmark midfielder Jesper Sorensen as the team’s head coach.

Sorensen, whose coaching career spans 16 years, takes over for Vanni Sartini, who was dismissed in late November after three seasons with the MLS club.

Sorensen previously coached at Danish club Brondby, leading the team to a 37-19-17 record over 73 matches. He also coached Denmark’s under-21 national team.

“Jesper is known for his competitiveness, adaptability, and leadership, qualities that have proven to bring the best out of both his players and staff,” Vancouver sporting director Axel Schuster said in a statement on Tuesday. “Throughout his career, he has delivered immediate success with his teams, whether that was securing promotion or competing for titles. His ability to improve individual players while also implementing a flexible, high-performing tactical system will be key to our continued growth.”

Sorensen played professionally in Denmark for 15 years and also played on youth national teams.

The Whitecaps finished 13-13-8 this past season and won their play-in game against the Portland Timbers before falling in three games to LAFC in the playoffs.

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