New Contracts for Zavagnin and Savic, Dufty Promoted to Sporting Position

Sporting KC made further announcements about their game day coaching staff today in a press release. The team announced that assistant coaches, Kerry Zavagnin and Zoran Savic had signed new contracts with the club. At the same time, the club promoted Swope Park Rangers goalkeeping coach, Alec Dufty to the same position with Sporting KC, taking over the position vacated by John Pascarella as he leaves to take over the Des Moines Menace of the PDL.

Zavagnin continues his long running tenure with Sporting KC, having been with the club since 2000 when Sporting KC drafted him in the Superdraft (at the time the Superdraft included the ability to draft players who were in the US minor leagues as well). After a nine year playing career with KC, where he became the club's all-time leader in appearances, starts, and minutes played, Zavagnin jumped right into the coaching ranks, becoming an assistant under Curt Onalfo in 2009. He continued as an assistant under Peter Vermes after Onalfo was fired mid-way through the 1999 season. Zavagnin has been a part of all six of Sporting KC's trophies in their history, from the 2000 MLS Supporters' Shield and MLS Cup, to 2015's US Open Cup.

Savic is also a staple in the Kansas City soccer scene, having been a player and a coach for the Kansas City Comets indoor soccer team back in the 1980's and 1990's. After a stint as an assistant with Chivas USA under Preki and as an analyst on the Kansas City Wizard broadcasts, Savic joined Vermes' staff when he took over as head coach.

Dufty, the newest member of Sporting's staff joins from the Rangers, where he'd spent the 2016 working with Jon Kempin, Zac Lubin, and Adrian Zendejas as the Rangers made it all the way to the USL finals. Dufty had a career that saw him bounce in and out of MLS for a few years. He started his career in 2009 with the New York Red Bulls, making his one MLS appearance. He bounced around as a league goalkeeper before signing with AC St. Louis in the USSF D2 Pro League. That same season he was loaned to the Chicago Fire and signed with the Fire for the 2011 season. After his playing career, he spent time coaching in the college ranks before being named an assistant coach with Toronto FC 2 in 2015.