MLS Head Coaching Bias Part 2: Playing Experience

At the end of my post on MLS coaches lacking experience, I mentioned that I also was going to follow up with a look at if MLS teams also prefer head coaches with playing experience. Here is a table comparing the top two leagues in the world, La Liga and the EPL with MLS

League	Percent of head coaches w/ playing experience	Fraction
MLS	95%	18/19
EPL	100%	20/20
La Liga	85%	17/20

Interestingly, all leagues overlook managers with no playing experience. The only manager who has no managing or playing experience, Fran Escribia of Elche, led them to the first division after a 25 year absence. The only MLS head coach with no professional playing experience is Sigi Schmid - who has the most wins in the history of MLS. MLS and teams all around the world should stop having this prejudice while looking for a new head coach and reap the rewards.