Charlotte FC: Christian Fuchs addresses the departure of Miguel Angel Ramirez | OneFootball

Charlotte FC captain Christian Fuchs addressed the sudden departure of head coach Miguel Angel Ramirez, insisting the manager “didn’t connect” with the players.

Ramirez parted ways with the expansion team on May 31, just 14 games into its inaugural Major League Soccer season. He first arrived months before the debut, tasked with building the team’s identity and shaping the unfinished roster.

His exit came to a surprise after leading Charlotte to eighth place on the Eastern Conference table with a record of 5W-8L-1D.

But Fuchs revealed he was not satisfied with the team’s performance.

“Of course people are disappointed, some are more, some are less, for me, it was an overall disappointment in terms of him not being able to connect with us. You have a great group of players here that really give everything, that are trying hard, that are committed to the club,” said the captain.

“And I think there were players that were not really buying into what he was trying to achieve, and got them frustrated or insecure for them not being able to perform. Overall, with the team that we have and players that we have and the spirit we have in the team, we clearly underperformed.”

He continued: “I don't know how you can be happy with five wins in 13 games when you know what players we have. I think we have top players here, players who are willing to learn, players that are always giving their best, no matter what stage they are in their career they are all trying their hardest to be a part of the team and the success. That was frustrating in the first period of the season.”

Given his early exit, the expansion team still has more than half of the season to improve as the 2022 Major League Soccer campaign concludes on October 9.

“But we’re looking forward now to what’s coming next. We have a great coach now with Christian Lattanzio, who has vast experience for decades. He is very committed to the club," Fuchs added.

The expansion team returns to the pitch on Saturday when hosting the New York Red Bulls at Bank of America Stadium.