San Jose parts ways with Yallop

Jun 7, 2013 - 10:04 PM Santa Clara, CA (Sports Network) - The San Jose Earthquakes announced on Friday that the club has parted ways with head coach Frank Yallop.

Yallop guided the Earthquakes to the Supporters' Shield last season, but he has struggled to replicate that success this term despite returning mostly the same team as last year.

San Jose has won just three of its 15 league matches so far, and Yallop will be replaced by assistant coach Mark Watson, who takes charge for the rest of the season on an interim basis.

"Mark Watson is an excellent coach and the team is in very good hands," Yallop said in a statement. "I want to thank the entire Earthquakes organization for my time here. I want to thank the players and coaching staff that have been here over the past five and a half years. They made my job really enjoyable with their professionalism and hard work, especially last year, which was a magical season, and one I will never forget."

The 49-year-old Yallop won two MLS Cups with the Earthquakes during his first stint in charge of the team from 2001-03, and he returned to the helm when San Jose returned to MLS in 2008.

Yallop was named MLS Coach of the Year after guiding the 'Quakes to the Supporters' Shield before the club was bounced from the playoffs by the Los Angeles Galaxy in the Western Conference semifinals.

Watson's first match in charge of San Jose will come June 15 at the Colorado Rapids.