Bay FC coach Albertin Montoya ‘wishing the best’ for Lucy Rushton after general manager’s abrupt resignation

SAN JOSE — Bay FC head coach Albertin Montoya said general manager Lucy Rushton’s sudden resignation on Monday was a big loss, but the team plans to move forward in a business-as-usual manner for the rest of the season. 

Montoya spoke to the media for the first time on Thursday and addressed Rushton’s resignation ahead of Bay FC’s match Saturday against Racing Louisville FC. 

“It has been a difficult week, we lost someone that we have so much respect for,” Montoya said. “She’s someone that I had a very good relationship with and helped put this team together, so we’re definitely gonna miss Lucy.

“But the players on the team, they’ve been resilient,” he added. “They understand. We’ve dealt with a lot of challenges this year. Obviously, this one was a tough one. But we just go back to work this week and prepare for Louisville.”

Rushton played an integral role in the construction of the team since she arrived in December. 

She was aggressive in bringing in talent though the amateur and expansion drafts as well as in signing transfer players such as Racheal Kundananji and Asisat Oshoala. 

Rushton hired Montoya to be head coach in September and helped the 49-year-old put together a staff for his team’s first season in the NWSL. 

“This has been one of the hardest decisions of my life, but I believe the right one for me right now,” Rushton said in a statement on Monday. “I am excited for and look forward to my next chapter.”

Montoya said Rushton kept a positive attitude for the players on a daily basis. 

“Not having her around here and speaking with her and just having her presence, that’s just kind of changed a little bit,” he said. “That’s what we miss day-to-day right now. But we have other individuals in the club that are stepping in and helping out really well that have a very good understanding of the league and how it works. …  We miss her presence and we’re just wishing her the best.”

Technical director Matt Potter will be taking over Rushton’s responsibilities for the time being as Bay FC’s football and interim sporting director. 

Montoya said he and Potter have been aligned on where the team stands and the direction of the franchise won’t change. 

“Nothing has changed because Matt, Lucy and myself have always worked closely together,” Montoya said. “It’s a really close relationship and all three of us still talk.”

Montoya added, “We’re playing the same type of football, we’re excited about the players we have. We’re still looking at conversations we were having before Lucy left and those are still ongoing. We’re just going to continue doing what we can to get better.”

Though Bay FC is currently in 11th place in the 14-team league, they are only a point behind eighth-place Louisville, which would hold the last playoff spot if the season ended today.

Bay FC has won three of its last five games which included victories over Angel City FC, Chicago Red Stars and San Diego Wave FC. 

With the teams being so close in the standings, Saturday’s game against Louisville could prove to be crucial later on in the season when playoff seeding is determined. 

“We’re looking to come out with a win, that’s the goal there,” Montoya said. “The reality is this team has been playing really well and has been practicing at a different level for the last three or four weeks. I knew June was going to be a good month for us and I think we’re going to finish it off strong.”