England soccer superstar Ronny has announced his return to the U.S. game. He said goodbye to England's Playing County last month, and now rumors are swirling that he has signed a coaching contract with D.C. United for up to $1 million a year, and will set foot on the U.S. stage again in two years. Last Monday, Ronnie arrived in the United States to complete the signing, however, his wife, McLaughlin, was adamantly opposed to it, saying that she and her four children would stay in England, which seemed to add another layer of shadow to the marriage.
Ronny began his tenure as manager of Championship side Playing County two years ago, and despite the team's eventual relegation, he won widespread praise for his performances in troubled times, with even Premier League sides expressing interest in him. However, he decided to return to D.C. United, where he had played between 2018 and 2020, a team that had been short of a coach since April. The two sides clicked and Ronnie made a public appearance at a US airport to prepare for the signing, subject to a visa being granted before an official announcement could be made.
Ronnie's decision was shocking and also put his marriage to a new test. McLaughlin had said in an interview earlier in the year that she had been "crying every night" in the US since Ronnie joined D.C. United in 2018, and Ronnie's return to the UK since then has reportedly been at McLaughlin's request. Indeed, Ronnie has been involved in repeated incidents during her two years in the US, including a drunk and disorderly arrest at an airport in December 2018, being photographed driving away from a late-night bash with a waitress in February 2019, and on another occasion, being spotted visiting a restaurant that featured sexy women.
According to a source quoted by The Sun UK, "Ronnie and McLaughlin discussed taking the job, and McLaughlin flatly refused, saying neither she nor her children would go to America. But McLaughlin didn't want to get in the way of Ronnie's career, so she agreed not to force him to resign. In the meantime, she and the children would be taken care of by McLuren's mother. The coach has a very busy schedule and Ronny has little opportunity to fly back to England to be with his family." D.C. United currently sits in second-to-last place on the east coast of the USL Professional Soccer League, with little hope of advancing to the playoffs at the end of the season.