Sky Blue FC of WPS on fifth coach in 14 months

SOMERSET, N.J. (AP) — Sky Blue FC of Women's Professional Soccer is on its fifth coach in 14 months.

The franchise won the league's inaugural championship last season despite going through three coaches. Pauliina Miettinen was then hired in September, but she lasted just 14 games before the team announced Monday she had been fired.

Sky Blue is 5-6-3 and in third place out of seven clubs with 10 games left.

Miettinen declined comment.

Assistant Rick Stainton was promoted to head coach.

Ian Sawyers was suspended then fired after the first six games of last season. His replacement, Kelly Lindsey, abruptly resigned with two games left. After U.S. national team captain Christie Rampone took over as player-coach, Sky Blue clinched a playoff berth and went on to win the championship.

The veteran defender remains a starter for Sky Blue after missing the beginning of the season because of the birth of her second child.

"I have 100 percent trust going forward," Rampone said in a news release from the team. "It's a new season, with 10 games and a playoff run left to go."

Miettinen was a former Finnish national team player. She had coached in the Finnish Premier League and worked at Florida State when the Seminoles reached the 2005 NCAA semifinals.

Assistant Anne Parnila was also fired.