Peter Luccin looks to make his mark on FC Dallas

"I'm a real FC Dallas person, no doubt about it."

FC Dallas has entered a new era this week, one that will last until the end of the 2024 season.

Former FC Dallas player, academy coach and, most recently, assistant coach Peter Luccin has been appointed as the club’s new interim manager following Nico Estevez's dismissal on Sunday evening.

If you ask Luccin, he is an FC Dallas person through and through. The Frenchman spent two seasons with the club before moving into coaching in the club’s academy for four years. From there, he transitioned into an assistant coach in 2019 under former manager Luchi Gonzalez. He remained one of the club’s top assistants until Sunday evening, when he was promoted to interim manager.

The emotions of seeing his former boss dismissed and being promoted shined through on Tuesday when the club formerly introduced him as the new interim manager.

“So now is a is a beautiful opportunity. I'm very excited to take that opportunity where the game coming on Saturday will be very important in front of our people and with our people here,” said Luccin. “So we have to send a message. We have to send a message because this is what we have to do. We have time to change a little bit to the flow. And yeah, I'm pretty sure we're going to do it right.”

The 45-year-old quickly dismissed any discussion of his potential tactics or the formation he plans to use on Saturday against St. Louis CITY SC. Instead, he wants to change his players' behavior and attitudes.

“So to be honest, in terms of system shape formation, I would like more to talk about behavior, more than that, because it's an attitude that we need to change,” explained Luccin. “And me first, because I'm going to lead that project after seeing something from me. So it's life, and everything is about energy. So this is what this is. This is going to be a challenge for a lot of people, but they are ready.”

Luccin hopes to guide the club back into a playoff position with 18 games left in the regular season. To do that, he brought up John Gall from FC Dallas’ second team, North Texas SC, which has been dominant in 2024 under Gall’s leadership.

“I have known John for, I will say, maybe eight years, and I saw his work ethic and his charisma,” said Luccin. “I need to have people I trust and know the game. He knows the game. So that's why, what you're gonna see even in the practice, sometimes he's going to run the practice. I have absolutely no problem with that. I will be around, but he's going to run the practice because I want him to feel free. If I want him, I want John for what he's and what he can bring to the team. So that's why I want him to understand he will have freedom. He's going to have all my support.”

Along with Gall, Luccin hopes he can begin to see some younger players earn minutes from North Texas with FC Dallas. The Frenchman listed several players who he sees as having a strong season with the MLS NEXT Pro side, but he also stressed that it won’t be an overnight change to a younger team.

“Everybody is going to be involved in time. So, in the end, it is the right away. We're going to see a uniting team on the field,” said Luccin. “That thing is going to take time because even that is, it will not be fair for them. So we need to support them. They need to feel all our support.”

Luccin takes over a Dallas side that is 3-8-5 on the season. His first test comes on Saturday as the club hosts St. Louis CITY SC. He knows the club and what it can take to be successful. More importantly, he knows what it means to be part of this club.

“You know what it means to play for this club? I've been in this club for a long time now,” said Luccin. “I'm a real FC Dallas person, so nobody can doubt that.”