NEW YORK — Tony Novo resigned his position as Sky Blue FC president and general manager, the club announced on Tuesday. He will be replaced by the club’s vice president, Alyse LaHue, on an interim basis.
Novo will return to his work as a residential mortgage lender after more than six years at Sky Blue, the club said in a statement.
He had been under severe scrutiny since reports surfaced last summer that the players were working and living in below-standard conditions.
“Tony has been an integral part of the growth of Sky Blue and we appreciate his dedication to the team and the sport,” said Tammy Murphy, one of the team’s owners and the current First Lady of New Jersey. “For the past 6 1/2 years, he has been a passionate supporter of professional women’s soccer and has worked tirelessly to get the team to where it is today.”
LaHue will take over while the ownership group begins a search for Novo’s replacement and “reevaluates operations,” according to the statement. LaHue joined Sky Blue last year and was previously general manager of the Chicago Red Stars from 2012-16. Before that, she had leadership roles with USL Pro side LA Blues, now Orange County SC of the second-tier USL Championship, and with the now-defunct Pali Blues of the W-League. She is also the task force chair of the United Soccer Coaches Women’s Membership Group.
In addition to public scrutiny, Novo had been the focus of a campaign by the team’s official supporters’ group, Cloud 9, which used #FireNovo and #FreeSkyBlue on social media throughout the offseason. Novo spent the last months of his tenure at Sky Blue insisting the players’ working and living conditions needed improvement. He also reacted defensively to the criticism the team’s executives had faced since last summer.
Sky Blue FC begins its 2019 NWSL season Saturday on the road against the Washington Spirit.