Updated at 6:15 p.m.

Ben Olsen will no longer be D.C. United’s head coach, according to an announcement from the team on Thursday. Olsen’s departure as coach is effective immediately, but the team said he will remain with the organization in a new, undetermined role.

According to the Washington Post, the parting was a mutual decision between Olsen and organization leadership. The team’s assistant coach, Chad Ashton, will serve as interim head coach while the team searches for Olsen’s permanent replacement.

D.C. United is currently ranked last in the Eastern Conference, with a 2-9 record this season. The team lost its last six games. Injuries have added to the team’s struggles, as has an inability to connect on offense and score goals.

At a press conference on Tuesday, Olsen seemed to acknowledge that his time to be out as coach could be coming.

“I say this year after year,” Olsen said. “We have sharp owners, they know what’s best for this club. When my time is done, it’ll be done. It’s as simple as that. I don’t spend a lot of time on that, it’s wasted energy. It’s part of the job. I put quite a lot of pressure on myself to succeed for this club, for the fans. I’ve done that for 20 years. When that transition happens, it’ll happen. I’ll walk away happy with my time here. I’ll rest knowing I gave this club everything I had.”

Olsen, who is 43 years old, started his career with D.C. United in 1998 as a player. The midfielder retired in 2009, took on an assistant coaching role with the team in 2010, and was promoted to head coach mid-season. That makes him the longest-serving D.C. United coach ever.

“Over the course of his 22 years with the club, Ben has been a total professional and has represented this organization with incredible class and distinction,” said Jason Levien, the team’s co-chairman and CEO, in a statement. “It is our sincere hope and belief that Ben will continue to have a big impact on the organization.”

In the team’s press release, Olsen called the decision “the right move.”

“The club needs a new face and this is the right time for the club and also for me personally to move in a different direction,” said Olsen. “I spent the last 22 years waking up every morning thinking about how I could try to make this club better. I definitely didn’t get everything right, but I know I always gave everything I had to try to help this club achieve success.”

This story was updated with additional details from D.C. United about Olsen’s departure.