Johnson, the general manager since November 1999, said Saturday that he had wanted a long-term deal. The team announced his impending departure on Friday. Johnson will remain as an adviser during the transition to a new GM.

``First and foremost, the last couple of years have been an unstable environment to work in _ and for my family,'' he said. ``What I was looking for was a more stable situation. I wanted to be part of this organization for many years to come.''

Founding owner Lamar Hunt sold the team Aug. 30 to a six-person investment group headed by Cerner Corp. executives Neal Patterson and Cliff Illig. The new owners hope to have a soccer-specific stadium built in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park., Kan.

``We want to thank Curt for his long tenure with the Kansas City Wizards,'' Robb Heineman, a member of the new ownership group, said in a statement. ``Curt was a key component of a Wizards club that achieved the highest pinnacle of Major League Soccer, the MLS Cup championship in 2000.''

Kansas City also reached the MLS Cup finals in 2004, the same year the team won its only U.S. Open Cup.

Johnson characterized his decision as amicable and praised the new owners.

``I have no doubt they're going to be successful,'' he said. ``I think they're working hard to figure out how they want to structure themselves as well as how to structure the Wizards organization. I'll do everything I can to help them.''

Going into Saturday night's game at New England, the Wizards were in fourth place in the Eastern Conference, one point ahead of New York for the final playoff spot.