More of the same has been the theme of the Chicago Fire’s offseason. They continued that trend Tuesday as the club announced Frank Klopas will return as head coach for the 2024 season, his second official stint as full-time head coach in Chicago.
Klopas, 57, was named the Fire’s head coach for the remainder of the 2023 Major League Soccer season after Ezra Hendrickson was fired in early May. The Mather High School graduate led the Fire to the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals and took his side to the knockout round of the inaugural Leagues Cup tournament. Over the final 24 regular season games under Klopas in 2023, the Fire went 8-5-11 (29 points) and finished 13th in the Eastern Conference after losing their final two matches of the season.
“We conducted a thorough process with numerous well-qualified candidates, and we believe that Frank Klopas is the right person to lead the team,” said Fire Sporting Director Georg Heitz in the announcement. “Frank is hard working, has strong relationships with our players and staff, and knows what it takes to be successful in this League.
"During the interview process Frank laid out a clear plan to create a winning culture and mentality within the Club, and we are all aligned on the areas that we need to strengthen to be much more competitive in 2024. We will work closely with Frank to improve the roster and finalize his coaching staff for the upcoming season.”
“I’ve never made it a secret how much I care for this wonderful Club and city. Chicago is my home, and I would do anything to bring success to the Fire,” Klopas said in the announcement. “At this time, I believe that stepping back onto the sidelines is where I can best help this Club achieve its goals. I’m excited to build a strong culture and a winning mentality within the team, where everyone is committed to a standard of excellence and hard work.
"I am very grateful to [Fire owner and chairman] Joe Mansueto and our technical staff for their trust. I would also like to thank our fans for their unwavering support, and I look forward to experiencing many positive moments together at Soldier Field next season.”
What It Means for the Chicago Fire
This isn’t a surprising hire from what has been murmured around the Chicago Fire since the MLS season ended. Still, the move leaves a whole lot to be desired. The Fire went through this whole offseason interview process with other candidates just to end up, once again, with Frank Klopas in charge.
The club hasn’t made the playoffs since 2017. At what point does doing the same thing get old for Joe Mansueto and company?
More must-reads: