The Chicago Fire held their introductory press conference on Thursday afternoon at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel for their new director of football and head coach, Gregg Berhalter, just days ahead of their season finale on Saturday.
The former USMNT head coach was joined on stage by the Fire’s owner and chairman Joe Mansueto as the two dove into the process of bringing Berhalter to Chicago in his new dual role.
Mansueto acknowledged that everything began in August when Georg Heitz came to him and wanted to step down from his role in Chicago and return to Europe, though he wasn’t initially expecting to hire one person to fill the sporting director and head coaching positions.
Here are the notable moments from the availability with Berhalter and Mansueto:
Hiring Process
Began when Heitz said he wanted to step down in August, something Mansueto knew would eventually happen after years in Chicago. Initially only looking to fill the sporting director role. Search committee of Mansueto, Georg Heitz and Eddie Rock brought their candidate list from 80 down to three (two Americans, one European). Berhalter proposed doing both jobs during the interview process, Mansueto liked his plan and things progressed from there to hiring Berhalter as director of football and head coach.
The dual role at the top of an organization is becoming a bit outdated in MLS, though Mansueto acknowledged that a strong staff will need to be put in place around his new director of football and coach in order for the club to thrive under this new structure.
“What I wanted to do, what I try to do, is to create an environment where people can do their best work. And if he can do his best work as director of football and head coach so there's this seamless connection, I'm fine with it, and he will build underneath him an organization to offload the things -- obviously you can't do two full-time jobs, but he will build an organization around him, and I have every confidence he can do that.”
Mansueto on Fire’s 2024 Season
The Fire’s owner acknowledged that the club’s first-team results were not up to his expectations and acknowledged his role in needing to change things going forward.
“[I’m] very disappointed in the outcome of the season. It did not at all meet our expectations, which was at a minimum to make the playoffs and then to have a deep run and contend for championships. We did not make that goal, so just a lot of disappointment, and it wasn't due to a lack of hard work.
“The guys worked very hard. (The) coaching staff worked very hard, but for whatever reason, things did not gel for us on the pitch. It's a collective responsibility, me more than anyone. ‘The buck stops here,’ as Harry Truman said. It's all of us. It's not one person.
“[I’m] just very disappointed with the outcome in the season but, at the same time, I'm very excited for next season.”
Berhalter on Adjusting to MLS’s Changes Since Last Coaching Stint
It’s been a minute since Berhalter was involved in the day-to-day of a club in MLS and the league is in a much different place than when he departed his role in Ohio for the USMNT gig in 2018.
“The major addition has been second teams and the growth of the academy system and how that whole entity has developed, but to me it's a lot more professional now. That's what I'm excited about. It's really about the ability to recruit good people and sophisticated people to be able to be effective in the transfer market and bring in top talent and then be effective in development.
“We want to be a player-first club. We want to be a club that puts the player in the center of everything, and each department works around the player to help maximize their potential.
“In terms of recruitment, we think there's an opportunity this offseason to bring in some high-quality players, to bring in players that can perform in the top 5 percent of the league. Real game-changer type players, and we want to do that.
“We have the ability to affect the roster in a positive way, and it starts with next season. We're not saying this is a five-year build. We want to be successful in year one.”
Berhalter on Chicago vs. Other Options
Gregg Berhalter was a candidate for a position with Liga MX’s Club América last year and when comparing that option to the position he now has with the Fire, the former USMNT coach stressed that family was a big part of his decision-making process but didn’t rule out coaching abroad down the line.
“This was a moment in time where I chose for my family,” said Berhalter. “As a player, you're selfish. You always go to the best opportunity, and you're moving, and you're moving, and you're moving. Then you get a coaching job, and you're moving, and you're moving your family.
“This was a moment where I said, you know, this opportunity is so good, there's so much potential in this club, and my family gets to be stable. They get to be in one place. My daughter gets to graduate from [the same] high school. She's a junior now.
“That was a big part of the decision. Europe has always been an ambition of mine, and it's not binary. Just because I came here doesn't mean there's never going to be an opportunity in Europe, but right now this is the best opportunity for me and my family.”
Style of Play
The Fire will be playing a different brand of soccer under Berhalter than they have been under Frank Kopas, which their new coach detailed when asked how he’d compare this role to his time with the USMNT.
“Part of the national team shift and pivot was looking at our player pool,” said Berhlater. “We had a very dynamic midfield, very aggressive wingers, so we wanted to take advantage of the speed and the pressing ability. We were able to make that change and be much more aggressive, much more proactive as a nation, which was I think a positive turn.
“Looking forward to Chicago, we want to be a dominant team. We want to be a team that controls the ball. We want to be a team that's not afraid of any other team in the league. We want to be a team that can hurt other opponents and hurt them both, offensively with the ball, but also defensive compactness, being able to maintain our shape and structure, and be difficult to penetrate.
“It's really, when I look at the Columbus team and the national team, I really think it's in the middle of both of them because in MLS there are more open spaces. You can take advantage of spaces that are between the lines in a stretched field, so we want to certainly be able to do that offensively. Then defensively, how are we able to control the opponent and really limit the danger that they're able to create against us.”
GGG on Chris Brady and Brian Gutiérrez, with a Splash of Carlos Terán
“[Brady and Gutiérrez] are two guys that we’re really familiar with. Now that I get to work with them full-time, I’m even more excited because I think they both have a ton of potential. There’s nothing better than being able to help them reach their dreams.
“I talked to them both today and it’s really about, okay, they have these goals in their career and all we’re doing as coaches and as a club is trying to facilitate that and help maximize their potential.”
On Gutiérrez
“I have a good way to communicate with him. I think he’s open with me, I’m open with him.”
On Brady:
“He’s a young player but he’s wise beyond his years and it’s really great to hear his perspective on things.”
On Carlos Terán:
“I see a player with a ton of potential, and you don't often get that type of package in a center back, being that commanding, physically, that adequate on the ball. I think he has the potential to be a top center back.
“It hasn't gone exactly the way he would like it for his time in the Chicago Fire. It's just about having conversations with him and really trying to understand his point of view and where he is coming from.”
A Soccer-Specific Stadium in Chicago?
Mansueto made headlines at the end of the press conference when he announced that the Fire are actively looking for land in Chicago for a soccer-specific stadium. Mansueto later told reporters that the club has already toured the sites at Lincoln Yards, Michael Reese Hospital and The 78. Those three were the sites the owner found the ‘most interesting’ but he did allude to the club looking at other sites in Chicago as well.
Lincoln Yards and Michael Reese Hospital have been looked at as potential sporting venues in the past but the Fire consider those plans “outdated” and would be starting from scratch at any of the aforementioned locations.
When asked to characterize his relationship with the Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, Mansueto told reporters that he’s “met him a few times. He’s been to a Fire game. He called me as soon as he was elected. But I don’t really have a strong relationship with them, that’s how I would characterize it.”
Mansueto did confirm to Paul Tenorio of the Athletic that the stadium would be privately financed by the team for a multitude of reasons.
“My personal view is that stadiums are not a great investment,” Mansueto told The Athletic . “They’re big, costly to maintain, sit empty most of the time. And so to the extent that they create value, most of that accrues to the sports team, not the municipality. So to me, it’s fair that the sports team should own it. Moreover, here in Illinois, in the City of Chicago, our finances are strained. Teachers want more money, law enforcement needs money, pension obligations. Our city and state don’t have the funds, to be candid, and so to me, we would privately finance it.”
What’s On Tap Next?
The Fire will host Nashville SC in their season finale at Soldier Field on Saturday. The match is scheduled to kick off at 5:00 p.m. CT and will air on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV+.
Follow @soccer_ontap on X for more Chicago Fire news and updates!
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