By DAN KARELL
With Jason Kreis ready to make his return to day-to-day coaching in MLS with New York City FC, C.J. Brown has jumped at the opportunity to join his new coaching staff.
NYC FC announced on Monday afternoon that Brown has been added to the club’s staff, where he’ll team up with former Real Salt Lake assistant coach Miles Joseph in addition to Kreis. The three coaches were together at RSL between 2011 and 2013.
“I see this as a rare opportunity to be part of building a club from the ground up,” Brown told NYCFC.com. “It’s an experience and challenge that most coaches don’t get during their career, particularly not at a project as exciting as this one. There is so much potential at this club, it’s a blank slate at the moment but we could do something very special for soccer in this country.”
The Fire released a statement earlier on Monday lamenting Brown’s decision to leave the club. Though the Fire didn’t expressly state that Brown was leaving for New York, there were a few hints in the release that pointed towards that conclusion.
“It’s disappointing to lose C.J. from our coaching staff, as we made every attempt to ensure he would remain with the club long-term,” Fire head coach Frank Yallop said in a statement. “In a sense, C.J. saw an opportunity to ‘get the band back together’ so to speak. C.J. was a valuable part of what we are doing here and I have great appreciation for the work he put into this club over the past season. As we wish him well in his next endeavor, our club remains focused on seeing our plans come together. We look forward to the campaign ahead.”
Brown’s second stint back with the Chicago Fire was much shorter than his first. A former MLS defender, Brown spent 13 years with the Fire from 1998 through 2010, and amassed 15 caps for the U.S. Men’s National Team. He was inducted into the Fire’s hall of fame in 2012.
Following the 2013 season and Kreis’ decision to join NYC FC, Brown returned to the Fire as an assistant coach.
“I’m delighted that C.J. has accepted the offer to join NYC FC,” Kreis told NYCFC.com. “He is an exceptional coach as he has proven during his time at Salt Lake and Chicago Fire, and is hugely respected within the game. C.J. understands that what we’re trying to achieve here is very exciting and knows he could play an important part of that from the very beginning.
“There is a lot of hard work ahead for the coaching team. C.J. will join myself, Miles and the rest of the sporting department as soon as possible to help build the roster ahead of preseason in January.
“C.J. has fantastic experience in MLS having spent his whole career playing and coaching in the league. That knowledge and experience will be very useful to us. We had some great times together at Real Salt Lake City and I’m sure we can replicate the same success at New York City FC.”
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What do you think of this move? Do you see Kreis adding anyone else to his coaching staff? Who do you see replacing Brown with the Fire?
Share your thoughts below.
Funny I’m a white non polish and not mexican and I go to every game. fire averaged over 15,000 last season. if we had a good owner who cared it could be more.
But you don’t and your team stinks and has no hope for the future
Frank Yallop to replace CJ Brown as his own assistant coach.
In other words, Chicago fire is a disaster and they need a miracle. Chicago fire should go after mexicos Guillermo Ochoa goalkeeper and cubo Torres and some other mexican star, might as well cater to the mexican soccer fans since their fans don’t show up.
Guillermo Ochoa wants to leave Spain and be a starter and he would love Chicago.
Cubo Torres wants dp money.
Go get them fire.
You hit the nail on the head.
When I’ve attended games, the largest demographic was Latino…yet Chicago continues to go for the Polish connection signings. Torres could be a possibility, but no way Ochoa comes to the States any time soon. We’ll see where The Don assigns Torres (if he even resigns with MLS).
Chicago is a quagmire in soccer right now. So many issues, I have no idea where to start.
Chicago has the largest Polish population in the United States. Only Warsaw has more Polish people in a city. Lewandowski to Chicago? Oh my yes.
And Chicago soccer being a “disaster” is an understatement.
You’re spot on. I’m aware of the demographic and population breakdown, but what I’m stating is my personal experience when attending matches and having random conversations with people at The Globe, for instance.
In my non-scientific observation, Latino’s support the club more heavily than just about any demographic in our city.
Guilermo Ochoa would love MLS, specially Chicago. He likes attention and loves big cities like Chicago, if he gets the money he wants, why not.
Cubo Torres is looking DP money and why not him.
Another big mexican soccer star is dinigris, he plays with chivas and has no contract, same with Marco Fabian. MLS should steal some players from ligaMX but I would definitely take a look at Guillermo Ochoa before he goes to Brazil or turkey or backing France.
Those are some fine players and would each be a great get, however…. rather than attempt to fill a roster with self imposed limitations in the attempt to cater to a single demographic, fill a roster with the limitless and positive endeavor of playing beautiful, quality soccer which is universal in its appeal to all demographics within the sport. Do that successfully, start winning and who knows- maybe you even reel in a few of those outside the game.
NYCFC is shaping up to be RSL with tons of money. Kind of a scary thought.
Yup. New York Cosmos who?
Chicago Fire who?
Oh, those kilbasa eating loners who live in their moms’ basement and have never kissed a girl who look longingly at posters of Peter Nowak & rewind their 1998 highlight VHS cassette; never tiring of telling us all how they won the Cup their first year…those guys?
Clearly the most tiresome fans in MLS not from Toronto