CHICAGO, IL–Chicago Fire FC has extended the contracts of sporting director Georg Heitz and technical director Sebastian Pelzer. Terms were not disclosed, but both will be returning for their fifth season running the soccer operations at the club.
“I’m pleased that Georg and Sebastian will continue to lead our sporting operations,” said Chicago Fire FC Owner and Chairman Joe Mansueto. “As we continue working toward building a world-class organization deeply connected to the community, Georg and his team have created a strong foundation that will lead to sustained success. Our fans deserve to support a team that is a consistent contender for trophies, and heading into the 2024 season, we are all committed to taking the necessary steps to bring more success to the Chicago Fire.”
According to the press release, under Heitz, the club has implemented a global scouting operation, added a reserve team, built a multi-Club network by acquiring Swiss Super League side FC Lugano, and placed a greater emphasis on developing players from within the Chicago Fire Academy. Additionally, the Fire has invested more resources in performance, data and analytics, and nutrition, and is in the process of building a state-of-the-art, multi-million-dollar performance center in the heart of Chicago to further enhance its efforts.
However, none of that has led to a playoff berth for the Fire. The Fire have made the playoffs just twice since 2009 and became just the second team in MLS history to miss the playoffs six consecutive seasons.
“I’m excited to continue leading the Chicago Fire, and I’d like to thank Joe Mansueto for his trust and support,” said Heitz. “Despite falling short of our collective goal to qualify for the playoffs, we have made improvements and professionalized the organization in multiple areas to be consistently competitive in the coming seasons and over the long term. We are confident that by adding the right pieces, we will be a strong contender in the Eastern Conference next season and become a team that brings more success and joy to our fans each week.”
COMMENT: Winning is the most important metric of any sports organization. On that metric, not nearly enough progress has been made. Indeed, this reporter has called in previous articles that Heitz should have been sacked. Heitz has certainly missed on just about every designated players signing he has made since 2020.
Xherdan Shaqiri has become the Fire’s charizard in that he’s show up if the occasion is big enough like it was against Inter Miami, but if the opponent is lesser than, he cannot be bothered. There have been hits like Maren Haile-Selassie and Chris Mueller, but more often than not, the squad as constructed has not been good enough as a whole.
Indeed, this will be an unpopular move give the Fire’s lack of perceived progress on the pitch. There were signs calling for Heitz’s outsider at the end of the home finale against Charlotte. Just about everything needs to go right from selecting the head coach (his third) to signing players who will positively contribute to the team on a more consistent basis.
At the very least Joe Mansueto needs to explain this decision to retain Heitz and Pelzer to the media and fans and not hide in a shell like Andrew Hauptman did when things started to really sour in 2013 and stayed in his shell until he sold the club in full in 2019.
If in 2024, the Fire do indeed make the playoffs and make tremendous progress, then we will recognize and acknowledge it. However, if there is no progress on the most important metric in sports–winning–and progress not only towards making the playoffs, but being among the league’s elite once again, then Heitz needs to be sacked at the first opportunity.
Fire fans do deserve to support a team that is a consistent contender for trophies, but they also deserve an organization that actually places the best possible people putting in a consistent effort to make the club a consistent contender. Right now, many Fire fans do not have confidence that Heitz and Pelzer are the people to lead the soccer operations. It has not been good enough the past five years. It needs to be better in 2024, or else it needs to change for it to be better.
(Editor’s Note: The club did release an interview with Joe Mansueto through the club’s Twitter site.)
