The Chicago Fire have parted ways with head coach Ezra Hendrickson, a person familiar with the decision said. athletic. Anonymity was granted because the officials were not authorized to speak publicly about the decision.
Hendrickson’s assistant Frank Klopas will serve as the Fire’s head coach for the rest of 2023, sources said. The club also parted ways with assistant Junior Gonzalez. Assistants CJ Brown and Zach Thornton will remain on staff.
Hendrickson has been in charge of the Fire since the 2022 season. Last year, they finished 12th in the East, missing out on the playoffs.
Chicago have lost six points this season, including late goals in three of their last four MLS games. The Fire have a league-worst -7 point differential after 60 minutes.
The Fire have only made the postseason in one of their last 11 seasons (2017). The club have not made the playoffs since 2009.
This will be Kropus’ third appointment as Fire coach. The former Fireforward coached from 2011 to 2013, during which time he went 39-29-23. The Fire finished third in the Eastern Conference, advanced to the playoffs in 2012, finished sixth in 2013, and missed the playoffs in a scoring tiebreaker. Klopas also took over as interim manager in 2021 after Raphael Wickie was sacked, adopting a 2-3-1.
Chicago will host St. Louis City in the US Open Cup on Tuesday.
(Photo: Robin Allam/USSF/Getty Images)
