Sporting director Georg Heitz hasn’t wasted much time rebuilding the Fire’s soccer operations. A week after coming aboard, Heitz hired Raphael Wicky to coach the team.
On Saturday, the Fire made another addition, plucking a second name from Heitz’s Rolodex with the hire of Sebastian Pelzer as technical director.
“I’m looking forward to joining Chicago Fire FC,” Pelzer said in a news release. “This is a great opportunity and I’m honored to be a part of this club – know that I will do my best to help in every way that I can.”
Following his playing career that included more than 350 appearances, Pelzer worked at Heusler Werthmüller Heitz AG, Heitz’s soccer consulting firm. Wicky, Heitz’s first big hire, was at FC Basel the same time as Heitz.
Pelzer has no experience in MLS, either as a player or executive. Heitz also had no experience in MLS before joining the Fire, and Wicky’s stint in the league consisted of five games in 2008 with Chivas USA.
Heitz, Wicky and Pelzer have little time to get acclimated to the Fire and MLS. Training camp can start Jan. 18, and the season opens March 1 at Seattle. The league’s labor situation is also unsettled, which could lead to changes to roster and salary rules and further complicate the offseason.
The Fire currently have 17 players, no Designated Players and no captain, and it’s likely the new management will also evaluate remaining players differently than their predecessors. Of those 17 players, five are Homegrowns and not all of them will be counted on to contribute in 2020. The roster currently boasts one goalkeeper with senior experience (Kenneth Kronholm), and only one recognized forward (CJ Sapong).
But with the hire of Pelzer, Heitz has added to the Fire braintrust. Heitz has also found someone he’s familiar with, and an executive who likely shares the same philosophy about the sport.
Those attributes could be helpful considering how much Heitz, Pelzer and Wicky must do before the 2020 season.
“I have worked closely with Sebastian in the past and we see football in the same way. We share a similar perspective,” Heitz said in a news release. “I’m excited that he has chosen to join us here in Chicago. He is the type of teammate and colleague that we wanted to bring to this club. Sebastian has a great eye for talent, he is a great communicator, and he knows the intricacies of the sport.”
Pelzer, 39, will report to Heitz and work on all aspects of the Fire’s soccer operations. According to the news release, Pelzer will scout, build networks, and assist with the soccer operations budget and salary cap. He will also work with Wicky and his staff, which has not yet been finalized.
Born in Trier, Germany, Pelzer was a defender who played professionally for 16 years. The bulk of his career was spent in the German second and third divisions, though he did spend time with English club Blackburn Rovers.